The civic exam and French citizenship: naturalisation, marriage, reinstatement

Updated on October 7, 2026 · 5 min read

Short answer: since 1 January 2026, the civic exam is compulsory to become French by decree (naturalisation and reinstatement), under decree no. 2025-648 of 15 July 2025. It does not apply to citizenship acquired by declaration, for example after marrying a French national.

Who must take the civic exam for citizenship?

Source: service-public.gouv.fr: the civic exam “only concerns procedures for acquiring French nationality by decree”.

The exam for naturalisation

• 40 multiple-choice questions in French, on screen: 28 knowledge questions and 12 real-life scenarios;
• 45 minutes, 32 correct answers out of 40 to pass;
• the official “naturalisation” bank has 258 questions, at the most demanding of the three levels (in line with French B2);
• the programme covers French history, the principles and institutions of the Republic, citizens’ rights and duties, and France’s place in Europe and the world.

Exemptions: much rarer than for residence permits

For naturalisation, the only exemption covers people whose health or disability makes assessment impossible, on a medical certificate. A certificate can also justify exam adjustments. Note: the exemption for beneficiaries of international protection only applies to residence permits, not to naturalisation.

Civic exam and assimilation interview: you need both

The civic exam comes on top of the assimilation interview at the prefecture; it does not replace it. Knowledge is mainly checked at the exam; the interview focuses more on your background and your commitment to the values of the Republic. Any cheating at the exam leads to a 2-year ban from retaking it.