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TCF IRN: the French test for residence and citizenship
The TCF IRN — Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité — certifies your level of French for French administrative procedures: citizenship (naturalisation), the resident card (carte de résident), the multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle). It lasts 1 hour 35 minutes, has four tests that can’t be split, and is scored out of 499, not 699. Since 1 January 2026, the levels required are B2 in speaking and writing for citizenship (B1 before), B1 for a first resident card (A2 before) and A2 for a first multi-year permit.
- Citizenship: B2 (speaking and writing) — it was B1 before 2026.
- Resident card: B1 — it was A2.
- Multi-year residence permit: A2.
- ⚠️ The TCF IRN is scored out of 499, not 699: your B2 is decided between 400 and 499.
- 4 tests in 1 h 35 min that can’t be split, taken in person only — any “online” offer is a fraud.
- Results certificate valid for 2 years · eligible for the CPF, France’s personal training account (listing RS6643).
- €140 to €220 depending on the centre, for an identical test; sessions almost every week in Paris.
Contents
- What is the TCF IRN?
- Your path in 5 steps
- The levels required since January 2026
- The B1 → B2 trap
- The format, test by test
- A test reformed in 2025
- The 499 scale, and the mistake you read everywhere
- Why you can’t take it online
- Fees, the CPF and misleading offers
- Where to take the TCF IRN
- Frequently asked questions
What is the TCF IRN?
The TCF IRN — Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité (integration, residence, nationality) — is France Éducation international’s French test for French administrative procedures: a citizenship application, a first resident card, a first multi-year residence permit. Since 2022 it has replaced the former TCF ANF and TCF CRF, and it was reformed in May 2025 to measure up to B2, the level that became compulsory for citizenship on 1 January 2026.
The test lasts 1 hour 35 minutes and has four tests that can’t be split — listening, reading, writing, speaking — taken on the same day, in person, at an approved centre. The multiple-choice tests are scored out of 499 (not 699 as in the other TCF versions), writing and speaking out of 20; the results certificate is valid for two years. Since 2026, citizenship also requires a separate civics test — two networks of centres, online pre-registration, €70 to €110.
Who it’s for
- Applicants for French citizenship, who must prove B2 in both speaking and writing.
- Applicants for a first resident card (B1) or a first multi-year residence permit (A2).
- People who prefer a quick test, held every week, to a DELF diploma that is valid for life but takes longer to get.
Your path in 5 steps
- Identify the level you needA2 for a first multi-year permit, B1 for the resident card, B2 in speaking and writing for citizenship. The table since 2026.
- Diploma or test?The TCF IRN runs every week but expires after two years; the DELF never expires but takes three months. The DELF B2.
- Check you have the levelA mock exam in the IRN format, scored out of 499, before you pay €140 to €220 — and practise all four tests; our exercises with answers are in French.
- Register at an approved centreOnline, a few days before the session; seven centres in Paris. The centres — and the civics test, booked separately.
- After the testResults certificate within 2 to 3 weeks, valid for two years; if you fall short, 20 to 30 days before you can retake all four tests.
The levels required since January 2026
These requirements stem from the immigration law of 26 January 2024 and apply to applications submitted since 2026. Each procedure has its own threshold — mixing them up is the most common mistake, and an expensive one when you prepare for the wrong level.
| Procedure | Level required |
|---|---|
| First multi-year residence permit | A2 |
| First resident card (10 years) | B1 — A2 before 2026 |
| French citizenship | B2, speaking and writing — B1 before 2026 |
A trap with the resident card: moving from a multi-year residence permit to a resident card is not a renewal, it is a first issue. B1 and the civics test are therefore required. The resident card procedure is detailed in our French guide; the citizenship side, in French citizenship: the B2 requirement.
The test isn’t your whole application. Since 2026, a civics test comes on top of the language test: 40 questions, 45 minutes at most, and 32 correct answers required, i.e. 80%. Our sister app Naturalisation France Facile covers that part: the official civic-culture questions, explained one by one — available on the App Store.
The B1 → B2 trap
The step between B1 and B2 is the highest on the CEFR scale, and the 2026 reform turned it into the main obstacle in citizenship applications.
At B1, understanding and narrating are enough. At B2, you must argue in writing, develop and defend a point of view when speaking, and understand much more abstract documents. Many citizenship applicants speak fluent everyday French — sometimes after fifteen years in France — and fall short on argued writing, which they have never had the chance to practise.
The practical consequence: how comfortable you are day to day doesn’t predict your score. An honest diagnosis — a full mock exam marked against the official grids — is the first step, and targeted practice on writing then makes most of the difference. It is precisely the test you can’t assess yourself on: knowing whether you write at 9 or 11 out of 20 means knowing whether you have B2 or not. That is what AI feedback against the official criteria solves.
