[Sponsored Article] If you’re aspiring to move to France with a goal of obtaining a 10-year resident card or applying for naturalization, you’ll want to pay attention to the numerous recent changes being implemented across French immigration. France’s 2024 immigration law and subsequent 2025 decrees have introduced a range of stricter requirements for obtaining multiyear residence cards, 10-year cards, and French nationality.
Every year, Your Franceformation writes the new edition of its book Foolproof French Visas to help you to understand and successfully apply for French visa types, and it dispels the myths that float around the internet about what works and what doesn’t if you’re looking to establish a successful and sustainable life in France.
Here’s a concise overview of what’s changing, and what applicants need to prepare for in 2026.
Higher French Language Requirements
While there is still no language requirement for visa applicants or temporary cartes de séjour, it is increasingly important to demonstrate French language skills at visa renewal. Starting in January, the préfecture will apply the following requirements:
- A2 level to qualify for a multiyear carte de séjour.
- B1 level for a 10-year residence card, starting January 2026.
- B2 level for naturalization. This now applies to all applicants, including those applying through marriage, with no age exemption.
Applicants can take the TCF-ANF, DELF B2, or DALF C1/C2 exams to demonstrate their level.
New 40-Question Civics Test
A decree signed on October 10, 2025 established a multiple-choice civics test for anyone applying for a multiyear card, a 10-year residence card, or naturalization.
The exam will cover French history, values, culture, and civic responsibilities and will require candidates to understand and apply French values in various situations. The test will be administered in French, on a tablet, similar to the driver’s theory exam. Candidates must score at least 32/40 (80%) to pass. An official study guide will be released by the Interior Ministry, but the guide and the modalities of registering for the test have not yet been released.
Stricter Financial & Employment Criteria for Naturalization
- Applicants must show stable, French-source income, typically at least SMIC (Salaire MInimum de Croissance, French minimum wage, €1,802 per month or €21,622/year in 2025, SMIC is expected to increase on January 1st as it is indexed to inflation).
- Foreign-source income or pensions are increasingly rejected as insufficient proof of professional integration.
- Employees should be in a CDI for at least 1 year, or a series of CDDs over 2 years.
- Self-employed applicants must earn at least SMIC for three consecutive years.
Stronger Proof of Integration
Naturalization “by decree” now demands more complete social, linguistic, and financial integration. Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau instructed prefectures to apply the criteria more strictly, resulting in a 28% reduction in naturalizations granted in 2024.
Notably, he requested that préfectures consider income sources when determining whether an immigrant was sufficiently integrated, and there have been several cases of British retirees having their naturalization applications rejected for not having French-source income.
Applicants must show continuous residence, steady work, payment of French taxes, and commitment to republican values, verified through the new Contrat d’Engagement à Respecter les Principes de la République.
Residency and Renewal Conditions
- Applicants must now spend at least 6 months per year in France to maintain or renew multiyear residence cards.
- Holders of certain 1-year statuses (such as salarié or profession libérale) will be limited to three renewals before they must qualify for a multiyear card or change status.
- The limit on 1-year renewals does not apply to those with a visitor status, however, it is less likely than ever that those with a visitor status will qualify for 10-year residence cards or naturalization.
New Verification Measures
- Autoentrepreneurs will face stricter checks: INPI must verify the validity of residence permits before business registration.
- Companies employing undocumented workers face higher fines and criminal penalties.
From language exams to civics testing and financial thresholds, France’s residency and citizenship processes are becoming more rigorous and integration-focused. Applicants should plan ahead: book exams early, gather documents proving French-source income, and stay informed as prefectures apply the new rules throughout 2025 and 2026.
If you want the latest information on how to compile a successful French visa application, or want to understand potential pathways to long-term residence or naturalization, get on the waitlist for Foolproof French Visas: Complete 2026 Edition by clicking here: www.yourfranceformation.com/2026-ffv/
And if you’d like assistance with determining the right visa type for you and how Your Franceformation can help you to create a successful and sustainable move to France, contact them.
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