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The gazetteResidence permit · 1 May 2026

French residence permit fees: €300 of tax and €50 of stamp duty since 1 May 2026, the reduced rates and the exemptions

By the AlphaDeep legal editorial teamPublished Drafted with AI assistance, references last checked: our method

Since 1 May 2026, a first French residence card costs €350 in tax stamps, against €225 before: €300 of tax and €50 of stamp duty. Renewal rises to €250, a duplicate to €350, and the reduced rate for students, trainees or seasonal workers to €150. The regularisation visa after entry without a visa rises to €300 (CESEDA, articles L436-1 to L436-7).

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How much does your residence permit cost in tax stamps?

Choose the permit and the step: the gazette calculates the amount in force and the amount before 1 May 2026. The example: the first issue of an ordinary card.

Fictional example · gazette of your tax stamps

€350 in tax stamps, against €225 before 1 May 2026.

Tax
€300
Stamp duty
€50
Before 1 May 2026
€225
Total in tax stamps
€350
Residence permit taxes, before and after 1 May 2026

Until 30 April 2026

  • A €200 tax on issue and on renewal alike
  • Stamp duty of €25
  • Regularisation visa of €200, €50 of it on application

Since 1 May 2026

  • A €300 tax on first issue, €200 on renewal
  • Stamp duty of €50
  • Regularisation visa of €300, €100 of it on application

Applicable provisions

In view of your permit and the CESEDA:

  1. The first-issue tax: €300 (CESEDA, article L436-1).
  2. Stamp duty of €50 for a residence card (article L436-7).
  3. Before 1 May 2026, the same step cost €225 (loi n° 2026-103 of 19 February 2026, article 128).
  4. Payment by electronic tax stamp, online or at an equipped tobacconist (article R436-3; fiche F33071).

Indicative analysis: the exact legal ground of your permit sets the rate; the préfecture confirms the amount to pay.

How much does each permit cost, before and since 1 May 2026?

The total in tax stamps, tax and stamp duty included.

French residence permits: amounts until 30 April 2026 and since 1 May 2026, texts in force on 26 September 2026
Permit and stepUntil 30 April 2026Since 1 May 2026
Ordinary card, first issue€225€350
Ordinary card, renewal€225€250
Ordinary card, duplicate€225€350
Reduced rate, first issue€75€150
Reduced rate, renewal€75€100
Refugee, subsidiary protection, stateless: first card€25€50
“Retraité” card€25€50
Victim of violence, trafficking or procuring€0€0
Temporary residence authorisation (APS)€0€100
Validating an ordinary VLS-TS€200€300
Regularisation visa, on top€200, €50 of it on application€300, €100 of it on application
Late renewal, on top€180€180

The amounts follow the CESEDA; for a refugee or stateless person’s card, have the amount confirmed by the préfecture. The VLS-TS comes on top of the visa fees paid at the consulate (articles L436-1 to L436-8).

Sources: CESEDA L436-1 · L436-1, former version · CESEDA L436-2 · L436-2, former version · CESEDA L436-7 · L436-7, former version · CESEDA L436-4 · L436-4, former version · CESEDA L436-5 · CESEDA L436-8

Summary card: since 1 May 2026, a first French residence card costs €350 in tax stamps, against €225 before; renewal €250, reduced rate €150, regularisation visa €300.
French residence permit fees: the amounts since 1 May 2026.

What changed on 1 May 2026?

The 2026 finance law and the five increases it set for the same day.

  1. Loi n° 2026-103, the finance law for 2026, rewrites the residence permit taxes (article 128), coming into force on 1 May 2026.

    Source: Loi n° 2026-103

  2. First issue: the tax rises from €200 to €300, and from €50 to €100 at the reduced rate; renewal stays at €200, or €50 at the reduced rate (article L436-1).

    Sources: CESEDA L436-1 · L436-1, former version

  3. Stamp duty: from €25 to €50 per card, on issue, renewal, duplicate or change (article L436-7).

    Sources: CESEDA L436-7 · L436-7, former version

  4. Duplicate: it now pays the first-issue tax of the same permit, no longer the renewal tax (article L436-2).

    Sources: CESEDA L436-2 · L436-2, former version

  5. Regularisation visa: from €200 to €300, with €100 non-refundable paid on application instead of €50 (article L436-4); the temporary residence authorisation (APS), untaxed until then, costs €100 (article L436-1).

    Sources: CESEDA L436-4 · L436-4, former version · CESEDA L436-1

How much does a French residence card cost since 1 May 2026?

A first card costs €350: €300 of tax and €50 of stamp duty (CESEDA, articles L436-1 and L436-7). Renewal costs €250, that is €200 of tax plus the stamp, and a duplicate €350, as it takes the first-issue tax (article L436-2).

The reduced rate brings the tax down to €100 on first issue and €50 on renewal, so €150 and €100 with the stamp, for students, trainees, seasonal workers, au pairs, recent graduates looking for work, spouses or children who came through family reunification, and holders of a work-accident annuity (article L436-1).

Sources: CESEDA L436-1 · CESEDA L436-7 · CESEDA L436-2

Who is exempt from the residence permit tax?

