A2 French is required for the carte de séjour pluriannuelle since 1 January 2026
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Since 1 January 2026, a first carte de séjour pluriannuelle (CSP — the ordinary multi-year residence permit) requires two separate proofs: A2 French, spoken and written, and a pass in the examen civique. They are independent conditions — passing one does not exempt you from the other.
Information verified on 12 August 2026. The texts, the list of accepted certifications and préfecture practice all change. Before you file, check service-public.gouv.fr and your own préfecture. This page helps you prepare; it is not legal advice.
What changed, and who it applies to
Before 2026 the carte de séjour pluriannuelle mainly asked that you had attended the language training of the contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR) — attendance, not attainment. Now you must produce a document that proves the level.
| Before 2026 | Since 1 January 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| First carte de séjour pluriannuelle | undertaking to learn French, training attended | A2 proved + examen civique passed |
| First carte de résident (10 years) | A2 | B1 + examen civique |
| Naturalisation | B1 | B2 + examen civique |
The texts behind the change:
- Loi n° 2024-42 of 26 January 2024, article 20 — turns the undertaking into a hard level condition and creates the examen civique;
- CESEDA art. L. 433-4 — the 1° sets the language condition for a first CSP, the 2° the examen civique bearing the mention « carte de séjour pluriannuelle »;
- CESEDA art. R. 433-5, created by décret n° 2025-647 of 15 July 2025 — the applicant produces « diplômes ou … certification permettant d’attester sa maîtrise du français à un niveau égal ou supérieur au niveau A2 »;
- CESEDA art. L. 413-7 and R. 413-15 — the carte de résident, at B1.
One very common misreading: A2 is not required for "any residence permit". It applies to the first carte de séjour pluriannuelle and to the permit categories covered by the CIR. One-year cards, student permits, the passeport talent and the Franco-Algerian regime (the 1968 agreement, which sits outside the CESEDA) follow different rules. See who is exempt from A2 and from the examen civique.
What proves A2: two families, two validity rules
The law says « diplômes or … certification ». These are two different lists, and mixing them up is the commonest error.
| Certifications (tests) | Diplomas | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | TCF and TEF — in practice their IRN versions (Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité) | DELF, DALF, DELF Pro, DUEF, DFP, DCL, an RNCP-registered title at level 3 or above, CAP, BEP, CFG, diplôme national du brevet |
| Legal basis | arrêté of 22 December 2025 | CESEDA R. 433-5 / R. 413-15, list published by service-public.gouv.fr (sheet F34501) |
| Validity | 2 years, and the attestation must carry an identity check and a photograph | never expires — a diploma is for life |
Two things to keep in mind:
- Diplomas awarded abroad are not accepted, even if they were obtained in a French-speaking country.
- The DILF does not count. The diplôme initial de langue française certifies A1.1, i.e. below A1, and satisfies none of the 2026 requirements. It still exists, which keeps the confusion alive.
The arrêté of 22 December 2025 as we could read it names only the TCF and the TEF as certifications; the diploma family is admitted on a different legal basis. Both routes work — they are simply anchored in different texts.
The CIR does not replace the proof
Since July 2025 the OFII routes every CIR signatory below A2 into language training (previously only those below A1). That is real, free help — but attending the training is not proof of level: you still have to produce a diploma or a certification.
The state measures the scale of this itself: in the 2024 CIR cohort 50,991 people tested below A1 and 20,096 between A1 and A2 — roughly 71,000 people a year genuinely below A2 on arrival, against about 103,000 CIR signatures and 384,230 first residence permits issued in 2025.
Where to start
- Check first whether you are exempt — age, schooling in France, international protection or your permit category may release you: the exemptions.
- Choose what to sit: a fast test that is valid for 2 years, or a permanent diploma that takes longer. Full comparison: TCF IRN or DELF A2.
- Do not postpone the examen civique — retakes are unlimited and the attestation never expires: 40 questions, 32 correct answers.
- Practise with our free TCF IRN-shaped practice sitting, then work on the two épreuves nobody else covers well: writing and speaking, both marked by AI.
The most frequent questions, with their sources, are collected in our FAQ.