Validate your long-stay visa (VLS-TS)

Validate your VLS-TS visa online within 3 months of arriving in France.

For: New arrivals in France holding a VLS-TS long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit.

Overview

If you arrived on a VLS-TS (visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour), you must validate it online within 3 months of arrival, or it becomes invalid and you fall out of status. Validation is done on the ANEF portal, where you confirm your details, pay a timbre fiscal (electronic tax stamp) and download your confirmation. The assistant walks you through the exact portal, the fee and how to prove your visa is valid while you are in France.

The steps

1
Confirm your deadline
Validate within 3 months of your arrival date in France.
2
Buy the timbre fiscal
Purchase the electronic tax stamp (OFII tax) online in advance.
3
Log into ANEF
Use the official administration-etrangers-en-france portal to start validation.
4
Enter your visa details
Provide visa number, arrival date and address in France.
5
Pay and validate
Apply the timbre fiscal and submit the validation.
6
Download your proof
Save the confirmation that proves your visa is valid.

Documents you will typically need

Passport with the VLS-TS visa sticker
Your arrival date in France (stamp or travel proof)
French address
Electronic timbre fiscal (bought online)
An email address for the ANEF account

Your personal assistant

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Frequently asked questions

What happens if I miss the 3-month deadline?

Your visa is no longer valid as a residence permit and you may become irregular. It is essential to validate on time; the assistant helps you do it quickly.

How much is the timbre fiscal?

There is a validation tax (OFII tax) that you buy online as an electronic stamp. Amounts can change, so the assistant tells you where to check the current figure.

Do I still need to do anything before my visa expires?

Yes. Before it expires you either renew or switch to a residence permit. The assistant can also guide you to the renewal procedure.

Demarches-Simplifiees.co is an independent service and is not affiliated with the French government or any administration. The assistant provides practical guidance, not personalised legal advice. Always confirm details, fees and deadlines on the official government websites.