u/weepingblankets

Hi everyone,

I'm a Filipino applying for a French long-stay student visa (VLS-TS étudiant) for a language program at Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.

My studies and living expenses will be sponsored by my aunt and uncle who live in Germany. They will be providing a sponsorship letter along with bank statements, payslips, employment documents, etc.

I'm getting mixed information regarding the Affidavit of Support and Guarantee (AOSG).

My sister previously studied in Germany and had both a Verpflichtungserklärung and an AOSG, so my family assumes I may need one as well. However, I cannot find any French visa requirement that explicitly asks for an AOSG.

For anyone who has recently applied for a French long-stay student visa from the Philippines with an overseas sponsor:

1. Did TLS or the French Embassy require an AOSG?
2. Did you submit one voluntarily?
3. Did Philippine Immigration ask for it at NAIA before departure?
4. If your sponsor was a relative abroad (not a parent), what documents did you provide?

Would appreciate hearing from people with actual recent experience. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in the process of applying for a long-stay student visa for France through a university language program (DULF – French language diploma pathway at Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris).

I have already completed my Campus France pre-consular interview and I am now preparing my visa application for submission at TLS.

My main concern right now is about the French language certificate requirement (A1 / TCF / DELF) for the visa application.

During my Campus France interview, the officer mentioned that while it is not an official requirement, it would be “safer” or more reassuring for the visa application if I had at least an A1-level French certificate before submitting my file. However, it was also clarified that it is not mandatory.

This left me a bit unsure because:

I do not currently have an official French certificate

I have already been accepted into a university language program that begins from a beginner level

But I also want to make sure my visa application is as strong as possible

For context, I am planning to pursue a Master’s degree in France in the future, but not immediately after the DULF program. I understand that starting from an A1 level means I will need time to reach the required B2 level first before applying for a Master’s program, so my plan is to follow a gradual progression through the language pathway before moving into postgraduate studies.

So my questions are:

(1) How important is an A1/TCF/DELF certificate in practice for student visa approval in cases like mine?

(2) Has anyone been approved without an official French certificate at the time of application?

(3) Is it better to proceed with the visa application as is, or try to obtain a certificate quickly before submitting?

Any insights or experiences would really help.

Thank you in advance 🙏