France makes 45-minute civic-knowledge test mandatory for most multi-year residence cards

Foreign nationals seeking France’s multi-year ‘carte de séjour’ or 10-year resident card now face a new hurdle: a computer-based, 40-question examination on French republican values, institutions, history and daily life. The Interior Ministry confirmed the measure in a circular dated 8 January; VisaHQ reported its nationwide roll-out on 10 January 2026.

The exam, delivered in authorised centres such as the Paris Chamber of Commerce, lasts 45 minutes and requires an 80 % pass mark. Successful candidates receive an ‘Attestation de Réussite’ that must accompany their residence-permit application. The test is free and can be retaken indefinitely, but early feedback from prefectures indicates a four-to-six-week wait for slots in Paris, Lyon and Marseille—delays that could push assignment start dates well into Q2 for newly arrived assignees.



Exemptions exist for applicants aged over 65 and for holders of certain Passeport-Talent permits, yet most intra-company transferees converting from student or temporary status must comply. The civics requirement accompanies tougher language thresholds that also took effect on 1 January (A2 for multi-year permits, B1 for ten-year cards, B2 for naturalisation).

For HR and global-mobility teams the operational impact is immediate. Offer letters and relocation timelines must now factor in exam preparation, booking and potential retakes. Many employers are turning to specialist vendors to secure slots, prep candidates and courier supporting documents to prefectures.

Policy-makers say the reform standardises integration obligations that were previously enforced unevenly across France’s 101 departments. Critics counter that it risks creating a two-tier system that favours highly skilled talent—often exempt—over lower-income migrants, and could intensify prefecture backlogs at a time when appointment availability is already stretched.