A2, both spoken and written.
No level was required before 1 January 2026 for this procedure. A2 is the level of a basic user: introducing yourself, describing your surroundings, understanding isolated sentences and frequent expressions.
Application : first multi-year permit
Level required : A2
Since : 1er janvier 2026
Checked on : 20/08/2026
The French level required for the multi-year residence permit: level A2
Before 1 January 2026, no French level was required for the first multi-year residence permit. This is no longer the case: you now have to prove level A2. It is the most accessible level of the three residence procedures, and it is the one where listening and speaking matter most, before fine administrative vocabulary.
Not sure whether a level is required from you, or which one? The simulator starts from your situation and answers in one minute.
What the law requires
Loi n° 2024-42 du 26 janvier 2024 · CESEDA art. L413-7 et L433-1 à L433-3-1 · information checked on 20/08/2026 on page F34501 of Service-Public.fr.
Your level is not just declared: it is proved, with one of these documents.
- a TCF or TEF certificate less than 2 years old
- a diploma showing level A2: DUEF, DFP, DELF, DALF, DELF Pro, DCL
- a professional certification (RNCP) at level 3 or higher
- a general qualification: CAP, BEP, CFG, brevet
The TCF IRN is the version of the TCF designed for these procedures. The exact list of documents accepted for your situation is on the Service-Public page. That page is the reference, not us.
Exemptions
For this procedure, the rule is simple: being 65 or older exempts you, and so does a health reason. ⚠️ This rule does not apply to naturalisation, where age alone never exempts you. If you are also thinking of applying for citizenship, do not mix the two up.
Age
65 or older.
Health
A chronic health condition or a disability, shown by a medical certificate that the prefecture can check.
Not sure about your case? The simulator gives you an answer in one minute. Take the test
A2, translated into exam results
If you take the TCF IRN, this is what "A2" means in each of the four tests.
The certificate also shows an "overall level reached" ("niveau global atteint"), calculated from the four tests using a rule that is not published. Aim for A2 in all four, not only in the ones where you feel comfortable.
The plan: 4 weeks, in this order
At this level, the exam format and listening matter more than fine vocabulary. You start and finish with the full mock test.
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Week 1
Introduce yourself, understand the main point of an announcement
A2 starts with introducing yourself and understanding simple announcements. We begin with the mock test to see where you are starting from, then the very first TCF IRN listening exercises.
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Week 2
Talk about yourself and daily life
Introducing yourself and describing an ordinary day: this is the heart of the guided interview in the speaking test, and the first task of the writing test.
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Week 3
Everyday verbs, in writing and speaking
The simple future and the passé composé (the French past tense) come up in all the concrete situations of the exam. We fix them before the writing test, with a dictation for spelling.
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Week 4
The dress rehearsal
We take the full mock test again in exam-day conditions (1 h 35, no break, no dictionary) to measure how far you have come since week 1.
The civic exam, since 1 January 2026
A civic exam is now added to the first multi-year permit, the resident card and naturalisation. It is separate from the language test: the TCF IRN only tests French.
We do not prepare for it yet: on our side, its official programme has not yet been checked against a primary source.
The full mock test and one practice set per section stay free. The Pass opens all the TCF IRN practice sets and the automatic correction of your writing and speaking.
Questions we are asked
What level of French is needed for the first multi-year residence permit?
Level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference, since 1 January 2026. Before that date, no level was required for this procedure.
I am over 65: am I exempt?
Yes. For this procedure, as for the resident card, the exemption for people aged 65 and over applies with no other condition. It is different for naturalisation, where only refugees with official status who are 70 or older and have lived in France for 15 years or more are exempt.
Which exam do I have to take?
The TCF or the TEF are the two recognised certifications, valid for 2 years. The TCF IRN is the version of the TCF designed for these procedures. Some diplomas (DELF, DALF, DUEF, brevet, CAP, BEP...) are also accepted: the exact list is on the Service-Public page F34501.
Do you also prepare the civic exam?
No, not yet. A civic exam has been added to this procedure since 1 January 2026, but we have not checked its programme against a primary official source, and we will not publish training for a programme we have not read.
Do you process residence permit applications?
No. Mon Coach de Français prepares you for a language test. It does not submit any application and does not issue any official document. The prefecture handles your application.
What if I later aim for the resident card or naturalisation?
The required level goes up at each step: A2 for the first multi-year permit, B1 for the resident card, B2 (spoken and written) for naturalisation. Each procedure has its own module on this site, with a programme set at the right level.
Information checked on 20/08/2026 on page F34501 of Service-Public.fr. Conditions other than the French level are covered by that page and by your prefecture. Rules change: check the source.
Grammar rules are explained in your language when French is not enough yet.
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