· 11 min read
Which French Exam Do You Need for Your Residence Permit? (TCF, TEF, DELF — and the 2026 Law)
By Language Lab editorial team
Since 1 January 2026, France requires proof of French for residence permits. Which level you need (A2 or B1), which exams count (TCF, TEF, DELF), and how to prepare for the oral.
What French level do you need — and what changed in 2026?
Since 1 January 2026, non-European nationals applying for a residence permit in France must prove a minimum level of French, and the level depends on the card: A2 for the multi-year residence card (carte de séjour pluriannuelle) and B1 for the resident card (carte de résident). This is a real change — previously the language bar sat mainly at naturalisation, and now it applies earlier, at the residence-permit stage, for applicants under 65. The certificate proves your French; it does not by itself grant the card.
Because the requirement now bites earlier in the journey, far more people need a certified result on a deadline than before. The practical consequence is that you should establish which card you are applying for, and therefore which level you need, before you book an exam — sitting a B1 exam when your card needs A2 wastes time and money, and arriving under-prepared for the B1 oral when you need the resident card can delay the permit. Confirm the exact level your préfecture expects for your specific situation early.
Which French exams are accepted — TCF, TEF or DELF?
Two standardised tests are officially recognised for the residence-permit language requirement: the TCF (Test de connaissance du français), run by France Éducation International, and the TEF (Test d'évaluation du français), run by the Paris Chamber of Commerce. The DELF diploma is also accepted as an alternative, as are certain professional French certifications at the required CEFR level. The TCF version used for immigration and nationality purposes is commonly referred to as the TCF-IRN (Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité).
| Card / step | French level required | Accepted proof |
|---|---|---|
| Carte de séjour pluriannuelle (multi-year) | A2 | TCF, TEF, or DELF A2+ |
| Carte de résident (resident card) | B1 | TCF, TEF, or DELF B1+ |
| Naturalisation (citizenship) | Higher level + civic test | TCF-IRN / accepted equivalents |
All of these test the same four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking — and as with most language certificates, the part learners find hardest is the oral. You sit a face-to-face speaking exam where you introduce yourself, react to a situation and sustain a short exchange, and you cannot look anything up. A strong written score will not compensate for a weak spoken one.
How do you prepare for the French speaking exam?
The oral rewards spontaneous, spoken French — the one skill grammar apps and flashcards barely build. People who study French by reading routinely understand far more than they can produce out loud under exam conditions, and the speaking section is where that gap shows. The fix is rehearsal of the spoken format itself: running the kinds of exchanges the exam uses, out loud, until your responses come automatically rather than being assembled word by word.
Language Lab is built for exactly that. You rehearse real French conversations out loud against an AI partner that reacts to what you say and corrects you in context — the self-introduction, the everyday situations, the back-and-forth — so the speaking exam is something you have already done several times before you sit it. The same practice prepares you for the real French you will need once you arrive: the préfecture, the doctor, the landlord, the bank.
Frequently asked
What French level do I need for a French residence permit in 2026?
Since 1 January 2026, the multi-year residence card (carte de séjour pluriannuelle) requires A2, and the resident card (carte de résident) requires B1, for applicants under 65. The requirement now applies at the residence-permit stage, earlier than the old citizenship-only bar. Confirm your exact requirement with your préfecture, as situations and exemptions vary.
Is the TCF or TEF better for my French residence permit?
Both the TCF (France Éducation International) and the TEF (Paris Chamber of Commerce) are officially accepted for the residence-permit language requirement, and a DELF diploma at the right level is also accepted. They are equivalent in legal value for this purpose, so choose by availability, price and test-centre access. Make sure you sit the version and level that matches the card you are applying for.
Do I need to pass a speaking test for my French card?
Yes — the accepted exams (TCF, TEF, DELF) all include an oral component, and you must reach the required CEFR level overall. The speaking section is a face-to-face exchange, so reading-and-grammar study alone is rarely enough. Rehearsing the spoken format out loud beforehand is the most reliable way to be ready for it.