A first card bears no tax for refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, stateless persons and their families, foreign nationals with a medical-care card, young people placed with child welfare services and veterans; the €50 stamp is still due, and renewal pays the €200 tax (article L436-1). The “retraité” card and the spouse’s card pay no tax, neither on issue nor on renewal.

A victim of domestic or family violence, human trafficking or procuring who obtains a permit on that ground is exempt from all taxes and the stamp, duplicate included (article L436-8).

Sources: CESEDA L436-1 · CESEDA L436-7 · CESEDA L436-8

When do you pay a regularisation visa or a surcharge?

A foreign national who entered without the required visas, or stayed more than 3 months without a card, pays a regularisation visa of €300 before the first permit, €100 of it non-refundable on application. Refugees, stateless persons, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and a few others are exempt (article L436-4).

A renewal applied for after the deadline costs €180 more, except for force majeure or a valid visa (article L436-5). Validating a VLS-TS pays the tax of the permit it replaces, €300 or €100 at the reduced rate, on top of the visa fees, with no stamp duty (articles L436-1 and L436-7).

Sources: CESEDA L436-4 · CESEDA L436-5 · CESEDA L436-1 · CESEDA L436-7

How do you pay the tax stamps?

The taxes are paid with an electronic tax stamp (CESEDA, article R436-3), bought online or at an equipped tobacconist, and delivered as a PDF with a 2D code or by text message with a 16-digit identifier (fiche F33071).

A stamp bought but not used can be refunded on request; take care not to buy a fine stamp by mistake (fiche F33071).

Sources: CESEDA R436-3 · Service-public F33071

What does article L436-1 of the CESEDA say?

The text of the first-issue and renewal taxes, in force since 1 May 2026.

I. La première délivrance d’un titre de séjour donne lieu à la perception d’une taxe dont le montant est fixé à 300 euros. Ce montant est ramené à 100 euros pour les étrangers auxquels est délivrée une carte de séjour ou de résident sur le fondement des articles L. 421-34, L. 422-1 à L. 422-6, L. 422-10 à L. 422-12, L. 422-14, L. 423-14, L. 423-15, L. 426-5, L. 426-6, L. 426-7, L. 426-22 et L. 426-23.

II. Le renouvellement d’un titre de séjour donne lieu à la perception d’une taxe dont le montant est fixé à 200 euros.

Article L436-1 of the Code on the entry and stay of foreigners and the right of asylum (in French)Version in force on 26 September 2026 (in force since 1 May 2026)Read the article on Légifrance (in French)

In English, briefly (our summary, not an official translation): The first issue of a residence permit gives rise to a tax of 300 euros, reduced to 100 euros for foreign nationals issued a residence or resident card on the grounds listed in the article, among them students, trainees, seasonal workers, au pairs and family reunification. The renewal of a residence permit gives rise to a tax of 200 euros. Until 30 April 2026, the same tax of 200 euros, or 50 euros at the reduced rate, applied to issue and renewal alike.

What do foreign nationals ask about French residence permit fees?

How much does a French student residence permit cost in 2026?

The first “étudiant” card costs €150: €100 of tax and €50 of stamp duty; its renewal costs €100 (CESEDA, articles L436-1 and L436-7).

Does the price change for an application filed before 1 May 2026?

The new amounts apply since 1 May 2026 (loi n° 2026-103, article 128); have the préfecture confirm the amount due for a file lodged before that date.

Does a minor pay for a travel document?

Yes: the travel document for a foreign minor costs €50, on issue, renewal or as a duplicate (CESEDA, article L436-3).

Is stamp duty due on a temporary residence authorisation?

No: the stamp duty applies to residence cards (article L436-7); the temporary authorisation pays its €100 tax, unless exempt (article L436-1).

Can an unused tax stamp be refunded?

Yes, on request, if the electronic stamp has not been used (fiche F33071).

Which guides should you read about French residence permits?

Which texts and fiches is this gazette based on?

  1. CESEDA, article L436-1 (first-issue, renewal and APS taxes)Légifrance, in French
  2. CESEDA, article L436-1, version of 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2026Légifrance, in French
  3. CESEDA, article L436-2 (duplicate tax)Légifrance, in French
  4. CESEDA, article L436-2, version of 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2026Légifrance, in French
  5. CESEDA, article L436-4 (regularisation visa)Légifrance, in French
  6. CESEDA, article L436-4, version of 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2026Légifrance, in French
  7. CESEDA, article L436-7 (€50 stamp duty)Légifrance, in French
  8. CESEDA, article L436-7, version of 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2026 (€25)Légifrance, in French
  9. Loi n° 2026-103 of 19 February 2026, finance law for 2026, article 128Légifrance, Journal officiel, in French
  10. CESEDA, article L436-8 (full exemption)Légifrance, in French
  11. CESEDA, article L436-5 (late renewal)Légifrance, in French
  12. CESEDA, article R436-3 (electronic stamp)Légifrance, in French
  13. Foreign nationals in France: how to buy a tax stamp (fiche F33071)Service-public.fr, in French · checked by the publisher on 19 April 2024
  14. CESEDA, article L436-3 (travel document for a foreign minor)Légifrance, in French

Texts cited last checked: 26 September 2026