French Citizenship Requirements 2026: B2 French, the Civic Exam and the €255 Fee — What Changed
📌 Key facts
- French level: B1 → B2 (spoken and written), for applications filed on or after 1 January 2026 — decree no. 93-1362, art. 37, as amended by decree no. 2025-648 of 15 July 2025
- Civic exam: mandatory for every naturalisation or reinstatement application filed since 1 January 2026, passed before you apply — 40 multiple-choice questions, 45 min, 32 correct answers
- Tax stamp: €55 → €255 since 1 May 2026 (€127.50 in French Guiana) — General Tax Code art. 958, law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026, art. 128
- Residence: 5 years as a rule, 2 years after a degree from a French higher-education institution earned after 2 years of study
- Processing time: up to 18 months after the receipt (12 months after 10 years of habitual residence), extendable once by 3 months
- Apart from the stamp, the procedure is free: beware of paid private websites
In 2026, French naturalisation changed on three fronts at once: the language level, the civic exam and the price of the tax stamp. They did not take effect on the same date, which causes confusion — many pages still say "B1" or "€55" because they were never updated.
This article is built directly on the texts: service-public.gouv.fr (pages verified between January and July 2026), the General Tax Code, the version history of decree no. 93-1362 on Légifrance, and documentation from the Ministry of the Interior.
⚠ Disclaimer
This article is general information, not legal advice. Naturalisation is a decision of the administration, which assesses each file. Always check your situation on service-public.gouv.fr or with your naturalisation platform. Situation as of 8 October 2026.
The three 2026 changes at a glance
📖 What is "naturalisation by decree"?
It is the procedure through which a foreign national applies for French nationality. Unlike a declaration (by marriage, for example), nationality is granted by decree, published in the Journal officiel, after the file is examined — and an application can be judged "inopportune" and refused. The decree takes effect on the date it is signed. The conditions are set out in articles 21-14-1 to 21-25-1 of the Civil Code.
| Rule | Before | Now | Applies from | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French level | B1 | B2 (spoken and written) | Applications filed on or after 1 January 2026 | Decree no. 93-1362, art. 37 (decree no. 2025-648) |
| Civic exam | — | Mandatory, before applying | 1 January 2026 | Decree no. 2025-648; order of 10 October 2025 |
| Tax stamp | €55 | €255 (€127.50 in French Guiana) | 1 May 2026 | General Tax Code art. 958; law no. 2026-103, art. 128 |
The key is the date test: for the language level and the civic exam, what counts is the date you file. Article 11 of decree no. 2025-648 states that these new rules apply to naturalisation or reinstatement applications filed on or after 1 January 2026.
Eligibility conditions
| Condition | What is required |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 — you can apply from 17 |
| Legal stay | A valid residence permit when you apply (except EU/EEA and Swiss nationals) |
| Residence | Living in France when the decree is signed, with the centre of your material interests (notably work) and family ties in France |
| Length of residence | 5 years as a rule — see the reductions below |
| Assimilation | A passed civic exam + an interview at the prefecture |
| Language | B2 spoken and written |
| Professional integration | Stable and sufficient income for you and your tax household |
| Good character | "Bonnes vie et mœurs"; no sentence of 6 months or more of unsuspended prison, among others |
⚠️ Where your family lives matters too
Service-public states it plainly: if you live in France but your spouse and/or children live abroad, French nationality may be refused, because the condition covers the centre of your family ties.
Length of residence: 5 years, 2 years or none
| Length | Situations (from service-public) |
|---|---|
| 5 years | General case |
| 2 years | You obtained a diploma from a French higher-education institution after 2 years of study · you can render or have rendered important services to France · exceptional integration record |
| None | Refugee status · from a French-speaking country with French as your mother tongue, or 5+ years of schooling in French · military service in the French army · enlistment in wartime · exceptional services |
💡 Former international students: the 2-year reduction
This is the most useful rule if you came to France to study: after 2 years of study ending in a diploma from a French higher-education institution, the residence requirement drops from 5 to 2 years. The other conditions — especially professional integration and a valid residence permit when you apply — still apply. Moving from a student permit to a work permit is covered in our student-to-work transition guide.
B2 French and accepted proof
Article 37 of decree no. 93-1362 requires French spoken and written at level B2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In its version in force from 1 April 2020 to 18 July 2025, the same article required B1.
Accepted proof (service-public, page F11926):
- the diplôme national du brevet;
- a diploma issued in the name of the State at level 3 or above of the national framework of professional certifications;
- a professional certification at level 3 or above listed in the national register of professional certifications (RNCP);
- any diploma certifying at least B2;
- a TCF (France Éducation International) or TEF (Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce) certificate less than 2 years old.
⚠️ Degree from France? Check before paying for a test
A French diploma may exempt you from the test, depending on the diploma. The text refers to a diploma "issued in the name of the State" at level 3 or above. Confirm that your specific diploma is accepted before paying for a TCF or TEF — and if you do take a test, plan around its 2-year validity.
Exemptions: a disability or health condition that makes assessment impossible (medical certificate); or, all three together, being a refugee or stateless person, over 70, and resident in France for at least 15 years with a valid permit.
