Obligatory language tests for residency cards: do age exemptions apply?

The Connexion continues to receive many queries about the tougher language tests which are set to come into force for some French residency cards following recent changes to immigration law.

These obligatory tests do not apply to British WA 'Brexit card' holders or to people who are applying for one-year (‘temporary’) residency cards, which includes retirees or early-retirees who have moved to France on ‘visitor’ visas/cards.

The new rules on these tests are part of France’s 2024 immigration law. 

Read more: LIST: what was kept and what was rejected in French immigration law

The 2024 immigration law stipulates that the new language rules must come into effect no later than January 2026. 

Several readers have contacted us about the tougher language rules and how they may be impacted, with a key question centring on the current age exemptions. 

There are two categories of card concerned.

Multi-year residency cards 

Applicants for a first multi-year residency card (issued for 2-4 years) in various categories such as employment, self-employment, or moving to France due to family links, are concerned by language requirements.

These people typically apply for a multi-year card after a first year or years on a VLS-TS visa and one-year temporary card(s).

After their move to France, they are invited to the premises of the Ofii immigration service to sign a republican integration contract. At this point they are given a French test. If they do not meet the most basic (A1) level of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) scale they must agree to take free French lessons.

When they apply for a multi-year card, the only language requirement is that they should have taken the lessons as asked for.

Under the new rules, to obtain the multi-year card, they will need to have passed a test at level A2 (the next step up). 

This requirement to pass a test for this card is new. 

There is no exemption set out for age, either in the former rules (requirement to have undertaken lessons) or the new rules (requirement to have passed a test). However, most people applying for these ‘multi-year’ cards are of working age. 

Read more: New language tests for French residency cards: Eight key questions

10-year cartes de résident 

People applying for a 10-year card (carte de résident, or carte de résident de longue-durée-UE) already have to prove a certain level of French by presenting a valid certificate showing their level of ability.

The 2024 immigration law increases the level required from A2 to B1 for an application for a 10-year residency card. 

However, those above the age of 65 are currently exempt from taking tests for a 10-year card.

This exemption is maintained under the new rules. 

The bill also increases the language proficiency required for someone applying for French nationality from B1 to B2. 

The following article looks at examples of questions that may be asked to gauge a person’s level of proficiency in French.

Read more: Language tests for French residency cards: examples of questions asked

Are there exemptions for disabled people? 

For multi-year card requirements there is no special exemption mentioned for disabled people in the new rules.

This has been criticised by France’s Defender of rights (Défenseur des droits), an independent watchdog, enshrined in the Constitution. It said the current rules “do not provide for any [additional] exceptions based on age, state of health or disability” in a press release when the law was originally discussed in 2023. 

It stated that the fact that passing a test is to become obligatory, as opposed to merely taking lessons, makes this situation even more serious for those concerned.

With regard to 10-year cards, if necessary, tests may, under existing rules, be adapted to take account of people's disabilities or health conditions.

Exceptionally, the current rules say that applicants for 10-year cards may be exempt from having to take a test if their health condition and/or disability is such that it is impossible for them to take a test, and they have a doctor's certificate to this effect. 

This will continue under the new rules.

A 2005 law on equality sets out rules on measures to be put in place for those who need assistance. 

Test centres must have measures in place to allow people with medically recognised disabilities to take the test under the same conditions as other students. 

In cases where a person’s disability affects a part of the test – for example, a deaf person and the listening portion of the exam – they may be exempt from that part.