Foreign nationals living and working in France will see a sharp rise in administrative costs next week after a government notice published on 24 April confirmed new fiscal-stamp tariffs. The fee for a first-issue carte de séjour rises from €225 to €350, while reduced-rate categories such as students and seasonal workers double from €75 to €150 (card + stamp).
![French residence-permit and naturalisation fees to jump on 1 May 2026]()
For those looking for help navigating these changes, VisaHQ provides an end-to-end, online visa and residence-permit processing service that can simplify French paperwork, offer real-time status tracking and cut down on costly errors—details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
Renewals climb more modestly, from €225 to €250, but the headline shock is reserved for citizenship: the naturalisation application fee rockets from €55 to €255. In addition, exchanging a foreign driving licence will attract a €40 stamp for the first time from 4 May. The interior ministry argues that French fees were low by EU standards and that the hike will fund digital modernisation of prefecture workflows. Migrant-rights NGOs denounce the move as a hidden tax that may push low-income families into irregular status if they cannot afford renewals. Global-mobility teams should update cost-of-assignment calculators immediately: a family of four on initial postings could now pay €1 400 in residence-card fees alone. Employers may also need to raise relocation allowances or cover upfront costs to avoid assignment delays.
For those looking for help navigating these changes, VisaHQ provides an end-to-end, online visa and residence-permit processing service that can simplify French paperwork, offer real-time status tracking and cut down on costly errors—details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
Renewals climb more modestly, from €225 to €250, but the headline shock is reserved for citizenship: the naturalisation application fee rockets from €55 to €255. In addition, exchanging a foreign driving licence will attract a €40 stamp for the first time from 4 May. The interior ministry argues that French fees were low by EU standards and that the hike will fund digital modernisation of prefecture workflows. Migrant-rights NGOs denounce the move as a hidden tax that may push low-income families into irregular status if they cannot afford renewals. Global-mobility teams should update cost-of-assignment calculators immediately: a family of four on initial postings could now pay €1 400 in residence-card fees alone. Employers may also need to raise relocation allowances or cover upfront costs to avoid assignment delays.