The civic exam
Since 1 January 2026, a certificate of success in the civic exam is required for every naturalisation or reinstatement application. It goes into your file, so you take the exam before applying.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | 40 multiple-choice questions in French, taken digitally |
| Question types | Knowledge questions and situational questions |
| Themes | Principles and values of the Republic · institutional and political system · rights and duties · history, geography and culture · living in French society |
| Duration | Up to 45 minutes |
| Pass mark | At least 32 correct answers |
| Where | A centre approved by the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce (CCI) or France Éducation International |
| Cheating | Banned from retaking the exam for 2 years |
To prepare, the Ministry of the Interior publishes the exam programme, the list of knowledge questions, the citizen's booklet (livret du citoyen) and the charter of rights and duties of the French citizen.
💡 Practise for free
Our civic exam practice uses the official knowledge questions published for the civic exam for residence permits (multi-year permit and resident card). For naturalisation, rely first on the list published by the Ministry of the Interior and use our tool as extra practice. The residence-permit civic exam is explained in our article on the civic exam and French level.
The €255 tax stamp
Article 958 of the General Tax Code makes naturalisation and reinstatement applications, as well as nationality declarations by marriage (articles 21-2, 21-13-1 and 21-13-2 of the Civil Code), subject to a €255 electronic stamp duty. The amount comes from article 128 of law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026 (the 2026 finance law) and has applied since 1 May 2026. It was €55 from 1 May 2021 to 1 May 2026.
- Payment: electronic stamp, payable directly during the online application, or bought on timbres.impots.gouv.fr or at an equipped tobacconist (tabac)
- Validity: 1 year from purchase
- Refund: if unused, request it online within 18 months of purchase
- Abroad: the fee (droits de chancellerie) is paid at the consulate when you file
⚠️ The only official cost
Apart from the tax stamp, acquiring French nationality is free. Service-public warns against private websites offering paid services, for example to get an appointment. The language test and the civic exam are taken with the approved bodies.
From application to decree
- Get the prerequisites: a passed civic exam, proof of B2, a €255 stamp.
- Apply online through the naturalisation e-service, with supporting documents (civil-status records translated by a sworn translator, address, income and taxes, family situation, a foreign criminal record extract if you have lived in France for less than 10 years…). Keep the originals: you will need them at the interview.
- Receipt (récépissé): issued once the file is complete. It starts the processing clock.
- Interview at the prefecture: it checks your assimilation and your adherence to the principles and values of the Republic. You sign the charter of rights and duties of the French citizen. Missing it without a legitimate reason can lead to your file being closed.
- Decision: if approved, you are notified of your inclusion in the decree after it is published in the Journal officiel. The decree can be downloaded from Légifrance.
| Processing time | Duration |
|---|---|
| General case | Up to 18 months from the receipt |
| Habitual residence in France for 10+ years (on the receipt date) | 12 months |
| Extension | Once, 3 months, with a stated reason |
Your unmarried minor children who habitually live with you also become French if their names appear in the decree.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. B1 or B2 in 2026?
B2, spoken and written, for any application filed on or after 1 January 2026. B1 was the level in the version of article 37 of decree no. 93-1362 in force until 18 July 2025. Prove it with an accepted diploma or a TCF/TEF less than 2 years old.
Q2. Since when is the stamp €255?
Since 1 May 2026 (General Tax Code art. 958, law no. 2026-103 art. 128). It was €55 before. €127.50 in French Guiana. The same amount applies to reinstatement and to declarations by marriage.
Q3. I studied in France: how many years of residence?
2 years instead of 5 if you obtained a diploma from a French higher-education institution after 2 years of study. All other conditions still apply, especially professional integration (stable and sufficient income) and a valid residence permit when you apply.
Q4. When do I take the civic exam?
Before applying: the certificate is part of your file. 40 multiple-choice questions, 45 minutes, 32 correct answers, at a centre approved by the CCI Paris Île-de-France or France Éducation International.
Q5. How long does it take?
Up to 18 months from the receipt, 12 months if you have lived habitually in France for at least 10 years, with one possible 3-month extension, with a stated reason.
Q6. What about nationality by marriage?
The declaration by marriage does not require the civic exam. But it also requires B2, and the €255 stamp applies. Its other conditions are specific to that procedure.
In short
- B1 → B2 and a mandatory civic exam for applications filed since 1 January 2026
- Stamp €55 → €255 since 1 May 2026
- Residence: 5 years, or 2 years after a French degree earned over 2 years of study
- Civic exam and language proof before you apply; TCF/TEF valid 2 years
- Answer within 18 months (12 months after 10 years of residence)
- Free apart from the stamp: skip paid intermediaries
Still working on a residence permit first? Build your document checklist in 60 seconds on Settli.
This article is general information. Confirm your own case on service-public.gouv.fr or with your naturalisation platform.
Sources: service-public.gouv.fr F2213 · F11926 · F39426 · F32952, General Tax Code art. 958 (Légifrance, 2021 and 2026 versions), law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026 art. 128, decree no. 93-1362 art. 37 (2020 and 2025 versions), decree no. 2025-648 of 15 July 2025 art. 11, Ministry of the Interior (civic exam, December 2025)
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