To make a first application for a multi-year residence permit or a resident card

You will have to sit for the civic exam if:

• You do not have the protection of the OFPRA (refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, stateless persons)
• You are a foreign national over 18 years of age and you have signed a Republican Integration Contract (CIR) .

You will not to sit for the civic exam if :

• You have the protection of the OFPRA (refugee, beneficiary of subsidiary protection, stateless person)
• you are a relative of a person under the protection of the OFPRA
• you are a national of a country that has entered into certain special agreements with France
• You have a disability or health condition that prevents you from sitting for this exam. In this case, you must provide a medical certificate completed and signed by a doctor using this template.
• You are a foreign national over 65 years of age.

To apply for French nationality by decree

All foreign nationals (including those under the protection of the OFPRA: refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, stateless persons) must have passed the civic examination before submitting the application for naturalization by decree .

There are other conditions (see step below). Everything is explained on the Refugees.info page: " Applying for French nationality ".

People with a disability or health condition that prevents them from taking this exam are exempt (they do not sit for the civic exam). In this case, a medical certificate completed and signed by a doctor using this template must be provided .

If you have signed the Republican Integration Contract (CIR) with the OFII, you will receive a summons for the civic training (dates, times, name and address).

This civic training is mandatory and lasts 4 days (24 hours in total).
This is preparation for the civic examination: the training program covers the same topics as the civic examination.
If you have participated in the 4 days of training, the OFII will give you a certificate.
This document proves that you have participated in the civic training. However, it does not replace the civic examination.

The website formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr provides information on the civic examination for the residence permit.

The site includes:

• Fact sheets on the topics of the civic examination, with explanations, important dates, images…
• the official list of knowledge questions for the civic examination for the multi-year residence permit and the resident card .

There are 5 topics covered in the examination:

1. Principles and values of the Republic (11 questions)

• Motto and symbols of the Republic (the flag, the national anthem): 3 questions
• Secularism (history, secularism in the public sector, at work, at school): 2 questions
• Scenarios: 6 questions.

2. Institutional and political system (6 questions)

• Democracy and the right to vote: 3 questions
• Organization of the French Republic (Fifth Republic, political actors, elections): 2 questions
• The European Union: 1 question.

3. Rights and responsibilities (11 questions)

• Fundamental rights (right to health, education, work, etc.): 2 questions
• Obligations and duties of people residing in France (respecting the laws, paying taxes, etc.): 3 questions
• Scenarios: 6 questions.

4. History, geography and culture (8 questions)

• Major periods in French history and important historical figures (dates of the World Wars, stages of the Fifth Republic, names of presidents, etc.): 3 questions
• The geography of France (regions, cities, rivers, mountains, population): 3 questions
• French heritage (monuments, artists, authors, traditions): 2 questions.

5. Living in French society (4 questions)

• Settling and residing in France (procedures for paperwork, housing, family situation): 1 question
• Getting medical treatment (doctor, hospital, vaccines): 1 question
• Working in France (labor law, job searching, starting a business): 1 question
• Parental authority and the education system (children's rights, schools): 1 question.

The Ministry of the Interior has approved two organizations to administer the civic examination:

• the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP)
• and France Éducation International (FEI) .

There are approved (official) testing centers all over France.

You will need:

• your personal information
• your foreign number (AGDREF number)

You will then have to pay the registration fee. The price isn't the same in all centers. It's between 60 and 90 euros approximately .

Once your registration is confirmed, you will receive an email. Click on the link in the email to access your personal account.
Please note: the email may end up in your "Junk Mail" or "Spam" folder. If you do not receive anything, contact the test center immediately.

On the day of the exam, bring an identity document (residence permit) and the examination invitation.
Check transport and address to arrive at the examination centre 30 minutes before the exact time on your appointment confirmation.
A supervisor checks your personal information (name, surname, date of birth…) on a tablet and takes your picture.

The exam lasts 45 minutes on a computer or a tablet.

The level of French in the questions is:

• A2 for the multi-year residence permit
• B1 for the resident card
• B2 for French nationality .

There are 40 questions:

• 28 multiple-choice questions
• 12 situational questions.

Each question has 4 possible answers. Only one answer is correct. Note: an incorrect answer or a question left unanswered will not earn you any points.

If you cannot attend the examination on the day you registered for, you can retake it for free only if:

• you were sick
• you had a work emergency
• There had been a death in your family.

You must provide proof, such as a medical certificate from your doctor or a letter from your employer. You will not be reimbursed if you do not provide proof to the testing center.

You will receive an email with your results within a maximum of 2 days after the exam.
To pass the exam, you need to get at least 32 out of 40 correct answers (80% correct answers).
Log in to your account to download your certificate of completion for the civic exam. The certificate is personalized with your photo and signature.
This is an official document. Keep the original and make photocopies.

It is forbidden to falsify the results certificate (change, modify or fabricate this document) for yourself or for another person.
You can find an example of a certificate here.

It is advisable to register and take the civic examination before starting the application.

Next, you need to attach the certificate of success on the ANEF (Foreigners in France) website to obtain a first multi-year residence permit or a first resident card.

As a reminder, since January 1st, 2026, in addition to the civic exam, there are new requirements regarding the level of French:

• A2 level is required to apply for a first multi-year residence permit
• B1 level is required to apply for a first 10-year resident card
• level B2 is required to apply for French nationality (naturalization by decree).

If you need a certification of your French level, you must also send the document to the ANEF (Foreigners in France) website.

Other documents are required; everything is explained on the Refugees.info fact sheets: " Obtaining a residence permit " and "Applying for French nationality ".

If you obtain fewer than 32 correct answers, you must it for the examination again.

You need to re-register (step 5) and pay the registration fees again to retake the exam.

If you do not agree with your examination result, you have 30 days to appeal to the exam center.

This period begins on the day your results are written on the certificate.
You can only request an appeal if there was a serious problem during the test. For example, if the computer or tablet did not work.

It is very important to inform the supervisor on the day of the exam. If you do not say anything at that moment, the exam center has the right to refuse your request.

More information on how to make this appeal can be found here (for CCIP centres) .