The prefecture of Côte-d’Or used its 26 January 2026 bulletin to remind employers, foreign residents and advisors that France’s new integration rules—introduced by the Immigration & Integration Act of 26 January 2024 and detailed in Decree 2025-647—are now fully in force nationwide. Any non-EU national applying for a first “carte de séjour pluriannuelle” (two- to four-year residence card) or a first 10-year “carte de résident” must submit:
• Proof of success in the new 40-question multiple-choice civic-knowledge exam; and
• An official French-language certificate: A2 level for the multi-year card, B1 for the resident card.
The prefecture stresses that renewals of existing permits are not affected, but newcomers—and their sponsoring employers—must factor exam scheduling and language preparation into assignment timelines. Exemptions are limited to certain protected categories (e.g., refugees) and do not apply to standard work or family visas.
For organisations seeking hands-on support, VisaHQ’s France team (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can pre-assess eligibility, reserve OFII-approved exam slots and obtain recognized language certificates through its online platform, streamlining the process and helping applicants avoid costly prefecture refusals.
![Prefecture Bulletin: Civic-Knowledge Test Now Mandatory for First Multi-Year Residence Cards]()
Because test appointments are administered by OFII-approved centres and are already filling up, corporate mobility teams face new lead-time risks. Companies bringing in non-EU talent after 1 January 2026 should budget an extra six to eight weeks for exam slots, language testing and document collation, especially in regions where demand is high. Failure to present the certificates will trigger outright refusal at the prefecture counter, forcing applicants back to square one.
Multinationals are therefore revising their France onboarding checklists: arranging remote French tutoring before departure, block-booking exam places, and updating cost projections to include €175-€200 in test fees per assignee. Immigration advisers also note the knock-on effect on dependent applications, as spouses may need separate certificates if they hold their own residence status.
While the stricter requirements aim to strengthen long-term integration, stakeholders warn of potential bottlenecks if testing capacity does not scale quickly. The Interior Ministry has yet to publish national statistics on pass rates or average waiting times, leaving HR teams to monitor local prefecture updates closely.
• Proof of success in the new 40-question multiple-choice civic-knowledge exam; and
• An official French-language certificate: A2 level for the multi-year card, B1 for the resident card.
The prefecture stresses that renewals of existing permits are not affected, but newcomers—and their sponsoring employers—must factor exam scheduling and language preparation into assignment timelines. Exemptions are limited to certain protected categories (e.g., refugees) and do not apply to standard work or family visas.
For organisations seeking hands-on support, VisaHQ’s France team (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can pre-assess eligibility, reserve OFII-approved exam slots and obtain recognized language certificates through its online platform, streamlining the process and helping applicants avoid costly prefecture refusals.
Because test appointments are administered by OFII-approved centres and are already filling up, corporate mobility teams face new lead-time risks. Companies bringing in non-EU talent after 1 January 2026 should budget an extra six to eight weeks for exam slots, language testing and document collation, especially in regions where demand is high. Failure to present the certificates will trigger outright refusal at the prefecture counter, forcing applicants back to square one.
Multinationals are therefore revising their France onboarding checklists: arranging remote French tutoring before departure, block-booking exam places, and updating cost projections to include €175-€200 in test fees per assignee. Immigration advisers also note the knock-on effect on dependent applications, as spouses may need separate certificates if they hold their own residence status.
While the stricter requirements aim to strengthen long-term integration, stakeholders warn of potential bottlenecks if testing capacity does not scale quickly. The Interior Ministry has yet to publish national statistics on pass rates or average waiting times, leaving HR teams to monitor local prefecture updates closely.
