French Civic Exam 2026: The Complete Guide to Passing on Your First Try

Since January 1, 2026, France requires a mandatory civic exam — the examen civique — for anyone applying for a multi-year residence permit, a 10-year resident card, or French citizenship through naturalisation. If you’re an English speaker living in France, this guide explains everything you need to know — in plain English.

Who Needs to Take the French Civic Exam?

The examen civique was introduced by the Immigration Law of January 26, 2024 (often called the Loi Darmanin) and became effective on January 1, 2026. It replaces the old civic training module that was part of the Contrat d’Intégration Républicaine (CIR).

You must pass the exam if you’re applying for:

• A carte de séjour pluriannuelle (multi-year residence permit, typically 2-4 years) — this is the first major upgrade from a temporary 1-year permit
• A carte de résident (10-year resident card) — the long-term residence document
• French naturalisation (citizenship) — whether by decree or declaration

You do NOT need to take the exam if you:

• Are renewing an existing multi-year permit or resident card (the exam applies only to first-time applications)
• Hold a carte de séjour temporaire (1-year temporary permit) — the exam is required only when upgrading to pluriannuelle
• Are a beneficiary of international protection (refugee status, subsidiary protection)
• Are over 65 years old at the time of application
• Are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen
• Have a medical condition certified by a doctor that prevents you from taking the exam

→ Read the full guide on who is concerned (in French)

→ Check if you qualify for an exemption (in French)

Exam Format: What to Expect on Test Day

The civic exam is a computer-based multiple-choice test administered at approved centres across France. Here’s exactly what happens:

1. Check-in: Arrive 15-30 minutes early with a valid photo ID (passport, titre de séjour, or national ID). No phones, dictionaries, or electronic devices allowed in the exam room.
2. The test: You sit at a computer and answer 40 questions in 45 minutes. Each question has 3 or 4 possible answers — only one is correct. There is no negative marking (wrong answers don’t subtract points).
3. Question breakdown: 28 questions test factual knowledge (history, institutions, values), and 12 questions present real-life scenarios where you must apply French republican values.
4. Results: Your attestation of success is typically available within 12-48 business hours through your online candidate portal.

The 3 Exam Versions: Which One Do You Need?

There isn’t just one civic exam — there are three distinct versions, each corresponding to a different immigration goal. The required French proficiency level and the size of the question bank differ for each.

The CSP version uses simpler French and covers fundamental concepts. The naturalisation version is the most demanding: the language is more complex, the historical knowledge goes deeper, and the scenarios are more nuanced.

→ What French level do you really need? A2, B1, or B2? (in French)

The 5 Official Topics Covered on the Exam

The exam tests your knowledge across five themes defined by the French Ministry of the Interior. Understanding what each theme covers helps you structure your preparation efficiently.

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

This is the largest topic on the exam. It covers the foundational values that define France as a republic:

• The French motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité — and what each word means in practice, not just as a slogan
• National symbols: The tricolour flag (blue, white, red), La Marseillaise (national anthem), Marianne (personification of the Republic), and the national day (July 14th)
• Laïcité (secularism): The 1905 law separating Church and State — the state is neutral, public services are secular, everyone is free to believe or not
• Gender equality: A constitutional principle in France — equal rights in work, education, family, politics
• Anti-discrimination: Discrimination based on origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age is illegal
• Freedom of expression: Protected but not unlimited — hate speech, defamation, and incitement to violence are punishable

2. Institutional and Political System (6 questions)

How France is governed — from the President down to your local town hall:

• The President of the Republic: Head of state, elected for 5 years by universal suffrage, appoints the Prime Minister
• The Government: Led by the Prime Minister, proposes and implements laws
• Parliament: Two chambers — the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly, directly elected) and the Sénat (Senate, indirectly elected)
• Local government: France has three levels — communes (municipalities, led by a maire), départements, and régions
• The European Union: France is a founding member — institutions, common policies, and what it means for residents
• The judiciary: Independent from the executive and legislative branches

3. Rights and Duties (11 questions, including 6 scenarios)

This theme combines factual knowledge with practical application. It’s where the tricky scenario questions appear.

• Fundamental rights: Freedom, security, property, privacy, freedom of movement
• Obligations: Paying taxes, respecting the law, enrolling children in school (compulsory ages 3-16)
• Civic duties: Potential jury duty, national defence obligations
• Scenario questions: What do you do when a neighbour is too noisy? When someone is discriminated against at work? When a public employee wears a religious symbol? These test whether you can apply French values, not just recite them.

4. History, Geography, and Culture (6 questions)

• Key dates: 1789 (French Revolution), 1905 (Separation of Church and State), 1944 (Women’s suffrage), 1958 (Fifth Republic), 1975 (Simone Veil law on abortion rights)
• Geography: France’s regions, overseas territories (DOM-TOM), neighbouring countries
• Cultural heritage: Major monuments, UNESCO sites, important cultural figures

5. Living in French Society (6 questions)

• Education: Compulsory and free public schooling, laïcité in schools
• Healthcare: Sécurité Sociale, Carte Vitale, how to see a doctor
• Employment: Types of contracts (CDI, CDD), employee rights, minimum wage (SMIC)
• Housing and family: Tenant rights, parental authority, PACS vs. marriage

→ Deep dive into all 5 themes (in French)

→ See 20 sample questions with answers (in French)

The Language Challenge for English Speakers

Let’s be honest: the exam is entirely in French, and there’s no English version. No dictionaries, no translation apps, no help. For English speakers, this creates three specific challenges:

Challenge 1: Institutional vocabulary

Terms like suffrage universel, collectivités territoriales, séparation des pouvoirs, and promulguer don’t have simple one-word English equivalents. You need to know what they mean AND recognise them instantly in French.

