Language level for citizenship by country
Rules checked in October 2026. Requirements change: before you apply, check the official site of your country’s authorities.
| Country | Language | Level | Exams | Civics test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | Italian | B1 | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, Cert.IT | No |
| Spain | Spanish | A2 | DELE A2 + CCSE | CCSE |
| Germany | German | B1 | DTZ, telc, Goethe B1 + Leben in Deutschland | Leben in Deutschland |
| France | French | B2 | TCF, TEF + examen civique | Examen civique |
| Portugal | Portuguese | A2 | CIPLE, PLA | New test on culture and rights (rules pending) |
| Austria | German | B1 | ÖIF-Integrationsprüfung B1 + Staatsbürgerschaftsprüfung | Staatsbürgerschaftsprüfung |
| Switzerland | German, French or Italian | B1/A2 | fide, Goethe, telc, ÖSD | Cantonal test or interview |
| Belgium | Dutch, French or German | A2 | AgII, CVO, VDAB, Forem, Actiris | No (planned) |
| Netherlands | Dutch | A2 | Inburgeringsexamen (A2 + KNM) | KNM (part of the exam) |
| Greece | Greek | B1 | ΠΕΓΠ (PEGP) | Part of the ΠΕΓΠ exam |
| United Kingdom | English | B1 | B1 SELT + Life in the UK | Life in the UK |
| United States | English | No CEFR level | Naturalization test: English + civics | Civics test |
| Canada | English or French | CLB 4 | CELPIP, IELTS General, PTE Core, TEF Canada, TCF Canada + citizenship test | Citizenship test |
| Australia | English | No CEFR level | Australian citizenship test | Citizenship test |
| Russia | Russian | No CEFR level | Экзамен по русскому языку + история России и основы законодательства | History and law exam |
| Brazil | Portuguese | Intermediário | Celpe-Bras | No |
Country by country
Italy
B1 since December 2018, proven with a CILS, CELI, PLIDA or Cert.IT certificate or an Italian school diploma; the shorter citizenship versions, such as CILS B1 Cittadinanza, count only for this purpose. Holders of the EU long-term residence permit and people who signed the integration agreement are exempt. EU citizens and family members of EU citizens still need the certificate.
→ Detailed guide: Italian for citizenship
→ Vocabulary test: Italian
Spain
DELE A2 or higher (or an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas certificate) plus the CCSE on the constitution and Spanish society: 25 questions, 15 correct to pass. Nationals by origin of Spanish-speaking countries skip the DELE but still take the CCSE. The CCSE is held only in Spain and is valid for 4 years; SIELE is not accepted.
→ Detailed guide: Spanish for citizenship
→ Vocabulary test: Spanish
Germany
B1, usually with a DTZ, telc or Goethe certificate, plus the Leben in Deutschland test: 33 questions in 60 minutes, 17 correct to pass. Since the 2024 reform the usual residence period is 5 years; the 3-year fast track was scrapped in October 2025. A German school-leaving certificate replaces both proofs, and former guest workers only need everyday spoken German.
→ Detailed guide: German for citizenship
→ Vocabulary test: German
France
For applications filed since 1 January 2026 the level is B2 in speaking and writing, proven with a French diploma or a TCF or TEF result less than 2 years old. The new examen civique has 40 questions in 45 minutes, and you need 32 right. The interview at the prefecture and the charter of rights and duties remain.
→ Detailed guide: French for citizenship
→ Vocabulary test: French
Portugal
Portuguese at A2, usually with the CIPLE exam or a PLA course certificate; nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to know the language. The law in force since 19 May 2026 raised residence to 10 years (7 for citizens of the EU and of Portuguese-speaking countries) and added knowledge of culture, history, national symbols and citizens’ rights, but the format of that test depends on a new regulation. Applications filed before that date follow the old rules.
→ Detailed guide: Portuguese for citizenship
→ Vocabulary test: Portuguese
Austria
B1, usually proven with the ÖIF integration exam, which also tests values, or an Austrian school, apprenticeship or university qualification; with B2 you can apply after 6 years instead of 10. You also pass a written test on democracy and the history of Austria and your federal state. The government plans to raise the level to B2, so check the current rules.
Switzerland
The federal minimum is B1 for speaking and A2 for writing in a national language, and cantons may ask for more or for the local language. Proof is a certificate from the official SEM list (fide, Goethe, telc, ÖSD and others), schooling or training in a national language, or native-speaker status; course attendance does not count. Your canton or commune also checks what you know about Switzerland, for example with Zurich’s standard knowledge test.
→ Vocabulary test: German, French or Italian
Belgium
A2 in one national language, proven only with documents from an official list: a pass certificate from a Belgian language course or from VDAB, Forem or Actiris, a completed integration course, a Belgian secondary school diploma or 5 years of work. DELF or Goethe certificates are not on that list. The government plans B1 and a citizenship test, so check the current rules.
