Residence permits in France – the main routes, fees and rules in 2026

• Long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour, VLS-TS). Issued for many purposes, including salaried work and study, for four months to one year. It acts as your residence permit once you validate it online within three months of arrival and pay the tax.
• Other long-stay visas (VLS). Some visas require you to apply for a residence card within two months of entry. Check which type is printed on your visa.
• Temporary residence card (carte de séjour temporaire), valid up to one year, for example salarié, étudiant, visiteur or vie privée et familiale.
• Multi-year residence card (carte de séjour pluriannuelle), usually valid up to four years. The talent card is multi-year from the start; other categories usually follow a first year on a VLS-TS or temporary card.
• Resident card (carte de résident), valid ten years, for long-term residents who meet stricter conditions, and later a permanent resident card.

• Highly qualified work, research, start-ups and investment – the talent card, for example for qualified employees with a master's-level degree earning at least €39,582 gross a year, or the EU Blue Card at €59,373 (2026). No work authorisation is needed and your family receives a talent-family card. See talent card.
• Other salaried work – the salarié or travailleur temporaire permit. Your employer usually has to request a work authorisation online before you enter France.
• Study – the student VLS-TS and then a student card, with proof of at least €877.50 a month in resources for applications from 1 August 2026, and the right to work up to 964 hours a year. See studying in France.
• After graduating in France – a one-year job search or company creation card for master's-level graduates.
• Family – family reunification for spouses and children of non-EU residents after 18 months of residence, the vie privée et familiale card for spouses of French citizens, or the card for family members of EU citizens. See family reunification in France.
• A stay without working – the one-year visiteur card, for people who will not work in France and can show resources of at least €1,477.93 a month (2026) and health insurance for the whole stay.

Fees rose on 1 May 2026. According to Service-Public:

• VLS-TS validation: €300 at the normal rate and €100 at the reduced rate (for example students, job seekers, au pairs and family reunification).
• First residence card: €350 (normal) or €150 (reduced). Renewal: €250 or €100. A duplicate costs the same as a first card.
• Provisional permit (récépissé): a new €100 fee on issue and renewal, with some exemptions.
• Regularisation visa fee when you entered without the right visa: €300, of which €100 is not refundable.
• Late renewal: an extra €180, unless you can show force majeure.

The VLS-TS tax is paid online on ANEF; residence card fees are paid with electronic tax stamps (timbres fiscaux) from timbres.impots.gouv.fr.

Most non-EU newcomers who intend to settle sign the republican integration contract (CIR) with OFII. It includes civic training over four days and, if your French is below A2, language training. Students, visitors, talent card holders and several other categories are exempt from the CIR.

Since 1 January 2026:

• a first multi-year card requires French at level A2 and a passed civic exam;
• a first resident card requires level B1 and the civic exam;
• naturalisation requires level B2 and the civic exam.

The civic exam is a 40-question multiple-choice test in French; you need 32 correct answers. People renewing a card they already hold, beneficiaries of international protection and people over 65 are exempt. Every application must also include the signed commitment to respect the principles of the Republic (contrat d'engagement à respecter les principes de la République).

Apply to renew online between four and two months before your document expires. While your file is processed you receive a dematerialised certificate of deposit and later a certificate extending the processing period, or a receipt (récépissé), which prove your right to stay. In Paris, holders of a four-year card or a resident card who applied for renewal keep their right to stay, work and social rights for three months after expiry. See renewing a residence permit in France.