Do I Need a Visa for France?
Wondering if you need a visa for France for your upcoming trip? Learn about France’s entry requirements, ETIAS information, and more!
Is France Part of the Schengen area?
France is part of the Schengen area.
Do I need a Visa for France?
If you are visiting for tourism or business and hold a valid U.S. passport, you stay in the Schengen area (which includes France) without a visa for 90 days within each 180-day period. To stay longer than 90 days you must obtain a visa. However, starting in early 2025, to travel to Europe U.S. passport holders will need to apply for a visa waiver. This can be done through the EU’s European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
France Entry Requirements
To enter France, US citizens must have a valid US Passport that has been issued within the last ten years and is valid for at least three months after leaving France. It must have two blank pages. The 12-page U.S. emergency passport is not valid for visa-free entry into France.
You must also have proof of a return or onward ticket showing your departure date from France and proof of accommodation while in France (a hotel reservation will suffice).
You are required to have a travel medical insurance document that covers France and has a minimum coverage of €30,000 (around $33,000). And starting in 2025, you will need to have an ETIAS authorization.
Travel Visa Guide
Additionally, you need to show you have sufficient financial means to support yourself while in France and proof of purpose of entry.
How to Get to France
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), also known as Roissy Airport or Paris CDG, is the main international airport serving Paris, France. Paris Orly Airport (ORY) and Paris Beauvais Airport (BVA) also serve the Paris city center. More than a dozen airports serve the rest of France.
Air France is the flagship carrier of France and flies from New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. to Paris. Other carriers such as British Airways, Delta, United, and American also fly from the US to Paris.
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Lori Barbely
Hi, I’m Lori. But you can call me Lors. I’m a middle-aged New Jersey-born gal, currently based in Orlando, Florida. My background is in editorial travel photography and writing and I've been to more than 30 countries. I’m obsessed with tropical locales and my favorite city is Tokyo. Have camera, will travel! I’m a Disney adult, Lord of the Rings fan, certified crazy cat lady, and sushi addict! I hope this blog inspires your wanderlust. Feel free to follow me on Instagram for snippets of daily life on and off the road.
