The French government’s draft 2026 finance bill contains a surprise for the country’s 5.3 million foreign residents: almost every immigration document is set to become significantly more expensive. Under the proposal presented to parliament on 28 November, the standard ten-year carte de séjour pluriannuelle would rise from €200 to €300, while shorter-term or specialist permits—seasonal-worker, family-reunification and entrepreneurial “talent passport” cards—would all jump by roughly 30-50 per cent. Even replacement cards for a lost or stolen titre de séjour would double to €50.
Budget rapporteurs argue that France is merely aligning itself with “the European median”, noting that Spain charges the equivalent of €218 and Germany around €100 for comparable long-term permits. Migrant-rights NGO Gisti, however, calls the increases an “explosion of fees” that will hit low-income workers, students and retirees hardest. The organisation points out that many permits must be renewed annually in the first five years of residence, multiplying the impact of a single fee hike.
![France Proposes €100 Hike on Residency Cards & Visa Equivalents in 2026 Budget]()
Business-immigration advisers are already recalculating relocation packages. A US employee on a four-year local French contract currently pays €99 for the long-stay D-visa, €55 in visa-centre service charges and €200 to validate the visa into a first-year residence permit—€354 all-in. Under the draft law, the same assignee would face €454 unless the government waives the existing €200 “validation” payment, a point the bill leaves unclear. Companies covering dependants’ paperwork could see overall immigration costs rise by several thousand euros per family.
The bill also targets naturalisation, quintupling the citizenship application fee from €55 to €255. Officials say the new levy will pay for mandatory civics and language testing, but critics warn it erects yet another barrier to integration. The proposal must still clear the Senate and return to the National Assembly for a final vote in December, yet with President Macron’s centrist coalition and the opposition Republicans both signalling support, significant amendments look unlikely.
Practical takeaway: HR and global-mobility teams should budget an extra 35-70 per cent for French immigration expenses in 2026 and review assignment letters that promise employees fee reimbursement. Specialists also urge tracking parallel debates on a planned health-care levy for long-stay “visitor” visa holders, which could further increase the cost of living in France for foreign staff.
Budget rapporteurs argue that France is merely aligning itself with “the European median”, noting that Spain charges the equivalent of €218 and Germany around €100 for comparable long-term permits. Migrant-rights NGO Gisti, however, calls the increases an “explosion of fees” that will hit low-income workers, students and retirees hardest. The organisation points out that many permits must be renewed annually in the first five years of residence, multiplying the impact of a single fee hike.
Business-immigration advisers are already recalculating relocation packages. A US employee on a four-year local French contract currently pays €99 for the long-stay D-visa, €55 in visa-centre service charges and €200 to validate the visa into a first-year residence permit—€354 all-in. Under the draft law, the same assignee would face €454 unless the government waives the existing €200 “validation” payment, a point the bill leaves unclear. Companies covering dependants’ paperwork could see overall immigration costs rise by several thousand euros per family.
The bill also targets naturalisation, quintupling the citizenship application fee from €55 to €255. Officials say the new levy will pay for mandatory civics and language testing, but critics warn it erects yet another barrier to integration. The proposal must still clear the Senate and return to the National Assembly for a final vote in December, yet with President Macron’s centrist coalition and the opposition Republicans both signalling support, significant amendments look unlikely.
Practical takeaway: HR and global-mobility teams should budget an extra 35-70 per cent for French immigration expenses in 2026 and review assignment letters that promise employees fee reimbursement. Specialists also urge tracking parallel debates on a planned health-care levy for long-stay “visitor” visa holders, which could further increase the cost of living in France for foreign staff.
