# Language test???



## tardigrade

Is there now a language test as part of a first application for residency?


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## Lydi

You need proof of a level of French equal to or higher than A2, except if you're over 65.


> Si vous faites une 1re demande de carte de résident, vous devez prouver que votre maîtrise du français est supérieure ou égale au niveau A2 du cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues (CECRL) du Conseil de l'Europe. Source


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## tardigrade

Thanks..


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## BoilingFrog

DELF B1 to be precise. I got mine in December. I am really NOT proficient in French so this should not present a challenge to someone living in France. 
It is worth doing the practice exams that are available in various places, just to get a feel for the format. 

For anyone else reading this in the UK, the Alliance Francaise administer this test in a few locations around the UK. Check dates of tests as there has been limited availabilty. It also takes around 4 months to receive your result and a further month or two to get the certificate, which you must collect, they won't send it to you.

Costs around £100 as I recall.

You can only get the grade for which you are entered. IE even if you perform at B2 level, if entered for the B1 exam, that is what you will get. However, as B1 is what is needed I didn't feel much point to aim higher.

A pass requires 50% overall and you must achieve at least 20% in any individual part, of which there are 4, writing. speaking, listening and reading comprehension.


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## Bevdeforges

tardigrade said:


> Is there now a language test as part of a first application for residency?


When you say "first application for residency" - are you talking about renewing a single year card ("carte de séjour") for a "carte de residente"? I thought you were just moving to France from Spain. For the initial "titre de séjour" application you don't normally have a language requirement. The "carte de residente" is a 10 year card, normally issued after several years of holding and renewing shorter term "residence permit" cards.


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## tardigrade

Bevdeforges said:


> When you say "first application for residency" - are you talking about renewing a single year card ("carte de séjour") for a "carte de residente"? I thought you were just moving to France from Spain. For the initial "titre de séjour" application you don't normally have a language requirement. The "carte de residente" is a 10 year card, normally issued after several years of holding and renewing shorter term "residence permit" cards.


I have a french passport thru marriage. 
I was asking for an old UK couple here in Spain that want to be closer (brittany) to their daughter... As said, I think, above 65 and they do not need this requirement.


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## 255

@tardigrade -- There is no language requirement for a visa to France. As @Bevdeforges said, the language testing requirement becomes a thing, if/when they apply for long term residency permit or citizenship (either requires 5 years residency in France.) There used to be an exemption for long term residency/citizenship from taking the language test if they were over 60 -- that exemption has been removed. They can expect to be required to take the language test for their 5 year renewal, whatever route they take (long term residency or citizenship.) So no immediate requirements. Cheers, 255


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## tardigrade

255 said:


> @tardigrade -- There is no language requirement for a visa to France. As @Bevdeforges said, the language testing requirement becomes a thing, if/when they apply for long term residency permit or citizenship (either requires 5 years residency in France.) There used to be an exemption for long term residency/citizenship from taking the language test if they were over 60 -- that exemption has been removed. They can expect to be required to take the language test for their 5 year renewal, whatever route they take (long term residency or citizenship.) So no immediate requirements. Cheers, 255


The link that was posted contradicts that. Cheers..


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## Bevdeforges

tardigrade said:


> I have a french passport thru marriage.
> I was asking for an old UK couple here in Spain that want to be closer (brittany) to their daughter... As said, I think, above 65 and they do not need this requirement.


OK, that explains it - however, I'm not so sure that they can apply for the 10 year carte de residente right off the bat, no matter how long they've been living in Spain. And that's the one that requires a certain level of French - though the cutoff for . For the first couple of titres de séjour, there's no language requirement that I'm aware of - though it may require them to get a visa of one sort or another before they can apply for a titre de séjour (probably a one year one). The 10 year cards all seem to require a previous carte de séjour of a specific type and duration. See here for details: Carte de résident de 10 ans d'un étranger en France
Service Public is generally the best source for these sorts of issues.


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## tardigrade

the link posted in the first reply says "1re demande de carte de résident" which to me means 1 year visa & it is the official service public website and was updated 2021...


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## 255

@tardigrade -- There is no residency card issued for the first year for a visitor's visa. The visa is "validated" as for residency after entering France in coordination with the OFII: Home - Ofii . The first "card" is not issued until a year later, on renewal. Cheers, 255


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## Bevdeforges

tardigrade said:


> the link posted in the first reply says "1re demande de carte de résident" which to me means 1 year visa & it is the official service public website and was updated 2021...


