Languages: what levels are required?

Some non-EU citizens moving to France are asked to take French tests. This is to check their level against the European language levels (from A1 – basic essentials – to C2, expert).

This is especially relevant to those with work contracts for longer than a year (but is not required for talent cards).

It also applies to would-be applicants for multi-year residency cards for self-employed workers or people coming to join French family members.

These groups all sign a contrat d’intégration républicaine, which includes taking a test at the local branch of Ofii as part of their welcome day.

The rules are: if your visa/card requires a CIR, then as part of your visit to Ofii (this is usually in the first year, unless your Ofii branch postpones this due to high demand), you will be asked to take a free French test.

If you are found to have at least A2, there are no extra language requirements. Otherwise, taking free lessons will be proposed (it used to be obligatory).

The language training is via a website for most people, other than those not able to read and write.

This will be automated training to use at people’s own speed, whenever they wish.

One condition of later receiving a ‘multi-year’ (ie. valid for more than one year) residency card – as opposed to having to keep renewing annually – is that you should have taken the lessons seriously, if you agreed to do them.

Proof of level A2 by paying for a test at a centre will be required for a first multi-year card.

At this level, a person should be able to communicate in simple, routine tasks on familiar topics and have short conversations. They should be able to write short notes and read simple texts.

Applicants for a 10-year carte de résident (this is for those who have already lived some years in France and are seeking a secure form of residency with wide-ranging rights) must have paid for a test and passed at level B1 at least (over 65s are exempt).

Offi's Frello app

Since September 2025, newcomers undergoing the Ofii integration process have been using a French-made app called Frello for their free French language training – which the immigration service says was designed with flexibility in mind.

It means that most people who formerly would have been required to do 100-600 hours of in-person lessons are now invited to do it alone, using the Frello smartphone or desktop computer app.

Frello, created by a start-up based in Lyon, is offered free for a year to relevant candidates. The firm was chosen because it already had experience in online training, in particular for vulnerable people.

People also have the option to work on their French in alternative ways, such as taking classes privately or classes offered by their employer.

Users are set up with an account on the app at their Ofii welcome day when they sign the republican integration contract.

Users can use the app as much or as little as they want and are invited to work through modules, designed by the Frello team.

They can skip certain modules if they are confident in that material or feel they are progressively faster than the pace of the lessons being proposed.

People typically use it several times a day.

Users are invited to set personal goals, including how much time they plan to spend on the app, but no one will be be checking on whether you have met your goals or not.

After each module people can opt for an assessment of their level, which is done by AI.