Most of the time, when a student begins the process, they find themselves quite alone. This is because it is difficult for them to access legal advice from their home country. And yet, already at this stage, they need to produce all the documents that would allow the authorities to determine whether or not they meet the material conditions for being granted a residence permit for educational purposes. The next section details the main stages involved in the issuing of a visa. It should be read together with the section which details the basic conditions for the granting of a study permit.