→ Vocabulary test: Dutch, French or German
Netherlands
You need the civic integration exam (inburgeringsexamen) at A2: reading, listening, writing and speaking, plus KNM, knowledge of Dutch society. A Dutch-taught diploma or 8 years of school in Dutch can exempt you. Plans to raise the level to B1 and residence to 10 years have been around for years, but in October 2026 the IND still asks for A2.
Greece
One state exam, ΠΕΓΠ, tests Greek at B1 (reading, writing, listening and speaking in pairs) and asks 20 questions on geography, history, culture and institutions. It is held twice a year, and candidates over 62 can take it orally. Greek schooling (9 grades, or 6 in secondary school) or a Greek-taught degree from a Greek university exempts you.
United Kingdom
B1 speaking and listening through an approved SELT, a degree taught in English or the nationality of a majority English-speaking country, plus the Life in the UK test: 24 questions in 45 minutes, 75% to pass. Most people prove both for settlement and do not retake them, and people aged 65 and over are exempt. Settlement applications from 26 March 2027 will need B2.
United States
There is no certificate and no CEFR level: at the interview an officer checks your speaking, and you read one of three sentences aloud and write one of three from dictation. For applications filed since 20 October 2025 the civics test asks up to 20 of 128 questions, and you need 12 right. Applicants aged 50 or over with 20 years as permanent residents, or 55 or over with 15 years, skip the English test and take civics in their own language.
Canada
Applicants aged 18–54 need CLB/NCLC 4 in speaking and listening, proven with CELPIP, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada, a diploma from studies in English or French, or LINC/CLIC training. Reading and writing are not tested separately. The citizenship test has 20 questions in 45 minutes, 15 correct to pass, all based on the guide Discover Canada.
→ Vocabulary test: English or French
Australia
There is no separate English certificate or CEFR level: the citizenship test itself checks basic English and what you know about Australia. Most applicants aged 18–59 answer 20 questions in 45 minutes and need 15 right, including all 5 questions on Australian values. Every question comes from the booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond.
Russia
Under rules approved in 2025 you take two exams at an authorised state institution: Russian, oral and written, and Russian history with the basics of law. The language exam has its own standard instead of a CEFR level and is strict: besides 31 of 44 points you need at least 9 of 10 in speaking. People aged 70 and over and people with a group I disability are exempt.
Brazil
You must be able to communicate in Portuguese, usually proven with a Celpe-Bras certificate (the lowest level awarded, Intermediário, is often compared to B1), a Brazilian school or university diploma, or a Portuguese course for immigrants at an accredited university. The Federal Police interview also checks your Portuguese. People from Portuguese-speaking countries are exempt and can apply after 1 year of residence instead of 4.
How it works: paste a topic name into the generation chat, for example “Documents and residence permits”, and get a word set for your citizenship exam. Grammar works the same way: the app has lessons and exercises for every level from A1 to C2, and you can get exercises on the topic you need through the same chat.
How to prepare
- Check the rules for your case first. Look up the level, the list of accepted certificates and how old a certificate may be on the official site, not on forums. Some countries accept only specific proof (Austria the ÖIF exam, Belgium Belgian documents, the UK approved SELT providers), and exam places fill up months ahead, so book early.
- Take an official sample test against the clock. Most exams have to be passed part by part: DELE in two groups, Goethe module by module, the Russian exam with a separate minimum for speaking. A timed sample test in your first week shows which skill could fail you, and that is where most of your time should go.
- Learn the words of everyday paperwork. Citizenship exams are built around daily life: housing, work, health, public offices, forms, transport and family. Learn 10–15 words a day inside phrases and review them with spaced repetition; in NewLexi you can generate a set for each of these topics and practise it right away.
- Study the civics questions in the exam language. The Leben in Deutschland catalogue, the CCSE manual, the 128 USCIS questions and the Life in the UK and Discover Canada guides are all public. Read them in the language of the exam, not in translation: you prepare for two tests at once and pick up the vocabulary of institutions and rights.
- Speak out loud every day. Oral parts and interviews are where candidates lose the most points. Prepare short answers about yourself, your work, your family and why you want citizenship, record them and listen back, then practise for 10 minutes a day with a partner or tutor.
How NewLexi helps you prepare
NewLexi has word sets for every exam topic, already split into categories, and if you need something else, such as vocabulary for your citizenship interview, you generate a set on any topic and start practising right away. A big grammar section covers every level from A1 to C2 with lessons and exercises, so you can close the gaps the exam checks one by one. Practise letters, forms and short texts with instant AI feedback on your writing. Stories and dialogues are written for your level and with your words, and each one has audio, so your listening improves too.
