French Language Requirements in 2026: A2, B1 or B2 for Your Residence Card or Naturalisation?

Since 1 January 2026, France has raised the French language requirements across the board: the first multi-year residence card now requires level A2, the 10-year resident card requires B1, and naturalisation requires B2 — including naturalisation through marriage.

This is separate from the civic exam, which remains mandatory as well: two distinct conditions, two distinct certificates.

Which level for which application?

Renewals are not affected: the requirement applies to first-time applications only.

How to prove your level

• TCF IRN (Integration, Residence, Nationality) — the most common test for these procedures;
• TEF IRN — the equivalent test from the Paris Chamber of Commerce;
• DELF / DALF — diplomas with no expiry date;
• A French diploma (brevet, baccalauréat, bachelor's, master's…) exempts you from the language test. Careful: it does not exempt you from the civic exam.

The TCF IRN at a glance

Four mandatory sections, taken in a single session (about 1 h 15 in total):

Three traps to avoid

• Mixing up language and civic requirements: a French master's degree exempts you from the language test, never from the civic exam.
• Only practising listening and reading: before 2026 many applicants never sat the writing and speaking sections. That's over — prepare all four.
• Starting too late: moving from B1 to B2 is a real step up. If you're aiming for naturalisation, assess your level now.

Frequently asked questions

Does a foreign diploma exempt me from the test?
No. Only diplomas issued by the French education system create an exemption.

I'm renewing my resident card — do I need B1?
No. Renewals are not subject to the new requirements.

TCF IRN or TEF IRN — which should I take?
Both are accepted and comparable in difficulty. Choose based on test centre availability near you.

Official sources: service-public.gouv.fr · france-education-international.fr (official TCF IRN reference).