Tests for France
TEF IRN: the test, and how its overall level is set
The TEF IRN is the CCI Paris Île-de-France test for residence and nationality in France. Enter your four scores to see the overall level the CCI rule gives.
TEF IRN overall level
B2
| Reading | B2 |
| Writing | B1 |
| Listening | B2 |
| Speaking | B2 |
For France (from Jan. 1, 2026)
- Multi-year card (A2)Level reached
- Resident card (B1)Level reached
- Naturalisation (B2)Level reached
Bands from the CCI correspondence table (TEF) and the TCF candidate manual. TEF IRN overall level: three tests at the threshold and the weakest one at the lower threshold.
The TEF IRN is the version of the TEF designed by the CCI Paris Île-de-France for residence and nationality procedures in France. It certifies levels from A1 to B2 and is open to candidates over 16. It has four short tests: reading (20 questions in 30 minutes), listening (20 questions in 20 minutes), writing (30 minutes: a message of at least 40 words, then a text of at least 100 words about your motivations) and speaking (10 minutes: a phone call, then helping a friend decide). The overall level follows a two-part rule: for B2, three tests at 400 or more and the weakest at 367 or more; for B1, 300 and 267; for A2, 200 and 167. Results arrive within 1 to 10 working days and the certificate is valid 2 years. Since 1 January 2026, France asks A2 for a first multi-year card, B1 for a first resident card and B2 for naturalisation.
My TEF IRN overall level
Overall level
B2
| B2 | 400 / 367 |
| B1 | 300 / 267 |
| A2 | 200 / 167 |
Thresholds: three tests / weakest test.
Charts, converters and questions by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How charts and questions are built
The four tests
| Test | Content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 20 questions | 30 min |
| Listening | 20 questions | 20 min |
| Writing | A (10 min): a message, 40+ words. B (20 min): your motivations, 100+ words | 30 min |
| Speaking | A (5 min): make a phone call. B (5 min): help a friend make a decision | 10 min |
The whole TEF IRN takes 90 minutes of testing, less than half the TEF Canada. The tasks stay close to everyday life in France: messages, motivations, phone calls, advice to a friend. The CCI passation page describes how a session runs.
The overall level rule
Each test gets a score; the overall level then depends on two thresholds, published on the CCI results page:
| Overall level | Three tests at least | Weakest test at least |
|---|---|---|
| B2 | 400 | 367 |
| B1 | 300 | 267 |
| A2 | 200 | 167 |
In practice, sort your four scores. Your third-best score decides which threshold you reach, and your weakest must not fall below the lower figure. A candidate at 450, 430, 410 and 370 reaches B2. A candidate at 450, 430, 395 and 390 stops at B1, even though the average is higher than 400. The mini-tool beside this text takes the two decisive scores.
What level for which procedure
Since 1 January 2026, two orders of 22 December 2025 set the levels. For residence cards, the order on residence card certifications recognises the TCF and the TEF, and asks A2 for a first multi-year card and B1 for a first resident card (not after age 65). For nationality, the naturalisation order asks B2 in writing and speaking. The residence card page and the naturalisation page go into the details.
Before you book
Make sure the session is a TEF IRN and not a TEF Canada: the two share a name and an organiser, but only the TEF IRN is built for French procedures, and a TEF Canada report is designed to be read in NCLC levels by IRCC. Remember too that the TEF IRN stops at B2. You must be over 16 to sit it, and each centre publishes its own dates.
Results and validity
The CCI announces results within 1 to 10 working days. The certificate is valid 2 years, and the French orders also require a certificate under 2 years old, so do not sit the test too early before filing. Fees are set by each centre and we have no confirmed TEF IRN price to quote.
Preparing on this site
Our practice banks follow the TEF Canada and TCF Canada formats, which are longer, but the skills are the same. The writing practice counts your words against a minimum, which suits the two TEF IRN writing tasks, and the CEFR page converts any TEF score into a level. The TCF IRN page covers the other recognised test.