This page has information on travelling to France.
This page reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British Citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in France set and enforce entry rules. If you’re unsure how France’s entry requirements apply to you, contact its UK embassy, high commission or consulate.
All travellers
All travellers should familiarise themselves with the entry rules for France before travel.
From 1 August 2022, COVID-19 travel restrictions for travellers to France were lifted. The rules that previously applied to travellers coming to France no longer apply (with the exception of travel from China):
- you are no longer required to present proof of vaccination
- you are no longer required to fill out any forms prior to your arrival in France, such as a justification for travel or a sworn statement
- you are no longer required to show proof of a negative PCR or antigen test upon arrival in France
This also applies to travel between metropolitan France and each of the French overseas territories.
Similarly, no travel justification is required by the French authorities to travel to another country from France.
Exceptions may apply and new rules can come into force at short notice. You can check with your travel operator or the relevant French Embassy before travelling. Separate entry requirements are in place for travel to France from China; details of these requirements can be found on the French Government website.
If you’re fully vaccinated
Entry requirements for France are the same for all travellers, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.
Further information
Check our COVID-19 advice on things to consider, and be prepared to stay overseas longer than planned.
If you’re not fully vaccinated
Entry requirements for France are the same for all travellers, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.
Children and young people
There are no specific requirements for children and young people.
If you’re transiting through France
Transiting is when you pass through one country on the way to your final destination.
Transiting through France is permitted for travellers from the UK in line with the entry requirements set out above.
Check your passport and travel documents before you travel
Passport validity
If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
Your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
Contact the embassy of the country you are visiting if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
Visas
You can travel to countries in the Schengen area, which France is part of, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training. Find more information here.
If you are travelling to France and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.
To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you will need to meet the French government’s entry requirements. To see what your individual entry requirement might be, you should visit the France Visas website.
You can input your specific requirements and you will be advised whether you need a visa; it is also the site for visa applications.
If you are travelling to France for work, read the guidance on visas and permits.
If you stay in France with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
British citizens who are unable to return to the UK before the expiry of their visa / permit or the end of their visa-free limit should contact their local prefecture in France.
Passport stamping
Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through France as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.
You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence include boarding passes and tickets.
At French border control, you may need to:
- show proof of where you intend to stay, for example, a booking confirmation or proof of address if visiting your own property (e.g. second home). Further information is detailed below
- show proof of insurance for your trip. Please check the guidance on travel insurance here
- show a return or onward ticket
- prove that you have enough money for the duration of your stay. Further information is detailed below
France categorises possible accommodation arrangements for visitors as follows:
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Staying with family, friends or third party - you may be asked to provide an ’attestation d’accueil’ (welcome invitation) from your host if you are staying with friends or family. The French resident hosting you will need to obtain this attestation d’accueil from their local Mayor’s office, and send the original attestation before you enter France. You should also be prepared to show proof of funds of at least €32.50 per day, for the duration of your stay. If you do not have an ‘attestation d’accueil’ you should be ready to fulfil the requirements of option 4 below.
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You have a second home in France - you will need to be able to prove ownership or tenancy of your property e.g. a tax or utility bill.
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You are staying in a hotel or other commercially provided accommodation - you may be asked for confirmation of your reservation when entering France. You should also be prepared to show proof of funds of at least €65 per day for the duration of your stay.
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You do not have an ‘attestation d’accueil’ or any pre-booked accommodation - in this instance, you may be asked to prove you have sufficient means for your visit, of at least €120 per day for the duration of your stay.
British citizens who are unable to return to the UK before the expiry of their visa/permit or the end of their visa-free limit due to COVID-19 restrictions should contact their local immigration authorities in France.
For further information on these requirements, visit the French government’s website on travel conditions for British citizens.
If you are resident in France, read our Living in France guide for passport stamping information.
Travelling with children
From 15 January 2017, any child (under the age of 18) who is (a) living in France and (b) leaving France unaccompanied by a parent or guardian, must present the following documents on departure at the French border: (i) the child’s own ID card or passport, (ii) a completed AST authorisation form signed by a parent/guardian (Authorisation de Sortie du Territoire) and (iii) a copy of the ID card or passport of the parent or guardian who has signed the AST form. For more information visit the French Ministry of Interior website.
Travelling with pets
If you wish to travel with a pet dog, cat or ferret to the EU, please read our guidance. You can no longer use a pet passport issued in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) for travel to France.If your pet passport was issued in an EU Member State or Northern Ireland it remains valid for travel to France.
If you wish to travel to France with other pets (for non-commercial means) - rodents, rabbits/hares, ornamental tropical fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), you will need a health document which must be signed by a vet.
Travel with pets for non-commercial means is limited to five animals.
You can find more information (in French) at this link and by then scrolling down and clicking on the link to a pdf document entitled note d’information sur l’importation d’animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers. The health document mentioned above is on page 17 of the pdf (annex IV).
On arrival in France, pet owners travelling with pets will need to enter through a designated travellers’ point of entry (TPE) e.g. Calais, Dunkirk.
Customs checks upon entry into France
There are limits on the volume and value amounts for certain goods that you can bring into France as a traveller. You should check the French Directorate General of Customs and Excise website to confirm the latest allowances per traveller.
