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French citizenship in 2026: B2 French is now required

By Augusto Grone · Updated 8 October 2026 · 9 min read

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Since 1 January 2026, applying for French citizenship (naturalisation) requires proof of French at B2 level, in both speaking and writing. The level required before was B1. On top of that comes a civics test on the values and institutions of the Republic. Complete applications submitted before 31 December 2025 are still assessed under the old rules.

Contents

1. What exactly has changed
2. Don’t mix up the three levels
3. How to prove your B2 level
4. The civics test
5. Who is affected: the transitional rule
6. How long to get from B1 to B2
7. Frequently asked questions

What exactly has changed

The reform that stems from the immigration law of 26 January 2024 raises the level of French expected at each stage of the integration path. For citizenship, two changes add up — and the second is often overlooked.

First change: the level goes up a notch, from B1 to B2 on the scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Second change, more demanding in practice: the scope widens. The old B1 requirement covered speaking. The new B2 requirement covers speaking and writing. In other words, an applicant who spoke well but wrote poorly could meet the old condition; that is no longer the case. For many applications, this — not the move from B1 to B2 — is the real jump.

In concrete terms, B2 means being able to understand the main content of concrete or abstract topics, to interact with a native speaker with spontaneity and ease, and to produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects.

The requirement is the same whether you apply for citizenship by decree or through marriage, and the level is measured on all four tests — listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Don’t mix up the three levels

It is the most widespread mistake on this subject, including in press articles: the reform sets three different levels for three different procedures. Mixing them up can lead you to take the wrong exam.

If your immediate goal is the resident card rather than citizenship, B1 is the level to aim for — our article on the B1 required for the resident card since January 2026 is in French. B2 only concerns applications for French citizenship.

The costs have risen too: the tax stamp (timbre fiscal) for a first resident card has cost €350 since 1 May 2026, up from €225, and the naturalisation fee has gone up to €255 (€127.50 in French Guiana).

“I have B1 — can I apply for citizenship?”

It is the most frequent question, and the answer is no for any application submitted since 1 January 2026. B1 used to be enough; it isn’t any more. You now need B2, in both speaking and writing.

The words “speaking and writing” aren’t decorative. Many applicants have fluent spoken French, picked up over years of living in France, and writing that has stayed at B1 — because they have never had to write an argued text. Yet the level is measured on all four tests.

Your B1 isn’t wasted, though: it is exactly what you need for a first resident card. If your path goes through that step before citizenship, you already have the level for the first, and one more step to climb for the second.

How to prove your B2 level

There are two kinds of proof: tests, which give you a results certificate with limited validity, and diplomas, which are yours for good.

The tests designed specifically for these administrative procedures are the TCF IRN, from France Éducation international, and the TEF IRN, from Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France). IRN stands for “Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité” (integration, residence, nationality): these versions replaced two former separate tests, the TCF ANF (for access to French nationality) and the TCF CRF (for the resident card), merged into a single test. They are shorter, with more frequent sessions and quick results; our TCF IRN page details the format. Diplomas mean a longer exam, but they never expire.

An important point, often badly worded: a DELF B2 doesn’t “give” you French citizenship. It lets you meet the language condition, which is only one of the conditions for citizenship, alongside residence, lawful stay, assimilation and resources.

An order of 22 December 2025 also governs which certifications are accepted: beyond the level, the certification must in particular be registered in France compétences’ specific register (répertoire spécifique). And the test must be taken in person: the order requires four separate tests, on the same day, in a single session, with anti-fraud supervision and an identity check. Tests taken online from home are not accepted — one more reason to check that a test bought online is accepted before you take it.

On the diploma side, a DELF B2 directly proves the required level. A DALF C1 or C2, at a higher level, proves it all the more. These diplomas are awarded for life, which makes them the safest option if your administrative path is going to stretch over several years.

On the TEF IRN, there is no overall score: each test is scored separately, and the level is awarded under a double rule. B2 requires at least 400 points in three tests and at least 367 in the fourth (for B1: 300 and 267), according to Le français des affaires’ TEF IRN page, consulted on 27 July 2026. Aiming for an average without looking at your weakest test is a mistake.

The civics test

It is the least discussed new requirement, and it catches many applicants off guard: since 1 January 2026, a civics test on knowledge of the values and institutions of the Republic has been added to the conditions. It applies to citizenship, but also to the resident card and the first multi-year residence permit.

It is a test separate from the language test: passing the TCF IRN or the TEF IRN doesn’t exempt you from it, and vice versa. You prepare for it separately, on a civic-culture programme — institutions, symbols, republican principles, rights and duties.

A concrete point that is rarely mentioned: for the “citizenship” version, the order of 10 October 2025 sets the pass mark at 80% correct answers — 32 out of 40 questions, in 45 minutes at most. It is a high bar that leaves no room for improvisation: you revise for the civics test; you can’t guess your way through it. Format, centres and fees: the French civics test.

Who is affected: the transitional rule

The rule is simple, but its condition less so: complete applications submitted before 31 December 2025 continue to be assessed under the previous rules. The word that matters is “complete”.

An application submitted in 2025 but missing a document isn’t necessarily protected by this transitional rule. If you are in that situation, get written confirmation of the date your complete application was registered: that date determines which rules apply, and so the level of French you will be held to.

Don’t rely on a quick reading either: “submitted” doesn’t mean “prepared”, nor “appointment booked”. If in doubt about your exact situation — an application being processed, an appointment made before the deadline but the actual submission after it — ask the prefecture or the platform handling your application to confirm.

How long to get from B1 to B2

The step from B1 to B2 is reputed to be the longest on the CEFR scale. It is the point where you stop progressing by piling up vocabulary and have to gain grammatical precision, nuance and ease. Language centres’ usual estimates are around 150 to 200 hours of work — count on 4 to 6 months of regular practice — but this varies enormously with your mother tongue, your daily exposure to French and how regularly you work.

At B1, understanding and narrating are enough. At B2, you have to argue, defend a point of view and understand abstract documents. One thing is certain: writing is the weak point of most applicants in this situation, precisely because the old B1 requirement didn’t assess it. Many people who are perfectly at ease speaking discover how far behind their writing is on exam day.

Hence the only really reliable way to find out where you stand: a full, timed mock exam at the start of your preparation, rather than at the end. It doesn’t tell you “your level” in general, but your level test by test — and it is your weakest test that caps your application.

The context, to put the stakes in perspective: France recorded 62,235 acquisitions of French nationality in 2025, down 6.8% in a year, according to figures published by the Ministry of the Interior on 27 January 2026. The tightening of the language criteria comes on top of an already more selective context.

Where to take the test or the diploma? The TCF IRN runs almost every week in Paris, at seven approved centres, for €140 to €220 — see where to take the TCF IRN; the DELF B2, valid for life, ten times a year at 143 centres, with registration windows that close weeks before the written exams (our guide to the DELF in France is in French). And for the civics test — two networks of centres, online pre-registration, €70 to €110 — see the French civics test.

Frequently asked questions

Related pages

• TCF IRN: the French test for residence and citizenship

  Four tests in 1 h 35 min, scored out of 499: your B2 is decided between 400 and 499.

• The French civics test

  40 questions, 32 correct answers to pass, €70 to €110: the centres and how to register.

• DELF B2

  The diploma alternative: longer to take, but it never expires.