From May 1, 2026, changes in immigration legislation will come into force in France: the country increases duties and introduces new fees for paperwork. The innovations will affect both foreigners themselves and employers who sponsor the relocation of employees.
The French government has reviewed the cost of key administrative procedures:
- Primary residence permit:The fee will increase from 200 to 300 euros. For preferential categories (students, seasonal workers, family reunification), the price will increase from 50 to 100 euros. At the same time, the extension of the residence permit will not become more expensive (200 euros, preferential - 50 euros).
- Long-term visas:The fee for visas equivalent to a residence permit will also rise to 300 euros (it was 200 euros).
- Citizenship:The cost of applying for naturalization will rise from 55 to 255 euros.
- Replacement and duplicates:changing the data or restoring a lost residence permit (for example, when changing the address) will cost 50 euros instead of the previous 25.
In addition to raising tariffs, the French authorities are introducing fees for services that were previously provided for free.:
- Temporary permits APS.The issuance and extension of a temporary residence permit (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) will now cost 100 euros. An exception is made for refugees and victims of human trafficking.
- Exchange of rights.The replacement of a foreign driver's license with a French one will be charged 40 euros.
First of all, foreigners who change their migration status or receive their first residence permit will feel the increase in expenses. Companies hiring foreign specialists will have to add new costs to their recruitment budgets.
The official reason for the reform is the government's desire to increase budget revenues and shift part of the administrative burden onto the applicants themselves. The old tariffs will remain in effect until May 1, 2026, but after this date, legalization costs in France will increase significantly.
Source: Fragomen