If you read through the requirements for a "1re demande de carte de résident" you will see that they normally require a 5 year or other multi-year carte de séjour that is coming up for renewal. Under the requirements for a carte de resident for a "retraitée" they list this:
*Documents à fournir*

Attestation sur l'honneur par laquelle vous déclarez établir dorénavant votre lieu de résidence habituel en France
Certificat médical délivré par l'Ofii (à remettre au moment de la remise du titre)
*Carte de séjour portant la mention "retraité" se terminant*
3 photos. Si la demande est faite en ligne : indiquez le code de la e-photo (fourni par le photographe ou la cabine agréée sur la planche photo).
Votre carte d'identité et votre passeport


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## Yours truly confused

BoilingFrog said:


> DELF B1 to be precise. I got mine in December. I am really NOT proficient in French so this should not present a challenge to someone living in France.
> It is worth doing the practice exams that are available in various places, just to get a feel for the format.
> 
> For anyone else reading this in the UK, the Alliance Francaise administer this test in a few locations around the UK. Check dates of tests as there has been limited availabilty. It also takes around 4 months to receive your result and a further month or two to get the certificate, which you must collect, they won't send it to you.
> 
> Costs around £100 as I recall.
> 
> You can only get the grade for which you are entered. IE even if you perform at B2 level, if entered for the B1 exam, that is what you will get. However, as B1 is what is needed I didn't feel much point to aim higher.
> 
> A pass requires 50% overall and you must achieve at least 20% in any individual part, of which there are 4, writing. speaking, listening and reading comprehension.


I am researching which is the best way to go about this, I live 1 hour away from any “schools” that might offer tuition so am looking at the best “self learning” books to get me to a point that I might enter the exam. My weak points are definitely reading and writing, I am happy to massacre the language, and as I seem to be understood, I think/ hope I might might pass that part. 
Which printed resources did you find most useful?


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## BackinFrance

tardigrade said:


> I have a french passport thru marriage.
> I was asking for an old UK couple here in Spain that want to be closer (brittany) to their daughter... As said, I think, above 65 and they do not need this requirement.


As things currently stand and to the best of anyone's knowledge on this forum, they will need a visa irrespective of how long they have lived in the EU, but will not have to meet a language proficiency requirement which comes later.


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## PinkUnicorn

Yours truly confused said:


> I am researching which is the best way to go about this, I live 1 hour away from any “schools” that might offer tuition


Some schools may offer online teaching.
I think my local Alliance Française in Washington D.C. is still doing that.


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## Chrissippus

PinkUnicorn said:


> Some schools may offer online teaching.
> I think my local Alliance Française in Washington D.C. is still doing that.


Among others, such as preply.com, which I find to be cheaper than our local Alliance Française.


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## GraceS

I have found this website of RFI, a large French media company, very useful: Apprendre et enseigner le français | RFI SAVOIRS


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## BoilingFrog

WRT best approach. There are some official DELF B1 books, which are a good resource:



Amazon.co.uk : delf b1 reussite



It was recently updated to reflect the different exam strucutre, but I used the old version and found it OK.
They can be found secondhand for not too much, make sure the CD is included.

I have used DuoLingo app a lot (most days last two years) and it gets you some of the way. However, it's lack of structured learning support makes it a good add-on, but not the prime resource, I find.

Alliance Francaise were doing a bundle offer of a few hours live tuition and a slightly discounted price on GlobalExam.

I found out only after subscribing to GlobalExam (for a slightly lower price) that I could have done this. However, I didn't do any live tutoring in the end and got 60% on the speaking part.

I also found GlobalExam to have a very irritating interface, and whilst it is structured towards the exam, I am not very convinced it was value for money.
I also subscribed to Babel, but again, I am finding it less than stellar. It is particularly demanding of pronunciation, giving errors when I think what is said is intelligible.
I am probably just a bad student!

I found the Collins books most useful to augment my DuoLingo learning. The dictionary and the Grammar and Practice books. Again, older editions can be found cheaply and still relevant IMHO









Collins Easy Learning French Books | Collins


Discover how easy it can be to learn French with our Collins Easy Learning French Books for beginners. Start today!




collins.co.uk





In the exam, a lot of topics for dicsussion are on current affairs and there will almost certainly be stuff on the environment and climate change etc. It is worthwhile to have a few words on this topic in your vocab.practice.

The first few points in the speaking part are on you and your personal situation/work/hobbies/family. So again, have a little patter organised here to be sure of the 20% required if you feel uncertain of this part.


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