French naturalisation: what changed on 1 January 2026

What changed

Decree no. 2025-648 of 15 July 2025 amended decree no. 93-1362 of 30 December 1993, which governs declarations of nationality and naturalisation decisions.

It raises the minimum required knowledge of French to level B2 overall on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages — in both expression and comprehension, written and spoken. The previous requirement was B1.

It also introduces a civic exam, replacing the informal assessment of civic knowledge previously carried out during the interview.

Who is affected

Both main routes to nationality are covered: declaration through marriage (article 21-2 of the Civil Code) and naturalisation by decree (articles 21-21 and 21-26).

Applications filed from 1 January 2026 are admissible only if the corresponding evidence is produced.

The point many people discover too late

The new rules apply to applications made after 1 January 2026 — and also to any incomplete file submitted before that date.

In other words, a file lodged in 2025 but found incomplete does not stay under the old regime: it falls under the new requirements. This is the easiest provision to miss and the one with the greatest practical consequences.

Comparability statements are no longer accepted

Comparability statements issued by ENIC-NARIC France are no longer valid for these applications as of 1 January 2026. The body stopped issuing them on 1 October 2025.

Holders of a foreign qualification awarded by a French-speaking state after studies conducted in French must now produce a TEF or a TCF.

What this page does not do

It does not replace the official text and is not personalised advice. The general conditions for naturalisation — length of residence, lawful stay, assimilation, employment situation — are not altered by this decree and remain described by the administration itself. The links below lead to the sources.