Administrarive formalities

Identity card and passport

•   Check the validity of your identity card
  • A valid identity card is required for travel within the EU and Switzerland.
  • Since 1 January 2014, the validity of the identity card has increased from 10 to 15 years. (issued between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013). The validity date on your card will not be changed. You may therefore travel with an identity card whose validity has expired for less than 5 years. For more information on this subject, we invite you to consult the website of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition.

• Check the validity of your passport
  • For travel outside the EU and Switzerland, a valid passport is required. We invite you to consult the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS) or to contact your prefecture in good time for its possible renewal.

For more information, contact your airline, travel agency, tour operator or the competent authorities.

Entry and stay formalities

To prepare for your stay abroad, you must check the entry and residence formalities with the embassy and consulate of the country of destination: passport or national identity card? Is it necessary to obtain a visa? 
For more information, consult the directory of French embassies and consultats abroad.

Schengen area

French nationals can move freely within the Schengen area, which includes 22 Member States of the European Union :

• Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
• Norway, Iceland and Switzerland, although outside the EU, are associated with the Schengen area through a cooperation agreement with the countries that are signatories to the Convention.
• The United Kingdom and Ireland have not signed this Convention but partly participate in the measures adopted under the Schengen acquis.

However, due to the terrorist threat, identity checks may be carried out at border crossings within the Schengen area. ​​​​​​​

Outside the Schengen Area

• Travel to the United States
  • As of April 1,2016, only holders of an ePassport or biometric passport can travel to the United States, for a maximum of 90 days.
  • They must have a return ticket.
  • Since January 2009, it has been necessary to obtain an electronic travel authorization before travelling to the United States

For more information, visit the ESTA website and the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition website.

• Travel to Canada
  • As of March 15,2016, travel by air to Canada requires an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to departure. To make this request, visit the Government of Canada website.

Country information

Before choosing your destination, it is necessary to consult the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development on destinations that are not recommended.
For complete information on a country, you can access the files of the "Maison des français à l'étranger".

Ariane, for your own safety, stay connected!

The Ariane portal allows French travellers who so wish to communicate data on their trips abroad.

• The objectives:
  • Identify, in a crisis situation, the French nationals declared to be present in the affected area,
  • Inform nationals by calling them directly or sending them an SMS,
  • Contact the person designated by the user as a contact person in France to be notified in case of emergency.

This tool has been the subject of preparatory work in consultation with the CNIL to offer users all the guarantees in terms of security and the confidentiality of personal data.
The recorded data may be used, in the event of a crisis only, by the Crisis Centre and the embassies, in order to contact users in the event that relief operations are organised.

Airline blacklist

The European Commission regularly updates the list of airlines banned in the European Union (EU).

View the European Commission's blacklist of airlines.