France Raises Immigration Fees Amid Growing Visa Backlogs

Increased Immigration and Citizenship Fees

France has officially raised the government fees associated with processing immigration documents and citizenship applications. This move increases the financial threshold for expats and investors seeking to relocate or naturalize.

• Applicants should revise their legalization budgets to account for these new tariffs.

Widespread Visa Backlogs and Delays

Alongside several other nations, France is currently experiencing significant visa backlogs and temporary pauses in various immigration processes. Bureaucratic slowdowns mean that standard processing timelines are no longer reliable.

• Expect processing times to potentially double.
• Plan accordingly to avoid status lapses while waiting for approvals.

Stricter Rules for Tourists and Workers

Following a broader European trend, France has tightened its immigration regulations for workers, students, and tourists. The country has also introduced new tourist taxes and stricter general visa rules, making spontaneous travel more difficult and expensive.

• The margin for error in application dossiers is now practically zero.

Halt on Multiple-Entry Schengen Visas for Russians

The issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens has almost entirely ceased. The era of easily obtaining five-year multiple-entry visas is over, shifting the focus entirely to long-term national visas.

• The primary route to residency is now strictly through National D Visas, such as the Talent or Visitor visas.

Strategic Planning for Applicants

With processing times potentially exceeding the legal stay permitted by short-term visas, applicants face a real risk of their status hanging in limbo. It is crucial to submit a flawless dossier from the start, as the opportunity to submit missing documents later is diminishing.

Notably, there are currently no changes to the standard five-year naturalization timeline, despite rumors of an extension to ten years.