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Charge Them More! France’s 2026 Plan to Raise Visa Fees

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Update: these fees are going into effect starting in May 2026. Read our article about all of the updates here.

Immigrants are once again the solution to all of France’s budget woes. The recent idea to charge Americans more for healthcare may have fallen a bit short of closing the €23 billion budget deficit, so now they’re looking for other ways to squeeze us. As part of the proposed 2026 budget, fees paid by foreigners for visas and residency permits are set to increase drastically across the board.

The move, while not yet approved by the senate, is set to raise €160 million. It’s part of a larger plan to discourage immigration into France (“European harmonization”) by making it increasingly more difficult and expensive.

The Cost Increases

For those not yet in France, the cost of applying for a VLS-TS Visitor visa would increase by €300, from €99 to €399, in addition to the fees charged by the visa processing center. For those already in France, the cost of applying for or renewing the Carte de Séjour residence card would increase by €125, from €225 to €350. Swapping a foreign driver’s license would now cost €40, when it was previously free.

These costs are per person, so the burden on families will be greatest. And these aren’t the only fees involved in the process, either. All documents must be translated into French by a certified translator, often adding €50 per document.

All of these cost increases add up. As a couple, we’re already paying €450 per year for our residence cards. The increase to €700, plus potentially paying €3000 for healthcare, really hits our budget hard. Not to mention everything getting 15% more expensive for us this year, thanks to Trump’s little tariff shenanigans.

The Bottom Line

Even if all these added costs get approved for the 2026 budget, France still remains a far more affordable alternative to retiring in the US and paying for American healthcare.

Sadly, these visa fee increases are likely meant to dissuade immigration to France from less developed countries. An extra €300 from each retiree or salaried worker applying for a visa is likely just a bonus, while the real goal is to close off immigration from poorer countries.

Should a country with an aging population and growing budget deficit really be pursuing an anti-immigration policy? Let us know in the comments below.

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Comments

4 responses to “Charge Them More! France’s 2026 Plan to Raise Visa Fees”

  1. hk Avatar
    hk

    French people have long insisted that healthcare is a right and that healthcare for all is a French value. So what happens if people can’t afford these new taxes? No healthcare for them? Regarding retirees moving to France, it’s a myth that people who retire in France have “free healthcare” after 90 days. After 91 days in France people on the VLS-TS Visitor Visa can apply for the French health care system. But mysteriously it can take up to a year to have access which is why they are required by the government to buy an expensive insurance policy to cover their first year in France. And they may spend thousands on this required insurance policy. Once they are in the French system their costs are typically covered only up to 70% which is why people in the system usually buy another insurance policy to cover the rest. So healthcare is not “free” in France for anyone. And in many areas of France accessibility is their biggest problem which is the real crisis in French healthcare. Does the government have a plan to solve this? Another issue for people who come on the VLS-TS Visitor Visa is that they are required to swear that they will not work while in France so they are surrendering their right to earn. But for five years they are required to reapply for their residency status and that includes submitting banking statements to the government to prove they have “enough” in the bank. This is a double bind for retire people on a limited income. And now the government may say we are asking for thousands of dollars more per year or you lose your right to healthcare and maybe to live here at all. This may not add up for many people unless they have money to spare. Regarding the major cost of housing, renting is very, very difficult in France especially for retirees who are on the Visitor Visa due to laws that inhibit landlords from renting to older people in particular. But now some retirees who may have considered buying property may think twice since at some point their situation may become unaffordable with the rising cost for them to live in France. Or they are eventually considered financially ineligible to remain in France by a government that made it increasingly expensive for them to live here while at the same time prohibiting them from increasing their income by working. This adds up to living with a lot of risk at a time in your life when you are retired. Is France “a far more affordable alternative to retiring in the US and paying for American healthcare?” That is not the case if retirees are taxed thousands of dollars per year to live in France. It’s true that French people have paid into a healthcare system that allows foreigners who have not paid into it to use it. But Americans pay into Medicare for decades and then loose access to it when they move to France. Likely fewer Americans will want to retire in France with increasing challenges, losses, unknowns and risks.

    Reply
    1. Jean-Luc Pierre Dubois Avatar
      Jean-Luc Pierre Dubois

      Hi hk,
      I agree, I think the government is looking to squeeze anyone they can here. Unfortunately it feels like we are stuck between a growing budget deficit and rising anti-immigration policies in France. I can’t imagine things getting better anytime soon with the direction global politics are headed.

      Reply
    2. Jackms Avatar
      Jackms

      HK—A real life (ours) example of healthcare costs in the US may be instructive for you. Our ACA plan in the US, with large deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance responsibility costs over $20,000 per year for us at ages 61 & 59 before we make a single claim or visit a Dr. Our out of pocket maximum is another $19,200. If we have a major health issue in the US it will cost us approximately $40,000 in any given year. Adding a few hundred dollars to the cost of the visa is a small price to pay for us. And paying a share of our income (from SS and investments) to the French government for participating in the national system feels quite fair to us and will still be thousands of dollars cheaper for us.

      Reply
      1. Jean-Luc Pierre Dubois Avatar
        Jean-Luc Pierre Dubois

        This is similar to the quotes we were seeing for the ACA. It was a big reason we wanted to retire outside of the US. $40k in medical expenses requires an extra $1M to protect against, crazy!

        Reply

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