Conformité 2026
A lot of people are being sold preparation they do not need. Before anything else, we tell you whether the new requirements apply to you at all.
Check my situationThe civic exam and the higher French level apply to first applications only: a first multi-year carte de séjour, a first carte de résident, or naturalisation. If you are renewing a multi-year card or resident card you already hold, you do not need to sit the civic exam. Beneficiaries of international protection and nationals covered by certain bilateral agreements are also exempt.
FR : À lire en premier : examen civique et niveau de français exigés uniquement pour les premières demandes. Pas de nouvel examen pour le renouvellement d'un titre déjà obtenu.
The requirements
Proven by a TCF IRN, a TEF IRN or a DELF. TCF and TEF certificates are valid two years; the DELF is a diploma for life. A French diploma at RNCP level 3 or above can exempt you.
Five themes: republican principles and values, institutions and politics, rights and duties, history and geography, and daily life in France. It must be passed before you file your application.
What you get
If your French is the weak point, coaching alone will not produce a certificate. The TCF, TEF and DELF are real exams that need real teaching.
That is why we refer you, as a separate add-on, to our réseau de centres agréés partenaires on the Riviera. They handle the teaching and the exam session. We keep handling your file, and make sure the certificate lands in your dossier on time.
Their fees are set by the centre, not by us. Expect roughly €100 to €210 for the test itself, plus preparation if you need it. Some preparation courses are CPF-eligible.
FR : Service additionnel : orientation vers notre réseau de centres agréés partenaires pour la certification TCF, TEF ou DELF. Tarifs fixés par le centre, financement CPF possible.
The Ministry of the Interior publishes the full programme, the themed study sheets and the official list of knowledge questions, and explicitly warns against paid sites it does not run. We do not resell that content. What we charge for is the assessment, the mock exam, the dossier and the prefecture work around it.
FR : La préparation à l'examen civique est gratuite via les ressources officielles du ministère. Nous ne revendons pas ce contenu, nous facturons l'accompagnement, l'examen blanc et le dossier.
The 2026 rules
First applications only. That means a first multi-year carte de séjour, a first ten-year carte de résident, or an application for French nationality. Renewing a card you already hold does not require it. A great many people are told otherwise, and it is simply not the case.
Since 1 January 2026, A2 for a multi-year carte de séjour, B1 for the ten-year carte de résident, and B2 for naturalisation. Proof is by TCF IRN, TEF IRN or a DELF diploma. The TCF and TEF results are valid for two years, while a DELF diploma is yours for life.
Forty multiple-choice questions, 28 on knowledge and 12 on practical situations, across five themes, in 45 minutes. You need 32 correct answers out of 40, which is 80 percent. Retakes are unlimited, the certificate does not expire, and the exam costs around €70.
Yes. The Ministry of the Interior publishes the full official preparation at formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr at no cost, and it explicitly warns against paid sites that present themselves as official. Our preparation is built on those official materials, not in place of them.
Two bodies are accredited by the Ministry of the Interior for the civic exam: France Éducation International and the CCI Paris Île-de-France. For language certification we refer you to our network of accredited partner centres on the Riviera, which is a separate cost paid to the centre, never included in our fee.
No commitment
We assess your situation, tell you what genuinely applies to you, and recommend the right route.
Book my free callFR : Appel de 30 minutes offert, sans engagement. Demande urgente avant le rendez-vous, message direct au 07 46 37 71 29.
