Visa required to enter France: this is the general rule under international law. However, there are exemptions for many countries where visas are not requested, in particular, all European countries in the Schengen zone, but not only.
We list below all the nationalities for which, conversely, international law is applied, i.e. a visa is required on arrival at the border for all foreign nationals.
Please note that once entry controls have been completed at the entry in the Schengen area (29 European states), all foreign nationals will be able to travel freely between these states, without being checked again.
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A visa is not the only administrative document required, even for a short-term tourist stay.
This post deals only with the administrative documents required for short stays of less than 90 days – over a maximum period of 180 days – and when a visa required to enter France is also mandatory.
The following documents must be presented on arrival in France. It is true that all these documents, with the exception of the passport, will rarely be required. However, this is at the discretion of the border police, who may refuse you entry to France if any of these documents are missing:
- A valid passport, issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the planned date of departure;
- A valid visa, when required;
- Proof of accommodation for the entire duration of the stay (hotel reservation and/or proof of accommodation with a relative, validated in advance by the person’s local town hall);
- Sufficient financial resources. Means of subsistence are assessed on the basis of the length and purpose of the stay, and with reference to average food and accommodation prices in member states;
- Your return ticket or proof of sufficient financial means to purchase one on the date of your planned return;
- Any document giving details of the traveler’s profession or status, as well as the establishments or organizations located on French territory by which you are expected to travel, if you are on a business trip.
For France, the amount of sufficient resources to be justified
The amount required for all Schengen countries varies from state to state. It applies when a visa is required to enter France, or even when a visa is not necessary :
- 65 euros per day of stay if a hotel reservation is submitted;
- 120 euros per day if a hotel reservation is not submitted;
- In the case of a partial hotel reservation: 65 euros per day for the period covered by the reservation and 120 euros per day for the remainder of the stay.
- If you’re staying with a private individual, you’ll need to provide a “attestation d’accueil” issued by the town hall at the request of the person inviting you (nb: when crossing the border, you’ll also need to provide proof that you’re in possession of a minimum sum per day of stay, in addition to your “attestation d’accueil” – this minimum sum is 32.50 euros per day).
- You must be in possession of an insurance certificate covering all medical, hospital and death-related expenses likely to be incurred during your stay in France, including repatriation for medical reasons.
A guarantee of payment of potential medical expenses must be provided
Nationals of the Schengen area can obtain a European document from their national insurance company. All others must provide a certificate that is often difficult for the French authorities to verify. The easiest way is to contract an inexpensive private travel insurance company for the duration of your trip. Click here on “Travel insurance” to directly and easily protect yourself during your stay in France.
List of countries requiring a Schengen visa to enter France which can be obtain from a French Ambassy or Consulat
These countries can obtain a short stay visa for the Scheingen area, i.e. for France, directly from a French embassy or consulate in their country of origin.
Liste of countries requiring a Schengen visa to enter France which cannot be obtain from a French Ambassy or Consulat
If such is the case, to obtain a short stay visa for the Scheingen area, i.e. for France, you need to ask the Ambassy which represents the French Ambassy in your country. Therefore, click on “Assistant visa to enter France” and fill in the visa application form. First you’ll find out whether you need a visa, and then which embassy in your country represents the French.
| Country | Continent | Capital |
| Zambie | Afrique | Lusaka |
| Yémen | Asie | Sanaa |
| Vanuatu | Océanie | Port-Vila |
| Tuvalu | Océanie | Funafuti (Vaiaku) |
| Timor oriental | Asie | Dili |
| Tchéquie | Europe | Prague |
| Syrie | Asie | Damas |
| Suriname | Amérique | Paramaribo |
| Slovénie | Europe | Ljubljana |
| Slovaquie | Europe | Bratislava |
| Seychelles | Afrique | Victoria |
| Sao Tomé-et-Principe | Afrique | São Tomé |
| Samoa | Océanie | Apia |
| Salvador | Amérique | San Salvador |
| Îles Salomon | Océanie | Honiara |
| Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines | Amérique | Kingstown |
| Saint-Marin | Europe | Saint-Marin |
| Saint-Christophe-et-Niévès | Amérique | Basseterre |
| Paraguay | Amérique | Asuncion |
| Nicaragua | Amérique | Managua |
| Monténégro | Europe | Podgorica |
| Moldavie | Europe | Chisinau |
| Îles Marshall | Océanie | Delap-Uliga-Darrit (Majuro) |
| Malawi | Afriqque | Lilongwe |
| Lituanie | Europe | Vilnius |
| Islande | Europe | Reykjavik |
| Honduras | Amérique | Tegucigalpa |
| Guyana | Amérique | Georgetown |
| Grenade | Amérique | Saint-Georges |
| Dominique | Amérique | Roseau |
| Burundi | Afrique | Gitega |
| Bolivie | Amérique | La Paz (gouvernement et ambassades) Sucre (constitutionnelle) |
| Belize | Amérique | Belmopan |
| Bahreïn | Asie | Manama |
| Bahamas | Amérique | Nassau |
| Jamaïque | Amérique | Kingston |
Others
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