Tests for France
TCF IRN: what we know, and what we could not confirm
The TCF IRN is France Éducation international’s TCF for residence and nationality. Choose your procedure in the tool to see the level it asks.
Minimum level · France: first 10-year resident card
Overall CEFR level B1, written and oral skills
| TEF IRN | overall level B1: 300 or more on three tests and 267 or more on the weakest |
| TCF IRN | level B1 printed on the attestation (scoring rules set by France Éducation international) |
Results must be less than two years old (IRCC for Express Entry; French orders for residence cards and naturalisation). Provincial programmes set their own levels.
The TCF IRN is one of the versions of the Test de connaissance du français run by France Éducation international, next to the TCF TP, the TCF Québec and the TCF Canada. The order of 22 December 2025 on residence card certifications recognises two certifications: the TCF of France Éducation international and the TEF of the CCI Paris Île-de-France. Since 1 January 2026, a first multi-year card requires A2, a first resident card B1 (not after age 65) and naturalisation B2 in writing and speaking. A new TCF IRN format has been reported since 2025, but we could not read it on an official source, so this page gives no question count or duration for the TCF IRN. What the TCF candidate manual (version J, September 2024) does establish is the TCF's scoring: comprehension from 100 to 699, expression out of 20, with B1 starting at 300 or 6 out of 20 and B2 at 400 or 10 out of 20. Check the current TCF IRN format with France Éducation international or your centre before you book.
One TEF or TCF score to a CEFR level
Level
B2
| B2 (naturalisation) | reached on this test |
Charts, converters and questions by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How charts and questions are built
What is confirmed
The order of 22 December 2025 on residence card certifications, published in the Journal officiel on 26 December 2025, names two recognised certifications for residence cards: the TCF, from France Éducation international, and the TEF, from the CCI Paris Île-de-France. The TCF IRN is the TCF version aimed at residence and nationality; the candidate manual lists it next to the TCF TP, the TCF Québec and the TCF Canada.
The levels themselves come from the two orders and Service-Public:
| Procedure (first application, since 1 January 2026) | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| First multi-year residence card | A2 |
| First resident card (not required after age 65) | B1 |
| Naturalisation (writing and speaking) | B2 |
What we could not confirm
A revised TCF IRN format has been reported since 2025. The official France Éducation international page that would describe it could not be read when we checked on October 26, 2026, so we give neither a number of questions nor a duration for the TCF IRN, nor its fee. If someone quotes you a precise format, ask for the official source. The tool above lets you choose your procedure and shows the level it asks; it does not simulate the TCF IRN itself.
How the TCF is scored
The TCF candidate manual (version J, September 2024) describes principles shared across its presentation of the test: multiple-choice questions with 4 options and one right answer, difficulty that rises through the test, recordings played only once, comprehension scores from 100 to 699, and expression tasks marked out of 20. Those scores map to CEFR levels as follows:
| CEFR level | Comprehension (100–699) from | Expression (out of 20) from |
|---|---|---|
| C2 | 600 | 18 |
| C1 | 500 | 14 |
| B2 | 400 | 10 |
| B1 | 300 | 6 |
| A2 | 200 | 2 |
| A1 | 100 | 1 |
The mini-tool beside this article converts one TEF or TCF score into a level and tells you how far it is from B2.
Naturalisation: a stricter frame
For nationality, the naturalisation order goes further than a level. A test must be listed in a specific register, show B2 in four distinct tests taken the same day in a centre, and include an identity check; the certificate is valid 2 years. Some diplomas exempt you from the test altogether. The naturalisation page lists them.
TCF IRN or TEF IRN?
Both certifications are recognised for residence cards. The difference for us is information: the TEF IRN page can describe the format and the overall level rule because the CCI publishes them in a readable form. To train the skills either way, the TCF Canada mock sections on this site use four-option questions written by Radif Partners, with the TCF Canada timing.