If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter France visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). France may ask you to show €65 a day with a hotel booking (€120 without proof of accommodation). Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for France, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in France can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in France can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: €65 per day with a hotel booking, €32.50 if you have proof of accommodation with a host, €120 per day with no proof of accommodation. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to France
Main international airports in France: Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Paris-Orly (ORY), Nice (NCE), Lyon (LYS).
If France is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Madrid…), the check happens there and your flight to France is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
France has an external Schengen land border with Andorra. Crossing there means a full passport check and EES registration, just like at an airport.
The EES at airports and borders in France
In France, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; France no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
France in depth: Eurostar, overseas territories and Monaco
If you travel from London on Eurostar, or cross the Channel by ferry or Le Shuttle, the French passport check happens before you leave the UK (at St Pancras, Dover or Folkestone). That is also where non-EU travellers are registered in the EES, so allow extra time there rather than on arrival in Paris or Calais.
France's overseas regions, such as Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion and Mayotte, are part of France but not part of the Schengen Area. They have their own entry rules, and days spent there do not count towards your 90 Schengen days. New Caledonia and French Polynesia are also outside Schengen.
Monaco has no border controls with France and is visited under French rules. If you will be staying with a private host, ask them for an attestation d'accueil from their town hall: it proves your accommodation and lowers the daily amount you need to show.
Good to know about France
- Attestation d'accueil: if you stay with a private host, they request it from their town hall (mairie). It lowers the required funds to €32.50 a day.
- Overseas territories: Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion and others aren't in Schengen and have their own entry rules.
- Monaco is visited from France: French requirements apply.
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in France add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in France after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do Americans need a visa for France?
No, for stays of up to 90 days in 180. They'll need ETIAS once it starts.
What if my hotel only covers part of my stay?
You need €65 a day for the nights covered by the booking and €120 a day for the rest.
Do UK citizens need ETIAS for France?
Not yet, because ETIAS has not started. Once it launches, British passport holders will need ETIAS to visit France, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement as residents of an EU country.
How much money do I need to enter France?
€65 per day with a hotel booking, €32.50 if you have proof of accommodation with a host, €120 per day with no proof of accommodation. Border officers may ask you to show it with cards, bank statements or cash.
Keep reading
Sources
- European Commission: reference amounts (08/06/2026)
- European Commission: who should apply for ETIAS
- France-Visas: official French visa website
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.