Challenge 2: Tricky QCM wording

French multiple-choice questions love using precise legal language. Words like toujours (always) vs. jamais (never), obligatoire (mandatory) vs. interdit (forbidden), peut (can/may) vs. doit (must) — one wrong word can flip the meaning of an entire question.

Challenge 3: Time pressure

45 minutes for 40 questions means roughly 67 seconds per question. If you’re mentally translating each question from French to English, processing it, and then translating your answer back — you will run out of time. The goal is to reach a point where you can read and understand the French directly, without mental translation.

How to Prepare — Even If Your French Isn’t Perfect

Here’s the proven strategy for English speakers. It works whether your French is A2 or B2, and whether you have 2 weeks or 3 months to prepare.

Step 1: Learn the concepts in English (Week 1)

Don’t start with dense French government documents. Start by understanding the ideas in your own language:

• How is the French Republic structured? (President → Government → Parliament → Local government)
• What does laïcité actually mean in practice? (It’s more specific than just « secularism »)
• What’s the difference between droits (rights) and devoirs (duties)?
• Why do dates like 1789, 1905, and 1958 matter?
• How does everyday life work in France — schools, healthcare, taxes, employment?

Use: English-language podcasts and guides. Parcours Civique offers 20+ podcasts in English covering every exam topic, so you can learn while commuting, cooking, or exercising.

Step 2: Build your French vocabulary systematically (Week 2)

Administrative French can be intimidating. Build or use a glossary of the key terms you’ll encounter on the exam:

• Institutional terms: Assemblée nationale, Sénat, Conseil constitutionnel, préfet, maire, collectivités territoriales
• Legal/administrative terms: récépissé, titre de séjour, naturalisation, décret, arrêté, promulguer
• Values terms: laïcité, égalité, fraternité, suffrage universel, État de droit, non-discrimination
• Practical terms: impôt, cotisation, protection sociale, autorité parentale, scolarisation obligatoire

Use: Parcours Civique’s interactive glossary — 400+ administrative terms with one-click English translations.

Step 3: Practice questions in French (Weeks 2-3)

Now combine your conceptual understanding with French reading practice:

• Start with the published knowledge questions (available on formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr)
• Practice reading the question in French and answering without mentally translating
• Time yourself: aim for under 60 seconds per question
• Review every mistake — is it a vocabulary problem or a knowledge gap?

Step 4: Master the scenario-based questions (Weeks 3-4)

The 12 scenario questions are the hardest because they’re unpublished and require genuine understanding. However, they follow predictable patterns:

• Discrimination situations: Someone treated differently because of gender, origin, religion → The answer always involves égalité and anti-discrimination principles
• Neighbour/noise conflicts: → Respect for others’ rights, public order (ordre public)
• Administrative obligations: → Paying taxes is mandatory, declaring income, enrolling children in school
• Freedom of expression: → Protected but limited (no hate speech, defamation, or incitement to violence)
• Laïcité in practice: → Public servants must be neutral; private citizens can express beliefs but not impose them

Pro tip: For every scenario, ask yourself: « What would the French Republic’s official answer be? » Not what you personally think, but what the values of the Republic dictate.

Step 5: Full mock exams (Before test day)

Do at least 3 full simulations under real conditions: 40 questions, 45-minute timer, no dictionary, no phone. Score yourself honestly. If you consistently hit 35+, you’re ready. If you’re hovering around 28-32, double down on your weak topics.

Total investment: ~30 hours over 4 weeks. That’s less time than binge-watching one season of a TV show — and the stakes are considerably higher.

→ Detailed preparation method: 1, 3, or 6 months (in French)

Where to Take the Exam

The civic exam is administered by two approved organisations:

• CCI Paris Île-de-France — Le français des affaires (the main network, with the majority of test centres across France)
• FEI (a second approved network)

Approved centres are located across mainland France and overseas territories (DOM-TOM). Exam sessions have been available since December 8, 2025.

How to register:

1. Go to francais.cci-paris-idf.fr/candidat
2. Create a candidate account
3. Choose your exam version (CSP, CR, or Naturalisation)
4. Select a test centre and date
5. Pay the registration fee (~€69)
6. Receive your convocation by email

→ Full list of approved exam centres (in French)

→ Step-by-step registration guide (in French)

What Happens If You Fail?

Not reaching 32/40? Here’s what you need to know:

• You can retake the exam immediately — there is no mandatory waiting period
• You must register again and pay the fee (~€69) for each new attempt
• Your failed attempt is NOT recorded on your immigration file — the préfecture only sees your successful attestation
• Only fraud (cheating, impersonation) results in a 2-year ban from retaking the exam
• There is no limit on the number of attempts

→ What to do if you fail the civic exam (in French)

Why Parcours Civique Is Different

Most preparation resources for the French civic exam are either official government materials (dense, French-only, no explanations) or generic immigration advice sites. Parcours Civique was built specifically for people preparing for this exam — including those who don’t speak French as a first language.

Frequently Asked Questions

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