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French nationality: how to justify your level in French?
Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
To obtain French nationality, you must have sufficient knowledge, depending on your situation, of the French language. We tell you what you need to know.
What applies to you ?
Some rules vary depending on whether you request the acquisition of French nationality by decree (naturalization or reinstatement into French nationality) , or that you make a declaration of french nationality by marriage.
French nationality by decree
You must have a knowledge of the French language oral and written at least equal to Level B2 the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The CECRL is a ranking to assess your level of proficiency in a foreign language.
You must provide a french diploma or a attestation of successful completion of a language test.
Diplomas and certificates accepted are as follows:
- National Patent Diploma
- Diploma awarded on behalf of the State attesting a level at least equal to level 3 of the national framework for professional qualifications
- Any professional certification rated at a level at least equal to level 3 of the national framework for professional qualifications and registered in the national directory of professional qualifications
- Any diploma attesting to a level of knowledge of the French language at least equivalent to Level B2 of the CEFR: titleContent
- Certificate of success of the test of knowledge of French (TCF) issued for less than 2 years by France Éducation International.
- Certificate of success of the French language assessment test (TEF) issued for less than 2 years by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris.
You can benefit from test arrangements for the passage of the French language evaluation if your disability or health condition requires it.
You must provide a medical certificate which certifies that improvements are necessary and which specifies the improvements recommended. You can download the decree of 30 december 2025 which contains in the annex a model medical certificate.
FYI
The instructor service or the minister responsible for naturalizations may request a new medical expertise to have your disability or state of health checked.
You may be exempt from providing a French diploma or a linguistic certificate if you are in one of the following 2 situations :
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Your disability or state of health makes your language assessment impossible
You may be exempted from providing a diploma or certificate justifying your knowledge of the French language if your disability or state of health makes your language assessment impossible.
You must provide a medical certificate which attests that your state of health makes any linguistic evaluation impossible. You can download the decree of 30 december 2025 which contains in the annex a model medical certificate.
FYI
The instructor service or the minister responsible for naturalizations may request a new medical expertise to have your disability or state of health checked.
You are a refugee, over the age of 70, and have been living in France for 15 years or more
You are exempt from the production of a diploma or a certificate justifying your knowledge of the French language if you meet the following 3 conditions:
- You are a political refugee or stateless person
- You are over 70 years old
- You have been living in France for at least 15 years with a residence permit valid.
Declaration of French nationality by marriage
You must have a knowledge of the French language oral and written at least equal to Level B2 the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The CECRL is a ranking to assess your level of proficiency in a foreign language.
You must provide a french diploma or a attestation of successful completion of a language test.
Diplomas and certificates accepted are as follows:
- National Patent Diploma
- Diploma awarded on behalf of the State attesting a level at least equal to level 3 of the national framework for professional qualifications
- Any professional certification rated at a level at least equal to level 3 of the national framework for professional qualifications and registered in the national directory of professional qualifications
- Any diploma attesting to a level of knowledge of the French language at least equivalent to Level B2 of the CEFR: titleContent
- Certificate of success of the test of knowledge of French (TCF) issued for less than 2 years by France Éducation International.
- Certificate of success of the French language assessment test (TEF) issued for less than 2 years by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris.
You can benefit from test arrangements for the passage of the French language evaluation if your disability or health condition requires it.
You must provide a medical certificate which certifies that improvements are necessary and which specifies the improvements recommended. You can download the decree of 30 december 2025 which contains in the annex a model medical certificate.
FYI
The instructor service or the minister responsible for naturalizations may request a new medical expertise to have your disability or state of health checked.
You may be exempted from providing a diploma or certificate justifying your knowledge of the French language if your disability or state of health makes your language assessment impossible.
You must provide a medical certificate which attests that your state of health makes any linguistic evaluation impossible. You can download the decree of 30 december 2025 which contains in the annex a model medical certificate.
FYI
The instructor service or the minister responsible for naturalizations may request a new medical expertise to have your disability or state of health checked.
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Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Administrative information by phone - Allô Service Public
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
Acquisition of French nationality by reason of marriage (Article 21(2))
Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authority (Articles 21-24 and 21-24-1)
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