Zoe Smith

With wildfires sweeping across the southwest coast and hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists evacuated, should you be reconsidering your trip to France this August? Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning to visit. France has been all over the news these past weeks as it faces one of its biggest wildfires to date, a blaze that’s already engulfed some 42,000 hectares of forest (that’s about 4 times the size of Paris) and has led to more than 250,000 people being evacuated.

Since January 1st, 2026, applicants for French citizenship and multi-year carte de séjour (residency cards) are required to take a new Examen Civique (Civics Test) to test their knowledge of French life, values, history, and politics. Let’s break down exactly what this entails, how much it costs, and who needs to take it. The new Civics Test, or Examen Civique, is part of a series of changes that were announced in 2025, designed to toughen up requirements for French residency and citizenship.

Since May 1st, 2026, the fees for several key administrative procedures have increased, meaning additional costs for many non-EU citizens moving to or living in France. Here’s a breakdown of the new fees for French visas, residency permits, and citizenship applications. Let’s start with some good news: visa applications themselves are not affected by the new fee increases, as they are handled by visa centres outside of France.