How Much Does French Citizenship Cost in 2026?
The full cost of French naturalisation in 2026, including the timbre fiscal that rose to 255 euros, the civic exam fee, language tests, and document translations.
The headline cost of French citizenship is the government fee, but it is not the only cost, and the headline figure changed in 2026. If you are budgeting for naturalisation, it helps to see the whole picture: the official stamp, the exam and language fees you pay along the way, and the translation and document costs that catch people out.
The government fee: the timbre fiscal
The main official charge is the droit de timbre, paid as a timbre fiscal, an electronic fiscal stamp. On 1 May 2026 this fee rose sharply, from 55 euros to 255 euros. The increase applies to applications for naturalisation by decree, for reintegration into French nationality, and for acquisition by declaration through marriage. In French Guiana the figure is set at 127.50 euros.
One detail matters for timing. The fee that applies is the one in force when the administration receives your file, not the date you prepared or sent it. Files received from 1 May 2026 onward pay the new 255-euro rate.
The civic exam fee
Since January 2026 a pass in the civic exam is a condition for naturalisation by decree. The exam is run through approved centres and costs roughly 70 euros, depending on the centre. If you do not pass on the first attempt, you can sit it again, but you pay the fee each time. That makes thorough preparation a direct way to protect your budget, not just your timeline.
The language test
You must prove a B2 level of French. If you do not already hold a qualifying French diploma, you will need to take a recognised test such as the TCF, the TEF, or a DELF B2 exam. These typically cost somewhere between roughly 100 and 200 euros depending on the test and the centre. Some applicants are exempt from the test, for example those who hold a qualifying French diploma, which removes this cost entirely.
Documents and translations
This is the part most people underestimate. Foreign civil-status documents, such as your birth certificate, usually need a sworn translation, and sometimes legalisation or an apostille. Each translated document carries a fee, and if your file requires several documents from one or more countries, these add up. Criminal record extracts and certified copies can carry small charges of their own.
A realistic total
Putting the pieces together, the official stamp of 255 euros is the fixed core. Around it, the civic exam at roughly 70 euros, a language test if you need one, and translations mean a realistic all-in cost that often lands several hundred euros above the stamp alone. The exact figure depends heavily on how many documents you must translate and whether you are exempt from the language test.
These figures are current as of 2026, but fees change, and your situation may carry costs this post does not list. Confirm the current amounts on service-public.fr before you budget, and treat the numbers here as a guide to the categories of spending rather than a fixed quote.
The one cost you can reduce through preparation is the civic exam, since passing first time means paying its fee once. PassCitizen has the full official civic question set with practice mode and timed mock exams, free and with no account required.
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