The format, test by test
| Test | Questions / tasks | Time | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 25 multiple-choice questions | 20 min | 100–499 |
| Reading | 25 multiple-choice questions | 35 min | 100–499 |
| Writing | — | 30 min | /20 |
| Speaking | — | 10 min | /20 |
| Total | 1 h 35 min |
The four tests are officially described as indivisible: you take them together, on the same day, and you can’t pick only some of them. It is a much shorter test than the TCF Canada (2 h 47 min), because it doesn’t target the same levels: it stops at B2, whereas the TCF Canada measures up to C2.
Note too that the TCF IRN has no “language structures” section (« maîtrise des structures de la langue »), unlike the TCF tout public. Practising on TCF tout public papers when you are aiming for the TCF IRN means working on a test you will never take — and discovering a different comprehension format on the day.
A test reformed in 2025
The TCF IRN was reformed on 12 May 2025 to keep up with the new requirements. The major change: the test now assesses up to B2, whereas it used to stop at B1. It had to — otherwise it would have been impossible to prove the B2 required for citizenship since 2026.
The TEF IRN went through a parallel reform on 1 April 2025, a few weeks earlier: its length went from 1 h 20 to 1 h 30, both comprehension tests became adaptive, and the argued section of the writing test went up to 100 words.
Any resource from before 2025 describes an exam that no longer exists. Practice papers, tutorials, videos: if the material presents a TCF IRN capped at B1, or scored out of 399, it is out of date. Always check the date of what you practise on.
The 499 scale, and the mistake you read everywhere
The TCF IRN is scored out of 499, not 699. It is a direct consequence of the reform, and almost no source says it correctly.
The reasoning is simple: on the official TCF grid, B2 runs from 400 to 499. Since the TCF IRN stops at B2, its scale stops there too. The multiple-choice tests are therefore scored from 100 to 499, not out of 699 as in the TCF tout public or the TCF Canada. Writing and speaking are still scored out of 20, with at least 10 for B2. Before May 2025, when the test stopped at B1, the scale ended at 399. The TEF IRN is also scored out of 499.
| CEFR level | Multiple-choice tests | Writing and speaking /20 | Enough for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 100–199 | 1 | — |
| A2 | 200–299 | 2–5 | multi-year residence permit |
| B1 | 300–399 | 6–9 | resident card |
| B2 | 400–499 | 10–13 | citizenship |
The mistake you read everywhere: “in the TCF IRN, B2 means 500–599”. It’s wrong — a confusion between the scale and the level. On the official grid, 500–599 is C1, a level the TCF IRN doesn’t even award. Your B2 is decided between 400 and 499. And if you check at the source, be aware that France Éducation international’s pages still describe, to date, a TCF IRN capped at B1 and scored out of 399: it is the official documentation that hasn’t caught up with its own reform.
The two IRN versions are compared test by test in our French comparison of all the TCF and TEF versions.
Why you can’t take it online
It’s a question that comes up all the time, and the answer is clear: no. The order of 22 December 2025 requires four separate tests taken in person, on the same day, in a single session, under anti-fraud supervision and with an identity check against a valid official document.
French tests taken online from home are not accepted for a residence permit. Be wary of offers promising a “remote” certificate: at best you lose the price of the test, at worst you weaken your application. The order also governs which certifications are accepted — beyond the level, the certification must in particular be registered in the specific register (répertoire spécifique). One more reason to check that a test bought online is accepted before you take it.
Fees, the CPF and misleading offers
The fee. There is no national fee: each approved centre sets its own, and the gap is wide. At the French centres we checked on 17 September 2026, the TCF IRN cost from €140 (ACTE, Paris) to €220 (ACCORD, Paris) — a ratio of 1 to 1.6 for exactly the same test, in the same city.
The CPF. Good news, and far from true of every TCF version: the TCF IRN is registered in the specific register of France compétences under listing RS6643, valid until 31 May 2027 — a precondition for using France’s personal training account (compte personnel de formation, CPF). By comparison, the TCF Canada isn’t registered, so the CPF can’t pay for it.
Careful with comparisons on Mon Compte Formation. The offers you find there are often preparation + exam packages: for example, €430 for a TCF IRN with 14 hours of preparation, against €155 to €180 for the exam alone elsewhere. They aren’t the same products — compare like with like, not headline figures.
Where to take the TCF IRN
At one of the 247 approved TCF centres in France — provided it actually runs the IRN version. In Paris, seven centres, with a session almost every week at ACTE (€140) and two a month at ACCORD (€220); elsewhere, the Alliances françaises in Lyon (€169) and Montpellier (€185), CLPS in Brittany (€180), KLF, Espaces Formation… Our French guide to where to take the TCF IRN in France lists the centres we checked, their fees and dates, and the registration steps; the civics test that comes on top since 2026 has its own guide: the French civics test.
