How do I buy a tax stamp (timbre fiscal)?

Some immigration procedures in France are paid with a tax stamp (timbre fiscal). In mainland France, tax stamps are only sold in electronic form.

Common amounts for students (October 2026):

VLS-TS validation: €100
1-year student residence permit: €100
multi-year student residence permit: €150
late renewal application: an extra €180

Buying online

Go to the official tax stamp website and choose the stamp for foreign nationals' residence documents.
Select the procedure; the amount is filled in for you.
Pay by card (CB, Visa or Mastercard; PayPal and American Express are not accepted).
You receive the stamp as a PDF with a 2D code, or by SMS as a 16-digit number. Enter it in your online procedure.

Buying in person

You can also buy an electronic tax stamp at a tobacconist (bureau de tabac) equipped to issue them. Find one with the impots.gouv.fr locator. Be careful not to buy a fine stamp (timbre amende) by mistake.

If you do not use a stamp, you can ask for a refund through Service-Public.

For VLS-TS validation, you can also pay by card directly on the ANEF platform without buying a stamp first.