Visale - Free guarantor for international students
VISALE is a no-cost solution to the problem of student security deposits. With VISALE, students find housing more quickly and property owners are assured that rent will be paid.
1. VISALE can be used by international students
To be eligible, students must be between 18 and 30 years of age.
Students who require a visa for study in France must have obtained a long-stay visa with residency permit (VLS-TS) marked "étudiant" or "passeport talent".
Students who are citizens of a member country of the European Union need only a student ID card and a valid passport.
2. VISALE may be used for private rentals or for space in student residences
The VISALE security deposit is the perfect solution for students seeking to rent a room or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, from a private or public property owner. Owners have the option of accepting or rejecting prospective tenants who wish to use VISALE to guarantee their payment of rent and other charges.
GOOD TO KNOW: CROUS, the French student housing agency, has signed an agreement with VISALE. Under the agreement, international students may use VISALE as their security deposit when renting a room in a student residence managed by CROUS.
3. You don’t have to know your address in France before applying to VISALE
Arrangements may be made before you arrive in France. In fact, it is important to make arrangements in advance since you will have to have your VISALE eligibility certificate, known as a “visa,” before signing your lease.
Incoming students are advised to initiate the VISALE process as soon as they receive their VLS-TS visa from the French consulate.
4. The VISALE “visa” is distinct from the visa granted by the consulate
In order to study in France, some international students need a visa, a document issued by the French consulate in the student’s home country that confers the right to enter and reside in France for a certain period.
The VISALE visa is a certificate that entitles the bearer to a security deposit. It confers no right to enter or reside in France.
5. You can apply for VISALE online
Here are the steps to get VISALE in a few clicks:
- Go to visale.fr and create an account.
- Complete the form, upload the required documents, and confirm your application.
- Receive a certificate of VISALE eligibility, called a "visa," within 2 to 15 days.
- Verify the period of validity of your certificate and the amount of rent that will be guaranteed.
- Print your certificate and present it to the property owner, if he or she accepts VISALE, before the lease is signed.
- The property owner will then visit visale.fr to obtain a security deposit certificate.
- Et voilà, the lease or rental contract can now be signed!
Campus France is here to help you take advantage of VISALE: consult our guide
