Pass the examen civique and your préfecture interview
Since 1 January 2026, applicants for naturalisation par décret must pass the examen civique, a 40-question multiple-choice test in French (32 correct answers needed in 45 minutes), and prove B2-level French before filing. After filing, an entretien d'assimilation at the préfecture checks their integration and adherence to the values of the Republic.
Checked against official sources · October 2026
Step by step
- 01
Check that you are eligible
In general you need to be at least 18 (you can file from 17), to have lived in France habitually for 5 years (shorter or no minimum period in some cases, e.g. refugees or 2 years of higher education in France), to hold a valid residence permit, to have stable and sufficient income, and to have no disqualifying convictions. The final decision is discretionary: meeting the conditions does not guarantee naturalisation.
- 02
Get proof of B2-level French
For applications filed since 1 January 2026, you must prove French at least at level B2 of the CEFR, oral and written. Accepted proofs include a French diploma (e.g. diplôme national du brevet, a State diploma or RNCP certification at level 3 or above, or a diploma certifying B2) or a TCF or TEF attestation less than 2 years old.
- 03
Pass the examen civique (mention naturalisation)
Register at an approved centre (CCI Paris Île-de-France or France Éducation International) and take the 40-question test on a computer or tablet. You need 32 correct answers. Your attestation of success does not expire and is one of the documents of your naturalisation file.
- 04
File your application online
Apply through the Ministry of the Interior's online service "Demande en ligne de naturalisation française" on administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr (ANEF), uploading your civil-status documents, residence permit, proof of address, income and tax documents, language proof and examen civique attestation. A €255 timbre fiscal is required. Paper filing (cerfa n°12753) and consular filing from abroad also exist in some situations.
- 05
Processing and checks
Once your file is complete you receive a receipt (récépissé). The préfecture (or naturalisation platform) examines your file and carries out the usual enquiries. The administration has up to 18 months from the receipt to decide (12 months if you have lived in France for at least 10 years), which may be extended once by 3 months.
- 06
Attend the entretien d'assimilation
You are invited to an individual interview at the préfecture. The agent checks your assimilation into the French community, in particular your adherence to the essential principles and values of the Republic, and your French in conversation. At the end, you sign the charte des droits et devoirs du citoyen français. Missing the interview without a valid reason can lead to your file being closed.
- 07
Decision and décret in the Journal officiel
If accepted, you become French by a decree (décret) published in the Journal officiel, effective from the date it is signed; you are notified, usually by email. Unmarried minor children living with you can become French if they are named in the decree. A refusal or postponement (ajournement) can be challenged by a recours administratif to the minister within 2 months of notification.
- 08
Cérémonie d'accueil dans la citoyenneté française
The prefect normally invites new citizens to a welcome ceremony within about 6 months of the decree's publication. You receive a welcome pack including a letter from the President of the Republic, the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, extracts of the Constitution, the text of the national anthem and a booklet based on the charte des droits et devoirs.
Who can apply
Age
You must be an adult (18) to be naturalised; an application can be filed from age 17.
Residence in France
Usually 5 years of habitual residence before filing, with France as the centre of your material interests and family ties when the decree is signed. No minimum period applies to refugees and certain French-speaking or military applicants; 2 years applies after 2 years of higher education in France, for important services to France or for an exceptional integration record.
Lawful stay
A residence permit valid on the day you file (EU/EEA and Swiss nationals excepted), and no expulsion order or ban from French territory in force.
Professional integration and income
Stable and sufficient income to support yourself and your tax household. Préfectures look at the stability of your employment and resources over several years.
French at level B2
Oral and written French at least at CEFR level B2 for applications filed since 1 January 2026, proved by an accepted French diploma or a TCF/TEF attestation less than 2 years old. Medical exemptions exist, and refugees or stateless people over 70 with 15 years of residence can be exempted.
