Examen civique for the multi-year residence permit (CSP) and the resident card (CR)
First application for a CSP or a resident card: does this exam apply to you? The rules, according to service-public.gouv.fr.
Updated on 2026-10-28
Multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle, CSP)
Only the first application for a multi-year residence permit is covered, not renewals. The permits concerned are those subject to the republican integration contract (contrat d'intégration républicaine, CIR). Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and their family, and stateless persons and their family, are not covered.
Resident card (carte de résident, CR)
Here too, only the first application is covered. The official page covers in particular:
- the card issued to the spouse of a French citizen, to the parent of a French child, or under family reunification;
- the long-term EU resident card, for certain grounds;
- the permanent resident card.
The exact grounds are in the official page and in article L413-7 of the Code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile (the French code on entry, residence of foreign nationals and asylum), cited by the public service.
One certificate for two permits
According to the page, the “resident card” exam also counts for an application for a multi-year residence permit. There is one official list of questions for the CSP and one for the CR: our bank contains 191 for the CSP and 209 for the CR.
Age exemption and medical reasons
People over 65 are not subject to the exam for the CSP and the CR. An accommodation is possible in case of disability or a health problem, and an exemption from the certificate if assessing knowledge is impossible: a medical certificate is required in every case.
Frequently asked questions
Is the examen civique required to renew my multi-year residence permit?
No: according to service-public.gouv.fr, only the first application is covered.
I am the spouse of a French citizen: am I affected?
The resident card issued to the spouse of a French citizen is one of the cases covered by the page, for a first application. Check your case on the official page or with your prefecture.
Is there an exemption from age 65?
Yes, for the CSP and the CR: people over 65 are not subject to it, according to the page.