B1, both spoken and written.
The required level went from A2 to B1 on 1 January 2026. B1 is the level of an independent speaker: understanding the main point of an everyday text, telling about an event, briefly explaining an opinion.
Application : resident card (10 years)
Level required : B1
Since : 1er janvier 2026
Checked on : 20/08/2026
The French level required for the resident card: level B1
The level required for the resident card went from A2 to B1 on 1 January 2026. It is one step above the first multi-year permit: you are expected to understand the main point of an everyday text and to give simple arguments, not only introduce yourself.
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 B1: 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.
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
B1, translated into exam results
If you take the TCF IRN, this is what "B1" 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 B1 in all four, not only in the ones where you feel comfortable.
The plan: 5 weeks, in this order
It mixes TCF IRN-format practice, B1 series and the administrative vocabulary of the citizenship module, useful from this level on. You start and finish with the full mock test.
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Week 1
Measure the gap, understand a simple application file
The full mock test gives you your starting point. At the same time, we start on the vocabulary of the application file: the words you read on every list of documents to provide.
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Week 2
Understand everyday messages and documents
At B1, you understand the main point of a document without knowing every word. This is exactly what the TCF IRN reading test asks at this level.
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Week 3
Tell a story, give simple arguments
Telling about an event and explaining an opinion, even briefly: this is the heart of B1, in both writing and speaking.
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Week 4
Useful administrative vocabulary, accuracy in writing
The counter, the prefecture, housing: these are the situations where a resident has to manage alone. We add a dictation to fix the spelling of the past participle.
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Week 5
More complex documents, then the dress rehearsal
We finish with the densest administrative documents, then take the full mock test again in exam-day conditions.
The civic exam, since 1 January 2026
A civic exam is now added to the resident card, the first multi-year permit 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, one practice set per section and two vocabulary series stay free. The Pass opens the rest.
Questions we are asked
What level of French is needed for the resident card?
Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference, since 1 January 2026. The required level was A2 before that date.
I am over 65: am I exempt?
Yes. For this procedure, as for the first multi-year permit, 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.
Why are some vocabulary sets the same as in the Nationality module?
Because this vocabulary (the application file, the prefecture, housing) is useful for the same administrative procedures, whatever level you are aiming for. We do not write it twice: we point you to the sets that fit your level.
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.
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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