Your arrival in France

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Whether or not you need a visa, entry into the Schengen area of third-country nationals must comply with a certain number of conditions, as provided for by the European and national regulations in force.

Documents to be presented on arrival in France

The following supporting documents must be presented at the request of the Border Police upon your arrival in France :

• A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date
• A valid visa, if required
• Proof of accommodation covering the whole duration of the stay (hotel reservation and/or certificate of staying with a relative validated in the town hall)
• Sufficient financial means. The means of subsistence shall be assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay and by reference to the average prices for accommodation and food in the Member States
• Your return ticket or the financial means to acquire one at the envisaged return date
• Any document providing details on the profession or the capacity of the traveller as well as on the establishments or organisations located in France which are expecting you, if you are on a professional trip
• You must have an insurance certificate covering all medical and hospital expenses for which you may be liable for the duration of your stay in France, as well as medical repatriation costs and expenses in the event of death

For travellers in transit, you must be able to present proof of satisfying the entry conditions in the final destination country (conditions of stay and accommodation during transit, continuation ticket and visa for the destination country).

What amount of resources must you justify ?

For France, this amount is :

• 65 euros per day of stay in the case of presentation of a hotel booking
• 120 euros per day in the case of non-presentation of a hotel booking
• In the case of a partial hotel booking: 65 euros per day for the period covered by the booking and 120 euros per day for the remainder of the stay

You must have an insurance certificate covering all medical and hospital expenses for which you may be liable for the duration of your stay in France, as well as medical repatriation costs and expenses in the event of death.

For travellers in transit, you must be able to present proof of satisfying the entry conditions in the final destination country (conditions of stay and accommodation during transit, continuation ticket and visa for the destination country)

If you are hosted by an individual, you must provide a certificate of staying with a relative validated in the town hall at the request of the person who invited you.

In which cases are you exempted from presenting supporting documents at the border ?

You are exempted from presenting supporting documents at the border if you belong to one of the following categories :

• You hold a valid French residence permit or a movement document for foreign minors (DCEM) or a French identity certificate (TIR)
• You are spouse of a French citizen
• You hold a long-stay visa marked with "residence permit must be applied for upon arrival in France"
• You are the holder of a document attesting to one of the following functions :
  • Member of diplomatic missions and consular posts taking office in France
  • Member of parliament
  • Official, officer or agent of foreign public services, carrying an assignment brief from your government
  • An official of an intergovernmental organisation of which France is a member, carrying an assignment brief from that organisation
  • Ships and aircraft crew members engaged in service travel

Schengen Area Entry/Exit System (EES)

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the new border management system that allows non-EU nationals travelling to Europe for a short stay to be registered every time they cross the external borders of 29 European countries.

Which European countries use the EES ?

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Who will be registered in the EES ?

Non-EU nationals travelling to European countries using the EES for a short stay (i.e. up to 90 days over a period of 180 days) are registered in the EES. Foreign diplomats from non-EU countries travelling to France for a mission of less than 90 days are also registered in the EES even if they have an exemption from biometric collection when applying for a visa. Traveller data is recorded in the EES, whether or not they need a short-stay visa. There are some exemptions listed below. Denials of entry are also recorded in the system.

What data is collected by the EES ?

• Personal data appearing on the travel document, such as full name, date of birth, and nationality
• The date and place of each entry and exit in the 29 European countries using the EES
• Biometric data such as facial image and/or fingerprints
• Information on refusals of entry, if applicable

Why is the EES being implemented ?

• The EES modernizes border controls
• The EES facilitates the identification of non-EU nationals who do not meet the conditions for entry or stay, or who exceed the authorized length of stay in the Schengen area
• The EES strengthens the security of Europe's borders

Exemptions

The EES does not apply to :

• Nationals of European countries using the EES, as well as Cyprus and Ireland
• Nationals of non-EU countries who hold a residence permit and are immediate family members of an EU national
• Non-EU nationals traveling to Europe for intra-company transfers, research, study, training, volunteering, student exchange programs, educational projects, or au pair placements
• Diplomats who come to take up their duties in the territory of an EM and hold a long-stay visa of diplomatic establishment or a special residence permit
• Holders of residence permits and long-stay visas
• Nationals of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and holders of a passport issued by the Vatican City State or the Holy See
• Persons exempt from border controls or enjoying certain privileges in relation to border controls
• Persons holding a valid local border traffic permit
• Crew members of international passenger and freight trains
• Heads of State and Government, members of national governments and their accompanying spouses, members of official delegations, and sovereigns and prominent members of the royal family

What you need to do in France

Upon your arrival in France, you will be subject to administrative obligations to transform your visa into a regular residence permit. These formalities will also allow you to access the services and benefits provided by the French administration. They differ depending on the visa issued to you.

Long-stay visa with the obligation to apply for a residence permit

If the visa issued to you is a long-stay visa indicating an obligation to apply for a residence permit, you must complete this process within two months of arrival and contact the prefecture of your place of residence.

• If you live in Paris, you must go to police headquarters
• If you live in another department, you must report to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your department. For more information, consult the procedures for foreigners in France

Before you go to the prefecture, consult the website of the prefecture of your place of residence in order, in particular, to find out what documents need to be provided. Some prefectures offer you the chance to make an appointment online.

You must attend your appointment at the prefecture in person and have the originals of the supporting documents for your documents. You may be asked to have purchased a tax stamp to pay for your visitor's tax.

Long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS)

You must validate your VLS-TS within three months of arriving in France.

If you fail to do so, you will no longer be legally present in France and will be unable to re-enter the Schengen Area.

The validation procedure is now completely online. To begin, please visit the following website :

https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr

You will need to provide :

• The information on your visa
• The date on which you entered France
• Your residential address in France
• Your credit card to pay online the issuance fee for the appropriate residence permit or electronic stamp for your circumstances, which you can purchase at any newsagent

The OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration) reserves the right to call you for a meeting to carry out further formalities, have a medical check-up and/or sign an integration contract.

At the end of the validity of your VLS-TS and if you wish to remain in France, you will have to apply for a residence permit according to the procedures described on the website https://www.service-public.fr/.

A support unit has been set up at the Directorate-General for Foreign Nationals in France, phone number : +33 0806 001 620 – courriel : dgef-support@interieur.gouv.fr

Living in France

For more information on the preparation of your trip, the steps to take upon arrival and when settling in France, consult the Living in France information booklet (pdf [1,36 MB]) published by the French Ministry of the Interior.

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