UK Emergency Travel Documents
UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted for entry, airside transit and exit from France.
FAQs
Do I need PCR test to enter France now? ›
you will have to either present a negative PCR test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure, or submit to such a test at the airport upon arrival in France.
Do you need a vaccination certificate to enter France? ›Furthermore, for foreign travel, a vaccination certificate, a negative test certificate or proof of recovery in EU format may be required by the destination country. It is also recommended to store all relevant documents on the TousAntiCovid application or print them out.
Do I need a Covid pass in France? ›If you receive your COVID-19 vaccination in France, you can obtain a French 'pass sanitaire (which is a version of the EU Digital Covid Certificate) in order to travel internationally. To do so, you should scan the QR code on your paper vaccine certification via the French app TousAntiCovid.
Does an American need a Covid test to enter France? ›Travelers to France will need to self-isolate for seven days upon arrival and test again at the end of the self-isolation period, even if they tested negative prior to boarding.
Do I need a Covid test to re enter the US from France? ›Starting on January 26, passengers aged 2 and above who are flying to the United States from any foreign country including France must, prior to boarding, present a negative Covid test conducted less than 3 calendar days before departure.
Do I need a rapid antigen test to fly to France? ›Travellers no longer need to present a sworn declaration that they are not infected with COVID-19 and pledge to take an antigen test or biological exam upon arrival into France.
Do US citizens need a Covid test to return to the US from Europe? ›Yes, the requirement to present a negative COVID-19 viral test result or documentation recovery from COVID-19 also applies to air travel to US territories.
Do I need a Covid test to enter the US from France 2022? ›Predeparture tests are no longer required. The order requiring that non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa) travelers must show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination remains in effect.
Will France lift testing requirements? ›France Plans to Abolish Testing Requirement for Fully Vaccinated Travellers. The French government will soon remove the testing requirement currently imposed on the majority of travellers.
Does France accept rapid PCR test? ›You can easily purchase the mandatory PCR test or rapid test for France at coronalab.eu . You can request the results, including travel certificate, the same day. This must not be older than 72 hours before departure in France. Do not forget to take the certificate with you when you travel.
Do I need booster to enter France? ›
You are considered fully vaccinated:
Since 1 February 2022, people aged 18 or over who wish to enter French territory must have received a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine no later than 9 months after the last required dose to be considered fully vaccinated.
For a "rapid PCR test", the person tested will be charged 20€, not covered by the French National Health Insurance, and payable exclusively by credit card.
Can US passport holders travel to France now? ›American passport holders can go to France for tourism, business, or transit visa-free. From November 2023, US citizens will need to register with ETIAS to travel to France. ETIAS is not a visa, it is a travel authorisation for visa-exempt non-EU citizens, including Americans.
Can a US citizen enter France without a visa? ›Visa requirements for American passport holders
American passport holders are not required to obtain a visa prior to visiting France for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
The truth is that no one is guaranteed entry into the United States, not even U.S. Citizens. Even if you have the right documents, visa, or legal status, you may still be denied entry to the United States, so it's best to be prepared for the worst.
What documents do I need to travel to Paris? ›A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date; A valid visa, if required; Proof of accommodation covering the whole duration of the stay (hotel reservation and/or certificate of staying with a relative validated in the town hall);
Do US citizens need ETIAS? ›Currently, U.S. citizens can freely enter the Schengen Zone (an area of 26 countries covering much of Europe) for up to 90 days for business and/or tourism purposes. End of 2023, all U.S. citizens traveling to the 26 Schengen Zone countries will need to register with ETIAS or will risk being denied entry.
Can I travel to France if I have less than 6 months on my passport? ›Your passport must be: Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the 'date of issue') valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the 'expiry date')
How to get a carte de séjour? ›Carte de Sejour for Employees or Temporary Workers Application Process. In order to obtain this type of card, submit the application form and the required documents at the prefecture or sub-prefecture that is the closest to your home, within two months prior to the expiration of your long-stay visa.
Do US citizens need ESTA for Europe? ›American citizens will be required to apply for an ETIAS to enter participating European countries on a short term basis, under 90 days, for general tourism, business, transit or medical purposes.
Do I need ETIAS in 2022? ›
Travellers visiting Europe from 2023 onwards will be required to obtain an approved ETIAS online prior to their departure. With over 37 million visitors to Europe each year, the introduction of ETIAS is expected to have a significant impact on traveller plans from all over the world.
How do you know if you are flagged by customs? ›There are signs that will indicate you have been flagged for additional screenings: You were not able to print a boarding pass from an airline ticketing kiosk or from the internet. You were denied or delayed boarding. A ticket agent “called someone” before handing you a boarding pass.
Can customs search your phone? ›Unlike other law enforcement, border authorities don't need a warrant to search your device. They may conduct a basic search — in which they scroll through your device inspecting texts, photos or anything else they can easily access — even if they don't suspect you of wrongdoing.
Can a U.S. citizen be denied entry with an expired passport? ›Answer: According to the U.S. Department of State, all American citizens must possess a valid passport in order to exit and re-enter the United States. Trying to return to the U.S. with an expired passport may result in being denied entrance. It is best to resolve this before your return trip.