Nationality
The French naturalisation interview: preparing for the assimilation check
Practise on naturalisation-level questions, each marked as you go: they cover the same ground the interview relies on.
Independent site, not linked to the French Interior Ministry, the préfectures or the exam centres.
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| Practice set of 10 questions |
Knowledge questions: French Interior Ministry, Licence Ouverte 2.0, translated by us. Options, explanations and scenarios: Radif Partners. The real exam is in French only. Not the official exam.
The naturalisation interview, officially the assimilation interview (entretien d’assimilation), is the stage where the préfecture meets you to check your assimilation into the French community. You are only invited once your application is found admissible, after you have filed a complete file and received the receipt. The Civil Code sets what is expected: enough knowledge, given your circumstances, of the French language, history, culture and society, knowledge of the rights and duties of citizens, and adherence to the principles and values of the Republic. To prepare, the administration points to the livret du citoyen, whose current edition was approved in July 2026. You bring the originals of the documents listed in your letter; failing to attend without a legitimate reason can lead to your application being closed. At the end of the interview you sign the charter of the rights and duties of the French citizen. Since 1 January 2026 the civic exam has been required as well. The tool above lets you practise naturalisation-level questions, each corrected straight away.
Where is my naturalisation deadline?
Legal time left
9 months
| Decision deadline | 18 months |
| Possible extension | 3 months |
| Appeal against a refusal | 2 months |
Answers, dates and costs by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Where the interview sits in the process
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Online filing | complete file, stamp of €255 |
| Receipt | starts the 18-month clock |
| Inquiry | civic conduct, for example paying taxes |
| Invitation | if the application is admissible |
| Assimilation interview | at the préfecture, originals to show |
| Charter | signed at the end of the interview |
| Decision | decree in the Journal officiel if positive |
The interview falls in the middle of the review period. The small tool under the summary shows where you stand, from the months since your receipt.
What the interview checks
The law does not publish a question list; it describes an outcome. Article 21-24 of the Civil Code asks you to show assimilation, which covers:
- the French language, at the B2 level required for naturalisation;
- French history, culture and society, judged in light of your circumstances;
- the rights and duties that come with citizenship;
- adherence to the essential principles and values of the Republic.
"In light of your circumstances" matters: your background is taken into account. It does not excuse you from the basics, which the civic exam also tests in writing.
Preparing in three stages
- Read the livret du citoyen. It is the material the administration recommends. Use the edition approved on 3 July 2026, not the old one.
- Practise on questions. The tool at the top runs naturalisation-level sets across all themes, each with an explanation citing the source text. The principles and values of the Republic carry 11 of the 40 exam questions and deserve extra time; our principles and values page gathers them.
- Speak out loud. Explaining in your own words what secularism, equality between women and men or the role of voting mean prepares you better than silent reading.
Costly mistakes
- Turning up without originals. Your letter lists them; a missing document can mean a second visit or a slower review.
- Revising from outdated material. The 2022 booklet was repealed; use the 2026 edition published in the Journal officiel.
- Ignoring speaking practice. Level B2 shows in conversation too, and a good written score will not settle your nerves on the day.
- Keeping quiet about a change. A move, a new job or a separation you did not report raises needless doubts about your file.
None of these is about knowledge. They are about organisation, which is exactly why a few days of preparation avoid them. Many expats find it helps to rehearse with a French-speaking friend or colleague, who can ask follow-up questions the way a real conversation would.
On the day
Bring your invitation, your ID and the originals requested, sorted in the order of the list. If something has changed since you filed, such as your address, job or family situation, bring up-to-date proof and say so. Expats who have moved for work in the meantime should mention it plainly: an unexplained change looks worse than a documented one. After the interview and the charter, the file continues to a decision; our processing time page sets out the deadlines. The service-public.gouv.fr naturalisation page describes the whole procedure.