Since 1 January 2026, non-EU nationals must pass a civic exam before applying for their first multi-year residence card, their first 10-year resident card or naturalisation. It is a 40-question multiple-choice test taken in 45 minutes, and you pass with 32 correct answers. Renewals are not affected, and several permits are exempt, including every talent card.
Key facts
| Multi-year card | 10-year resident card | Naturalisation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civic exam | Yes, first application | Yes, first application | Yes, applications filed since 1 January 2026 |
| Pass mark | 32/40 (80%) | 32/40 (80%) | 32/40 (80%) |
| French level | A2 | B1 | B2 (spoken and written) |
| Over 65 | Exempt | Exempt | No exemption |
| Renewal | No exam | No exam | n/a |
The pass certificate never expires, and you can resit as often as you need. Each centre sets its own fee, between €60 and €80 according to the Interior Ministry.
Who must take the exam
The civic exam targets three steps, and each time only the first application.
Your first multi-year card
This is the most common case: after a year on a long-stay visa or a one-year card, you apply for a card of two to four years. The exam comes on top of the republican integration contract and A2 French. It also applies to a first multi-year card after a change of status, for example from student to employee.
Your first resident card
This covers in particular the resident card for spouses of French nationals after three years of marriage, parents of French children, family reunification, and the long-term EU resident card after five years of lawful residence, including for EU Blue Card holders. The préfecture also asks the mayor for an opinion.
Naturalisation
For any application filed since 1 January 2026, the pass certificate is a required document. It replaces the knowledge check that used to happen at the interview. See naturalisation after five years.
Timing matters: you sit the exam before you file. The certificate is required when you apply, not during processing.
Who is exempt
- Renewals of a multi-year card or a resident card.
- Cards issued directly for several years: all talent cards (qualified employee, EU Blue Card, researcher, business founder, etc.), the talent (family) card, ICT and seasonal worker cards.
- Visitor, intern, au pair and temporary worker cards, which do not lead to the multi-year card concerned.
- Refugees, for their own resident card. The exam applies again if they later apply for the long-term EU resident card.
- Some nationals covered by bilateral agreements, notably Algerians.
- People over 65, for the multi-year and resident cards, but not for naturalisation.
- People with a disability or illness, who can get adapted conditions or an exemption with the official medical certificate.
- Citizenship by marriage: no civic exam, only B2 French. See French citizenship by marriage.
A grey area: students. Students and people who studied in France are exempt from the integration contract and A2 French. But the text does not clearly exempt them from the exam for a first multi-year card, and préfectures do not all apply the same rule. If in doubt, sit the exam.
What the exam looks like
- 40 multiple-choice questions, in French, on screen, 45 minutes at most.
- 28 knowledge questions and 12 real-life scenarios.
- One right answer per question; you pass with 32 correct answers.
- Five topics: principles and values of the Republic, institutions, rights and duties, history and culture, everyday life (housing, health, work, school).
There are three levels: multi-year card, resident card and naturalisation, each with its own difficulty. Passing the resident card level also counts for the multi-year card, not the other way round. The knowledge questions are published on the official site formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr; the scenarios are not. Cheating brings a two-year ban.
French level by permit
The civic exam and French are separate conditions: passing one does not exempt you from the other.
- Multi-year card: A2, except for people exempt from the integration contract.
- Resident card: B1, up from A2 before 2026.
- Naturalisation and citizenship by marriage: B2, spoken and written.
You prove your level with a diploma on the official list or, failing that, a TCF or TEF test less than two years old.
If you fail
You can resit at any time, with no limit. But without the certificate, the card you asked for cannot be issued.
- Multi-year card: your one-year card can be renewed, but not indefinitely. Putting the exam off eventually puts your status at risk.
- Resident card: the 10-year card is refused; you can renew your current permit and reapply once you pass.
- Naturalisation: without the certificate, the file is incomplete and can be closed. Getting the certificate just afterwards does not help: you have to file again. Sit the exam before you build your file.
When it gets complicated
- File lodged before 2026, decided after. For naturalisation, only applications filed since 1 January 2026 are concerned. For residence permits, no text settles the transition, and some préfectures require the exam for older files. The point is not settled.
- Talent card holders aiming for the 10-year card. The talent card needs neither the exam nor French, but the exemption does not follow you: the long-term EU resident card requires the exam and B1. Many international professionals find out only when they are ready to file.
- Changing status from an exempt permit to one that is not.
- Spouses of French nationals: after three years of marriage, the resident card requires the exam and B1. Citizenship by marriage needs B2 but no exam. It is worth comparing.
- A medical exemption challenged by the authorities.
Not sure whether your next card requires the exam? A short consultation is enough to check before you file.
Frequently asked questions
Is the civic exam required for the talent card?
No. Talent cards, the talent (family) card and the EU Blue Card are exempt, on first issue and on renewal. The exam comes back if you later apply for a resident card or naturalisation.
How many times can you resit the French civic exam?
As many times as you need, at any time. Each attempt costs €60 to €80 depending on the centre.
What French level do you need for the resident card?
B1, proven by a diploma on the official list or a TCF or TEF result less than two years old. It comes on top of the civic exam.
Do you need the civic exam to renew a card?
No. Only the first application for a multi-year card or a resident card is concerned.
Do you need the civic exam for citizenship by marriage?
No. The marriage declaration requires B2 French, but no civic exam.
Related reading
- French citizenship by marriage: requirements and timeline
- Naturalisation: which five years count
- France talent card: which category fits you
- Student to work permit in France
Two ways to move forward
Check your situation. In a consultation: whether your next card requires the exam, which level to sit and which French level to prove, before you file. Book a consultation.
Hand over the file. The firm prepares your multi-year card, resident card or naturalisation application and follows it until the decision, including if it is refused. Describe your situation and you will receive a proposal for full assistance.
General information under French law as at 31 October 2026. It is not legal advice for your situation.