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People who apply for French nationality due to being married to a French person will be affected by new tougher French language tests, it has been confirmed.

In upcoming changes to the rules for citizenship 鈥� which must be in force by January 1, 2026 鈥� the level of French language ability required of some applicants is rising from B1 (lower intermediate) to B2 (upper intermediate).

Groups also impacted by increased language requirements include people on common working visas looking to settle down in France long-term and people (other than over-65s) seeking a first 10-year carte de r茅sident. People applying for or renewing Brexit Withdrawal Agreement cards are not affected.

However, there had been uncertainty as to whether people applying for citizenship by 鈥榙eclaration鈥� as spouses of French citizens were included in this change.

The answer is that, yes, they are included, states a circular on French nationality procedures sent out to all prefectures late last week.

Read more: Rules to be toughened for French citizenship, says minister 

The circular, which we have read, confirms the rise from B1 to B2 鈥渢o apply to become French by naturalisation鈥� and adds: 鈥渢his will also apply to applications presented by spouses / civil partners of 麻豆传媒映画鈥�.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau also wrote in the circular: 鈥淭he decree putting this into action will be published in the coming months, to come into force, at the latest by January 1, 2026.鈥�

The same decree is also expected to put into action several other 鈥榣anguage鈥� elements from the 2024 immigration law, including raising the level to B1 from A2 for applications for a 10-year carte de r茅sident (an exemption will continue for over-65s) and making obtaining a first 鈥榤ulti-year鈥� residency card (valid two to four years) dependent on passing a test at level A2.

The previous uncertainty stemmed from the fact that the 2024 immigration law used the word 鈥榥aturalisation鈥� in describing the raised level for citizenship, a term which often refers only to citizenship 鈥榖y decree鈥�.

Citizenship may be granted 鈥榖y decree鈥� to applicants living in France for at least five years and deemed to be well integrated in the community, whereas citizenship via marriage falls under a 鈥榖y declaration鈥� category involving French family links or birth in France.

People applying via marriage already have to pass a language test at level B1; the uncertainty was whether they were included in the rise to level B2. Other forms of citizenship by declaration do not require this. 

The latter includes, eg. children born in France to foreign parents and who claim citizenship as a right as teenagers as well as, under certain conditions, young people whose brothers or sisters are French or over-65s who have French children.

Several language schools recently told The Connexion that achieving B2 as opposed to B1 requires a significant step up in skills.

Read more: New language tests for French residency cause confusion