Resident card: how can you justify your knowledge of French?
Verified 19 February 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
General case
If you make a 1re application for a residence card, you must prove that your proficiency in French is greater than or equal to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR: titleContent) of the Council of Europe.
To do this, you must:
- have passed a language test, or
- or have obtained a diploma attesting to a level of knowledge of French at least equivalent to level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent or sanctioning instruction followed in French.
Language test or attestation
- French language proficiency test (TCF) issued by France éducation international
- French Evaluation Test (TEF) issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris
- Any test or certificate issued by a certifying body, recognized at national or international level, attesting to the overall mastery of all written and oral competences at level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent.
The test must have been taken at an accredited examination center and the oral expression validated during an in-person interview.
Diploma
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by the Association of Directors of University Centers for French Studies for foreigners: university diploma in French studies (DUEF), Diploma in French Studies (DAEF), Diploma in French Studies (DSEFP)
- Diploma of French Professional (DFP) issued by Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- Diploma awarded by France éducation international: diploma of studies in French (DELF), French-language advanced diploma (DALF)
- Language Proficiency Diploma (LCP) issued by the Ministry of National Education
- Title or diploma entered in theNational Occupational Certification Register (NPCR)
- Diploma awarded by the State (or on behalf of the State) attesting to training at least equal to the national diploma of the patent
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by universities
You're over 65
You are not subject to the condition of knowledge of French.
You have a disability
If you make a 1re application for a residence card, you must prove that your proficiency in French is greater than or equal to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR: titleContent) of the Council of Europe.
To do this, you must:
- have passed a language test, or
- or have obtained a diploma attesting to a level of knowledge of French at least equivalent to level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent or sanctioning instruction followed in French.
Language test or attestation
- French language proficiency test (TCF) issued by France education international
- French Evaluation Test (TEF) issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris
- Any test or certificate issued by a certifying body, recognized at national or international level, attesting to the overall mastery of all written and oral competences at level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent.
The test must have been taken at an accredited examination center and the oral expression validated during an in-person interview.
If you are disabled, you can benefit from test facilities for taking a language test.
If you are unable to take such a test, you may also be exempted from the requirement of knowledge of the French language.
You must ask the prefecture for a model medical certificate and have it completed by your doctor. You must then return it to the prefecture.
Diploma
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by the Association of Directors of University Centers for French Studies for foreigners: university diploma in French studies (DUEF), Diploma in French Studies (DAEF), Diploma in French Studies (DSEFP)
- Diploma of French Professional (DFP) issued by Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- Diploma awarded by the International Center for Pedagogical Studies: diploma of studies in French (DELF), French-language advanced diploma (DALF)
- Language Proficiency Diploma (LCP) issued by the Ministry of National Education
- Title or diploma entered in the National Occupational Certification Register (NPCR)
- Diploma awarded by the State (or on behalf of the State) attesting to training at least equal to the national diploma of the patent
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by universities
You have a chronic medical condition
If you make a 1re application for a residence card, you must prove that your proficiency in French is greater than or equal to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR: titleContent) of the Council of Europe.
To do this, you must:
- have passed a language test, or
- or have obtained a diploma attesting to a level of knowledge of French at least equivalent to level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent or sanctioning instruction followed in French.
Language test or attestation
- French language proficiency test (TCF) issued by France éducation international
- French Evaluation Test (TEF) issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris
- Any test or certificate issued by a certifying body, recognized at national or international level, attesting to the overall mastery of all written and oral competences at level A2 of the CEFR: titleContent.
The test must have been taken at an accredited examination center and the oral expression validated during an in-person interview.
If you are chronically ill, you can benefit from test facilities for taking a language test.
If you are unable to take such a test, you may also be exempted from the requirement of knowledge of the French language.
You must ask the prefecture for a model medical certificate and have it completed by your doctor. You must then return it to the prefecture.
Diploma
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by the Association of Directors of University Centers for French Studies for foreigners: university diploma in French studies (DUEF), Diploma in French Studies (DAEF), Diploma in French Studies (DSEFP)
- Diploma of French Professional (DFP) issued by Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- Diploma awarded by the International Center for Pedagogical Studies: diploma of studies in French (DELF), Degree in French (DALF), Diploma of studies in professional French (DELF Pro)
- Language Proficiency Diploma (LCP) issued by the Ministry of National Education
- Title or diploma entered in theNational Occupational Certification Register (NPCR)
- Diploma awarded by the State (or on behalf of the State) attesting to training at least equal to the national diploma of the patent
- University Diploma (DU) awarded by universities
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: articles L413-7Knowledge of French
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: article R413-15Assessment of the integration condition
- Order of 21 February 2018 establishing the list of diplomas and certifications attesting to the level of proficiency in French required to obtain a resident card.
- Order of 30 April 2021 laying down the model medical certificate relating to the fitting-out or exemption from linguistic assessment of French
- Information of 26 February 2018 on the level of knowledge of French required for the issue of a resident card or a "long-term resident - EU" card
- Common European Framework of Reference for Languages - Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe
- French Language Test (TCF) - France education internationalFrance education international
- French Evaluation Test (TEF) - CCIPChamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris - Île-de-France
- University Diploma in French Studies (DUEF) - ADCUEFEFLE Campus - ADCUEFE
- Diploma of French Professional (DFP)Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris - Île-de-France
- Diploma in French Language Studies (DELF)France education international
- Language Proficiency Diploma (LCP)Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris - Île-de-France