Examen civique and assimilation
An attestation of success at the examen civique (mention naturalisation), then an entretien d'assimilation at the préfecture checking your adherence to the principles and values of the Republic, ending with the signature of the charte des droits et devoirs du citoyen français.
Good conduct
No prison sentence of 6 months or more without suspension in France and no conviction for certain serious offences (e.g. terrorism or crimes against the fundamental interests of the nation), subject to rehabilitation rules. Compliance with tax and social obligations is also examined.
Everything about the France process
The new examen civique (2026)
What the civic exam created by the loi du 26 janvier 2024 looks like, who must take it, and how it is scored.
ReadNaturalisation par décret, step by step
From eligibility to the welcome ceremony: how the decree route works in 2026, with realistic timings.
ReadPreparing for the entretien d'assimilation
What happens at the préfecture interview, what the agent is looking for and how to practise.
ReadLanguage requirement and accepted proofs
Why B2 now applies to naturalisation, which diplomas and tests are accepted, and who can be exempted.
ReadDocuments and the online application (ANEF)
How to prepare a complete file for the online naturalisation service and avoid common delays.
ReadExamen civique: how to register, centres and prices
Who runs the exam, how to book a session with each approved network, what it costs and what happens on exam day.
ReadCarte de résident vs naturalisation: which civic exam level?
The three mentions of the examen civique, which one your application needs, and how the language and exemption rules differ.
ReadNaturalisation by marriage (déclaration): language and conditions
How a foreign spouse of a French citizen becomes French by declaration in 2026: conditions, B2 French, the interview and the time limits.
ReadLivret du citoyen 2026: what to study
What the new official booklet for nationality candidates covers, part by part, and how to use it alongside the official question list.
ReadAfter the interview: timelines, décret, and appeals
What happens between the préfecture interview and the decision, how the decree works, and how to challenge a refusal or postponement.
ReadDocuments and translations for your naturalisation file
The document list for a naturalisation par décret application, and the rules on civil-status certificates, sworn translations, legalisation and apostille.
ReadCommon questions
How many questions are in the examen civique and how many must I get right?
40 multiple-choice questions in French (28 knowledge questions and 12 mises en situation), with 45 minutes maximum. You need 32 correct answers (80%) to pass.
Do I need the examen civique if I apply through marriage to a French citizen?
No. According to service-public.gouv.fr, the examen civique concerns only acquisition of French nationality by decree. Declarations by marriage (and as a parent or sibling of a French citizen) are not covered, although a marriage declaration now requires B2 French.
Are the real exam questions published?
The Ministry of the Interior publishes the list of knowledge questions for each mention, without the answers. The mises en situation are not published. The knowledge questions on this site use the official wording where it exists; the answer options and all scenario questions are written for practice.
How much does it cost?
The naturalisation application requires a €255 timbre fiscal. The examen civique and the language test are paid separately to the approved centres, which set their own prices. Official preparation materials are free.
Does the examen civique attestation expire? Can I retake the exam?
The attestation of success has no expiry date, and you can sit the exam as many times as needed. Note that TCF/TEF language attestations, by contrast, must be less than 2 years old.
What French level do I need for naturalisation?
B2 of the CEFR, oral and written, for applications filed since 1 January 2026, proved by an accepted French diploma or a TCF/TEF attestation. Applications filed earlier are in principle examined under the previous B1 rules.
What happens at the entretien d'assimilation?
An agent of the préfecture talks with you about your background, work, family and life in France, checks your adherence to the values of the Republic, and may ask questions on history, institutions and culture based on the Livret du citoyen. You sign the charte des droits et devoirs du citoyen français at the end.
How long does naturalisation take?
The administration has up to 18 months from your receipt (12 months if you have lived in France for at least 10 years), extendable once by 3 months. Actual times vary by préfecture.
Is this site official? Is this legal advice?
No. This is independent practice material based on official sources such as service-public.gouv.fr and the Ministry of the Interior. Rules change: check service-public.gouv.fr or your préfecture for your own situation.