French naturalization: how to pass the civic exam?

To be naturalized French, you must take a civic exam that evaluates your knowledge in the domains following:

1. Major landmarks in the history of France. Your knowledge of the historical construction of France must allow you to know and situate the main events or characters to which it is referred in social life.
2. Principles, symbols and institutions of the Republic. You must know the rules of life in business (respect for laws, fundamental freedoms, equality, especially between men and women, secularism) and the main elements of the political and administrative organization of France at the national and territorial level.
3. Exercise of French citizenship. You should know the main rights and duties as they are mentioned in the charter of rights and duties of the french citizen.
4. France's place in Europe and in the world. You must have a basic knowledge of the characteristics of France, situating it in a global environment, and of the fundamental principles of the European Union.

To know the required level, you can download and consult the citizen's booklet, on exam baseline and the list of knowledge questions.

The civic examination consists of a multiple choice questionnaire, written in French, 40 questions including knowledge issues and situational issues.

You have to have 32 good answers to succeed.

To prepare for the exam, you can download and consult the citizen's booklet, one repository and the list of knowledge questions.

You can benefit from a civic exam if your disability or state of health requires it.

You must provide a medical certificate which certifies that improvements are necessary and which specifies the improvements recommended. You can download the order of 30 december 2025, which contains in the Annex a model medical certificate.

You may be exempt from providing a certificate of successful completion of the civic examination if your disability or health condition makes it impossible to assess your knowledge.

You must provide a medical certificate which certifies that your state of health makes it impossible to assess your knowledge via the civic examination. You can download the order of 30 december 2025, which contains in the Annex a model medical certificate.

To take the civic exam, you must register with the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry or France Education International.

Civic examination mention naturalization: map of approved centers of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP)

The link to the approved centers of France Education International will be available soon.

The examination center informs you, before the test, of the rules of the civic examination test.

The test is carried out on digital media.

The ordeal lasts maximum 45 minutes. The duration may be extended only in the case of a specific arrangement granted for justified medical reasons.

In case of non-compliance with the rules of the civic examination, you risk nullity of your exam.

In case of attempted fraud or detection of fraud during the exam, you have the ban on taking the civic examination within 2 years of the examination.