Six centres we checked, among the 247 approved in France — all six with computer-based sessions: ACTE, Forum ACCORD and Etoile Institut de Langue in Paris, the Alliance française in Lyon, the Alliance française de Montpellier, and CLPS L’Enjeu Compétences in Rennes.
Full directory, with addresses and phone numbers: the 247 TCF centres in France, and our city pages for Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Montpellier, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Lille and Nice — all in French.
Find out whether you have B2 before you pay to register
Timed mock exams in the exact TCF IRN format, scored on the 499 scale with a CEFR level for each test, and AI feedback on writing and speaking against the official criteria — in the “TCF DELF TEF: Tests 2026” app.
Download on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
What is the TCF IRN exam?
France Éducation international’s test of French for integration, residence and nationality, designed for French administrative procedures: citizenship, the resident card, the multi-year residence permit. Four tests in 1 h 35 min, in person, scored out of 499 for the multiple-choice tests and out of 20 for writing and speaking; the results certificate is valid for two years.
What TCF IRN score do I need for French citizenship?
B2: 400 to 499 in the multiple-choice tests (listening and reading), and 10 to 13 out of 20 in writing and speaking — at least 10 for B2. For a resident card, B1 means 300 to 399 and 6 to 9 out of 20; for a multi-year residence permit, A2 means 200 to 299 and 2 to 5 out of 20. The TCF IRN is a placement test: you don’t fail it, it places you on the scale. If your level is below what your procedure requires, you can retake it, after a waiting period and with a new registration fee.
Is the TCF IRN scored out of 699 or 499?
Out of 499. Since the TCF IRN stops at B2 and B2 ends at 499 on the official TCF grid, its multiple-choice tests are scored from 100 to 499, not out of 699 as in the TCF tout public or the TCF Canada. Writing and speaking are still scored out of 20. Careful: France Éducation international’s pages still describe, to date, a TCF IRN capped at B1 and scored out of 399 — the documentation hasn’t caught up with the May 2025 reform.
How long is the TCF IRN?
1 h 35 min in total, in a single session: 20 minutes of listening (25 questions), 35 minutes of reading (25 questions), 30 minutes of writing and 10 minutes of speaking. The four tests can’t be split: you can’t take only some of them.
Can I take the TCF IRN online from home?
No. The order of 22 December 2025 requires four separate tests taken in person, on the same day, in a single session, with anti-fraud supervision and an identity check against a valid official document. French tests taken online from home are not accepted for a residence permit.
How much does the TCF IRN cost, and can the CPF pay for it?
There is no national fee: the exam alone costs between €140 and €220 depending on the centre. Yes, the CPF can fund it: the TCF IRN is registered in France compétences’ specific register under listing RS6643, valid until 31 May 2027 — a precondition for using the personal training account. Careful with Mon Compte Formation offers: many are preparation-plus-exam packages, at around €430.
TCF IRN or DELF: which should I take for citizenship?
Both prove B2. The TCF IRN is held almost every week in large cities and marked within three weeks, but it expires after two years; the DELF B2 never expires, but it is held ten times a year, with registration closing weeks in advance. If your application is close, take the TCF IRN; if you have three months, the DELF.
TCF IRN or TEF IRN: what’s the difference?
Both are accepted by the French authorities, cover the same levels and are both scored out of 499. They differ in their operator — France Éducation international versus Le français des affaires —, in the centres available and in the task format: the TEF IRN is adaptive in its two comprehension tests, the TCF IRN isn’t. Choose by the dates and centres near you, then practise on the exact format of the test you chose.
Is the TCF IRN enough to get French citizenship?
No: it only proves the language condition. Since 1 January 2026, citizenship also requires passing the civics test, a separate test taken in another network of centres, as well as the conditions of residence, resources and integration.
Is there a TCF IRN practice test?
In our app: the full TCF IRN mock exam, all four tests in the reformed format, scored out of 499, with AI feedback on writing and speaking. Whatever you practise on, check its date: material from before 2025 describes a TCF IRN capped at B1 and scored out of 399, and TCF tout public papers include a “language structures” section that the TCF IRN doesn’t have.
Related pages
- French citizenship: the B2 requirement
What changed on 1 January 2026: B2 in speaking and writing, the civics test, the transitional rule.
- The French civics test
The other compulsory test since 2026: two networks of centres, online pre-registration, €70 to €110.
- DELF B2
The diploma alternative to the test: longer to take, but it never expires.
Regulations change. This page is up to date as of 7 August 2026 and is not legal advice. The levels required, the accepted certifications and the scoring change regularly — and the official documentation itself sometimes lags behind the reforms. Check your situation on service-public.fr and the exam format with your approved centre before you register or apply. Fees were checked at the centres at the end of July 2026; they change without notice.