CHAPTER 11 · BEFORE YOU FLY
Before you flyto France.
In the last six weeks before departure, secure accommodation, carry original documents, arrange money for your first two months, get travel insurance, and plan your first-week tasks: visa validation, bank, phone, social security and housing aid.
Published by Althéa Consulting · Adviser: Harshita Kohli
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Documents to carry (originals + copies)
- Passport with visa
- Admission letter and fee receipts
- Campus France confirmation
- Degree certificates and all marksheets
- Birth certificate (an official translation helps for social security)
- Proof of funds and loan letters
- Accommodation contract or booking
- Passport photos (10–12)
- Insurance certificate
- Digital copies of everything in cloud storage
Money
- Carry a forex card or international debit card for the first weeks.
- Keep some euros in cash for arrival day.
- Budget for the first two months: deposit, rent, CVEC, transport, groceries and the €150 visa validation.
- Tell your Indian bank you are travelling to avoid card blocks.
Packing for France
- Warm winter coat, thermal layers, gloves (winters reach 0°C and below in many cities)
- Universal plug adapter (France uses type C/E plugs, 230 V)
- Prescription medicines with the doctor's prescription
- Spectacles / lenses and a copy of the prescription
- A few days of home food and spices — Indian groceries are available in larger cities
- Laptop and phone unlocked for a French SIM
Book or plan now
- Airport transfer or route to your accommodation
- First nights' stay if your flat is not ready
- Appointment slots at your university's international office
- A French SIM or eSIM plan
IN DEPTH · TAP A TOPIC TO OPEN
Six-week countdown
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks | Confirm housing in writing; book flights (arrive 1–2 weeks before classes) |
| 5 weeks | Buy a forex card or open an online multi-currency account; arrange the first two months of money |
| 4 weeks | Medical check-up, dental work, glasses; get a doctor's letter for any medicines |
| 3 weeks | Scan every document to cloud storage; print two sets of copies |
| 2 weeks | Travel insurance until French social security starts; download apps (SNCF Connect, Citymapper, Doctolib, Leboncoin) |
| 1 week | Pack, check baggage rules, share your address and flight with family and your school |
What to pack from India
- Warm jacket, thermals, gloves and closed shoes (buy a heavy coat in France if needed)
- Universal adapter for French type C/E sockets
- Prescription medicines for 2–3 months with the doctor's prescription in English
- A pressure cooker or small kitchen basics if you cook Indian food
- Spices in sealed packets (Indian groceries exist in Paris, but they cost more)
- Passport photos — French admin often asks for them
- Formal outfit for interviews and events
Not allowed or limited in your luggage
- Meat and dairy products from India are not allowed into the EU
- Fresh fruit, vegetables and plants are restricted
- Cash above €10,000 must be declared at customs
- Medicines only in personal quantities, with a prescription
- Lithium batteries and power banks in cabin baggage only
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
Enough for the first days — €200–400 in cash plus a forex card or an international debit card. Keep any amount above €10,000 declared at customs.
One to two weeks before classes start, so you can settle into housing, validate your visa and open a bank account before lectures.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
FRANCE GUIDE
First weeks in France
The order to do things after arriving in France: visa validation, university enrolment, bank, phone, social security, CAF housing aid and transport.
FRANCE GUIDE
Housing & student life
Student housing in France: CROUS, private residences, flat-shares, Visale guarantor, CAF aid, deposits, scams to avoid and daily student life.
FROM INDIA
Packing & customs
What to pack from India for study abroad: medicines with prescriptions, food rules for the EU, UK, USA, Canada and Australia, cash limits and baggage tips.
FROM INDIA
Month-by-month timeline
Month-by-month study abroad plan from India for a September 2027 start: tests, applications, scholarships, loans, visa, flights and a document checklist.
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Compare countries
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