How much does a French resident card cost in 2026?
For a first resident card, Service-Public gives a fiscal stamp of €350 (€50 stamp duty plus a €300 tax) if you are the spouse of a French citizen, the parent of a French child or arrived through family reunification. Add the civic exam, €60 to €80 depending on the centre, and a French test at level B1.
Sources: Service-Public, resident card (F2208), checked on 1 July 2026, read again on 24 October 2026; the Ministry of the Interior's answer to written question no. 11488; Ministry of the Interior, civic training. Amounts can change: confirm them on Service-Public before you buy your stamp.
Three costs to plan for
A first resident card costs money in three places: the fiscal stamp you pay to the State, the civic exam you pay to an approved centre, and the French test you pay to a testing body. The first is set nationally. The other two are set by the centres.
The fiscal stamp, by situation
Sheet F2208 gives one amount per situation. These are the ones we read:
| Your situation | First issue | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a French citizen | €350 (stamp duty of €50 and tax of €300) | See the sheet |
| Arrived through family reunification | €350 (stamp duty of €50 and tax of €300) | See the sheet |
| Parent of a French child | €350 (stamp duty of €50 and tax of €300) | See the sheet |
| Refugee, beneficiary of subsidiary protection or stateless person | Free | Free |
| Family of a refugee | €50 (stamp duty) | €250 (stamp duty of €50 and tax of €200) |
| Family of a stateless person or of a beneficiary of subsidiary protection | €350 (tax of €300 and stamp duty of €50) | €250 |
Service-Public says these sums are paid with fiscal stamps. For the family of a refugee, a stateless person or a beneficiary of subsidiary protection, the first-issue amount also applies to a duplicate. This page does not cover every case on the sheet (a retired person or a victim of certain violence have their own rules): open sheet F2208 and unfold your situation.
What can be added
For the spouse of a French citizen, family reunification and the parent of a French child, the sheet lists two extra fees:
- €300 regularisation visa fee if you entered without a long-stay visa. Of these €300, €100 is paid when you file the application and is not refunded if the permit is refused.
- €180 regularisation visa fee if you file late, unless there is force majeure or you hold a valid visa.
To avoid the second, watch the timing: the sheet asks you to file online at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before your residence document expires.
How to pay the stamp
Service-Public says you can buy the fiscal stamp online, with the service « Achat sur internet du timbre fiscal - Titre pour étranger », or in a tobacconist's shop equipped to issue it. The electronic stamp comes in two forms: a PDF document with a 2D code, or an SMS containing the stamp's 16-digit identifier. You pay by Carte Bleue, Visa or Mastercard; PayPal and American Express are not accepted.
Two warnings from the sheet: do not buy a fine stamp by mistake, and if you do not use your stamp or bought the wrong type, you can ask for a refund.
The civic exam: €60 to €80
For the first resident card, Service-Public asks for a pass in the civic exam with the « carte de résident » mention. Each centre sets its price freely. In its answer to written question no. 11488 (11 August 2026), the Ministry of the Interior says it is between €60 and €80 depending on the centre. You can retake the exam as many times as needed, but each registration is paid to the centre. Our pages on the price, registration and centres and on the resident card exam detail the steps; they are in French.
The French test: level B1
Sheet F2208 asks for French at level B1 for the first resident card. There is no national price for the French test: each centre sets its own. We show no average price, because the only sources we found are blogs. Look at the price on each centre's page: our page on TCF IRN and TEF IRN (in French) explains which test and which level.
Who does not need the exam and the test
According to Service-Public, you do not need the civic exam or the B1 French test if you are over 65. The stamp is still due, depending on your situation. The sheet also says that other rules apply to Europeans, Algerians and people from a country that has signed an agreement on migration flows with France. If that is you, do not rely on the table above.
An example total
A spouse of a French citizen who entered with a long-stay visa and files on time pays €350 for the stamp. On top come the civic exam at their centre (€60 to €80) and their French test, whose price we do not know. The total depends on your centre and your situation, so add up the lines that apply to you, using the sources above.
Test yourself: 3 questions
For the spouse of a French citizen, what is the fiscal stamp for a first resident card, according to Service-Public?
Right answer: €350, a stamp duty of €50 plus a tax of €300 (sheet F2208).
Who gets the resident card free of charge, according to sheet F2208?
Right answer: issue is free for refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless persons (sheet F2208).
Who sets the price of the civic exam?
Right answer: each centre sets its price; the Ministry says €60 to €80 (answer to question no. 11488).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a resident card cost in 2026? For the spouse of a French citizen, the parent of a French child or a person who arrived through family reunification, Service-Public gives €350 of fiscal stamp for a first issue. Other situations have other amounts, and the card is free for a refugee, a beneficiary of subsidiary protection or a stateless person.
What happens to my money if my application is refused? It depends on the fee. For the €300 regularisation visa fee, the sheet says €100 is not refunded if the permit is refused. For the rest, read the sheet for your situation.
Where do I buy the fiscal stamp? Online or in an equipped tobacconist's shop, according to Service-Public.
Is the civic exam included in the price of the card? No. You pay for it separately to an approved centre, between €60 and €80 according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Do I have to take the exam and the French test after 65? Service-Public says people over 65 are not concerned for a first resident card.
What if I am Algerian? The sheet says other rules apply to Algerians, Europeans and nationals of countries that have an agreement with France. This page gives you no amount: check with your prefecture or Service-Public.
Sources
- Service-Public, 10-year resident card for a foreigner in France (F2208), checked on 1 July 2026, read on 24 October 2026: fiscal stamps, regularisation visa fees, buying the stamp, B1, civic exam, over 65.
- Ministry of the Interior, answer to written question no. 11488 (Official Journal of 11 August 2026), read on 24 October 2026: civic exam price between €60 and €80 depending on the centre, the exam can be retaken as many times as needed.
- Ministry of the Interior, civic training: civic exam and question lists.
The civic exam is the part of the bill you can avoid paying twice. Practise before you book your date.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions, 45 minutes)