Visa Requirements for French Citizens
Visa requirements for French citizens apply to the rules and conditions in force for French citizens when crossing borders with foreign countries. A visa is a permit to enter a country and is issued to foreigners temporarily residing abroad. To obtain a visa, applicants must meet specific criteria established in advance by the government of the country they wish to visit. There are a number of visas that French citizens can apply for Including:
Embassy visas
Embassy visas are issued to French citizens who want to stay in the country they are visiting for short or long-term trips.
Embassy visas are issued by embassies and allow French citizens to vacation, manage affairs, transit, work, study or even live abroad. The purpose of the intended trip must correlate with the appropriate embassy visa category selected.
These are the most difficult visas to get and luckily you have to visit more than 20 destinations from France.
eVisas
Electronic visas are issued electronically by the destination country and allow French citizens to enjoy leisure, business or transit activities.
An e-visa is the easiest type of visa to get because the entire online process can be complicated. Approved documents will then be sent to the applicant via email, usually within 3 business days.
French passport holders can take advantage of the eVisa system when visiting more than 40 destinations.
Visas on Arrival
Visas on arrival are typically issued to people who wish to stay abroad for short-term trips related to leisure, business or transit. This visa is issued upon arrival at the border and is currently issued to French citizens in over 40 destinations.
Visa-free entrance for French citizens
French citizens benefit from visa-free entry to over a hundred different destinations. Visa-free travel is perfect for any short-term trip involving tourism, business or transit.
So, go on vacation, visit friends or family, go on a business trip or simply make a stopover abroad. More information about visa requirements as well as the list of countries for each type of visa required for French citizens can be found below.
Electronic visa
An e-visa is an electronic visa that allows visitors to enter a country without having to apply for a paper visa.
It is often cheaper and easier than purchasing a paper visa and can be obtained in less time than the traditional process.
eVisa works like any other passport stamp:
it electronically attaches to your passport when you pass through immigration checkpoints at the airport or border crossing.
Otherwise, it will be a simple PDF and needs to be printed.
List of countries that offer eVisas for French citizens
- American Samoa
- Angola
- The Ascension Island
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Canada
- The Republic of Crimea
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Iran
- Ivory Coast
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- USA
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
More than 40 destinations offer eVisa options for French citizens, making their trips abroad that much easier.
The eVisa application process can be completed online and only takes a few minutes! Applicants need to fill in some basic information about themselves and then pay using PayPal, credit/debit card or any other online payment method. After payment, each traveler will receive a confirmation email and within the next 72 hours an eVisa will also be issued.
Permitted length of stay varies depending on the country. Each destination sets its own rules and regulations regarding maximum length of stay. However, this is usually 30 or 90 days from the date of arrival. eVisa holders can benefit not only from the quick and easy online application process, from long stays abroad but also from all leisure, business or related trips transit. This includes going on vacation, visiting friends and relatives, attending a business meeting or trade show, or simply making a stopover abroad.
Visa on Arrival
Visa on arrival is a short-term visa that allows foreign visitors to enter their chosen VoA country without having to apply for a paper visa before their intended trip.
List of countries offering a Visa on Arrival for French citizens
- Angola
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Iraqi Kurdistan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- The Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- Sri Lanka
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
France can travel to over 40 countries using the Visa on Arrival system. This means that French passport holders can apply for a visa after arriving in any of the countries listed above.
To obtain a visa on arrival, one must first research the current VoA requirements with which they must comply.
Some countries require travelers to provide additional supporting documents with their VoA application, for example return tickets, hotel reservations or proof of sufficient funds. The next steps in applying for a visa on arrival include filling out an application form at the border on arrival.
Travelers should carefully check the dates provided to ensure successful approval.
The length of stay of a VoA holder varies from destination to destination, but is usually 30 or 90 days from the date of arrival. All French citizens should note that most VoA countries also offer an alternative eVisa option to the VoA system. Using eVisas is a great way to avoid the long lines and stress of going through immigration paperwork at the airport.
Applying for an eVisa online takes only about five minutes, after which it will arrive in your email inbox as a PDF attachment, usually within three business days.
Embassy visa
An embassy visa is a type of long-term or short-term visa that allows foreign visitors to enter a chosen country for a variety of reasons, including working, studying or even living abroad.
This type of visa can be obtained at the nearest embassy or consulate, unlike e-visas which are obtained online.
List of countries that require French citizens to present an Embassy visa upon arrival
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- The Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- The Republic of the Congo
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Libya
- Mali
- Mongolia
- Nauru
- Niger
- North Korea
- Sudan
- Syria
- Turkmenistan
- Yemen
More than 20 countries already require French citizens to have a valid embassy visa on arrival.
It is very convenient for French passport holders that some of these countries require them to issue an embassy visa as applying for a visa can be difficult and tedious.
Most embassy visa applications must be submitted at least several weeks before the planned trip, and preparation must also begin at least several weeks before application. Some documents required for an embassy visa application may need to be formal and therefore take longer to obtain. Once the applicant is fully prepared and has all the necessary documents, he or she can submit the complete application to the embassy or consulate.
It should be noted that some embassies may require applicants to complete additional steps, such as paying a visa fee or having a visa interview.
Visa-free countries
French citizens can already travel visa-free to more than 100 destinations for short-term stays.
All you need is proof of identity, such as a valid passport or valid ID for short-term stays. The choice of French citizens for a particular location depends on the agreement that France has with the chosen destination.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- The Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- The Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Finland
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraqi Kurdistan
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- The Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Namibia
- The Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- The Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- The Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- The United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
The length of authorized stay will depend on the country the French passport holder is visiting.
Additionally, some countries require additional documentation, such as hotel reservations, showing proof of accommodation, or purchasing health insurance.
Despite these requirements, traveling without a visa is still quite simple. If French citizens plan to visit one of the countries with which France has a free movement agreement, they usually only need valid identification. Other destinations usually only require a valid passport upon arrival. Visa exemption allows French citizens to undertake all leisure, professional or transit-related travel. This includes traveling to explore the world, connecting with entrepreneurs and companies around the world, or even transiting on long-distance trips.