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Travelling to France

Do you need a visa for France?

Choose your nationality: the rules that apply to you today, checked against official sources. Free, no sign-up.

  • Official EU and French sources
  • Checked 17 October 2026
  • No fee for something that's free
Visa-free stay90 daysIn any 180-day period, whole Schengen area.
Passport3 monthsValid after you leave Schengen, issued under 10 years ago.
Schengen visa€90Adults. €45 for children 6 to 11.
ETIASNot yetNo start date. Don't pay anyone for it today.

No visa needed 26

AlbaniaNo visaETIAS laterArgentinaNo visaETIAS laterAustraliaNo visaETIAS laterBrazilNo visaETIAS laterCanadaNo visaETIAS laterChileNo visaETIAS laterColombiaNo visaETIAS laterCosta RicaNo visaETIAS laterGeorgiaNo visaETIAS laterHong KongNo visaETIAS laterIsraelNo visaETIAS laterJapanNo visaETIAS laterMalaysiaNo visaETIAS laterMexicoNo visaETIAS laterMoldovaNo visaETIAS laterNew ZealandNo visaETIAS laterPeruNo visaETIAS laterSerbiaNo visaETIAS laterSingaporeNo visaETIAS laterSouth KoreaNo visaETIAS laterTaiwanNo visaETIAS laterUkraineNo visaETIAS laterUnited Arab EmiratesNo visaETIAS laterUnited KingdomNo visaETIAS laterUnited StatesNo visaETIAS laterUruguayNo visaETIAS later

Visa required 18

AlgeriaVisa required€90ChinaVisa required€90Côte d'IvoireVisa required€90EgyptVisa required€90IndiaVisa required€90IndonesiaVisa required€90MoroccoVisa required€90NigeriaVisa required€90PhilippinesVisa required€90QatarVisa required€90RussiaVisa required€90Saudi ArabiaVisa required€90SenegalVisa required€90South AfricaVisa required€90ThailandVisa required€90TunisiaVisa required€90TürkiyeVisa required€90VietnamVisa required€90
ETIAS: nothing to do yet

ETIAS is not in operation yet and no applications are being taken. When it starts, visa-exempt travellers will need an online travel authorisation before travelling. The announced fee is €20 (free under 18 and over 70). No launch date has been officially set; the EU says it will announce it several months in advance. Beware of websites already charging for ETIAS. Read our ETIAS guide.

At the border: the EES

Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational and replaces passport stamping. On your first entry, border guards record your name, passport data, fingerprints and a facial photo, plus the date and place of each entry and exit. Children under 12 do not give fingerprints. Your record is checked at later crossings and your 90/180-day count is calculated automatically.

Questions

Who needs a visa for France?

It depends on your nationality. Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland need no visa. Many others (for example the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan or Brazil) can visit for up to 90 days in 180 without a visa. Others, such as India, China, Morocco or South Africa, need a Schengen short-stay visa.

Is ETIAS required to visit France?

Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being taken. When it starts, visa-exempt travellers will need it before travelling.

What is the EES?

Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational and replaces passport stamping. On your first entry, border guards record your name, passport data, fingerprints and a facial photo, plus the date and place of each entry and exit. Children under 12 do not give fingerprints. Your record is checked at later crossings and your 90/180-day count is calculated automatically.

How much money do I need to enter France?

You must be able to show €65 per day with a hotel booking, €120 per day without proof of accommodation, or €32.50 per day if you stay with a host who obtained an 'attestation d'accueil'.

Your nationality isn't listed? The rules come from the EU visa list (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806); France-Visas has an official visa wizard. france-visas.gouv.fr