Letters: France's language requirements for residency are simply unrealistic

To the Editor,

I am all in favour of making the effort to learn the language and speak it in our new country. 

I have just read your article on the competency requirements of A2/B1. But I have to agree that B1 level is quite a stretch for someone learning French from scratch in such a short space of time. 

I am lucky that I chose French as a high school subject. Six years of daily lessons mean I am "grammatically competent" but on passing GCE A-levels I could not say much. 

Later visits to French-speaking family encouraged me to join the Alliance Française and complete C2 DALF. I can manage to communicate on most everyday subjects. My bête noire is the phone. 

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

At the Alliance Française it takes 18 months of afternoons twice a week to prepare for B1 and a minimum three years of study in all to prepare for DALF C2.

How is anyone (especially with a family) settling into a new home, new job, new community, new school, new hobbies, dealing with the overwhelming mountain of paperwork, going to find the time to attend courses and master the range of topics required by the prospectus?

As an aside, I wonder what concessions, if any, will be made for people with learning disabilities? Will there be any leeway for people who fail to reach the standard?

I suppose all will be revealed in the fullness of time. But I wonder if those propagating this objective, worthy as it may be, have a grasp on the enormity of the challenge they have set.

Viv Christianson, by email

How long do you think it takes to learn French to a high level?  Let us know at letters@connexionfrance.com