France visa requirements for US passport holders

Check your circumstances

Read these conditions alongside the entry rule. Where official guidance does not state a condition, that is not confirmation that no condition applies.

Passport type Conditions to check

This route is for US tourist passports within the scope above. Other travel documents and citizenship or residence rights need a separate check.

Official sources: US Department of State.

Trip purpose Confirmed for this scope

This guide covers tourism without professional activity. It does not establish permission to work or settle in France.

Official sources: Government of France.

Age Conditions to check

Children and minors need their own passport and any required visa. Check additional family-travel documents for the itinerary.

Official sources: European Union.

Residence Conditions to check

Residence rights and qualifying Schengen residence permits or long-stay visas can change the applicable route. This article describes ordinary short tourist visits.

Official sources: Government of France.

Other visas or residence permits Not stated in the cited guidance

The cited ordinary-passport tourist exemption does not list another country’s visa as a prerequisite. It cannot be transferred to travelers with another nationality.

Official sources: US Department of State.

Carrier and arrival route Not stated in the cited guidance

The French arrival guidance does not name an approved-airline condition. Check transport and transit-document requirements for your actual route.

Official sources: Government of France.

Stay and visa validity Confirmed for this scope

The ordinary short-stay ceiling is 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area. A trip to another Schengen country does not restart it.

Official sources: Government of France.

Check your passport and count Schengen days

France does not recognize the 12-page US emergency passport for entry. Obtain the appropriate full-validity passport before traveling; an emergency transit exception is not tourist-entry permission.

Add the days spent in every Schengen country during the relevant 180-day period. A passport with years left to run does not permit a longer tourist stay. Arrange the correct permission before a trip that falls outside the ordinary short-stay route.

Official sources: US Department of State; Government of France.

Keep your border documents accessible

Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and remain valid for at least 3 months after your planned Schengen departure. Carry evidence of accommodation, sufficient funds, return arrangements and medical insurance, including repatriation cover. Border officers can ask to see these documents even when you do not need a visa.

For a private stay, check the attestation d’accueil with your host before departure. Children need their own travel documents. A child who normally lives in France and leaves without a parent needs separate exit-authorization checks.

Official sources: Government of France; European Union; Government of Canada.

Allow time for border registration

The Entry/Exit System (EES) records eligible short-stay travelers when they cross an external Schengen border. It is a border process, not a visa application. Qualifying residence permits and long-stay visas can change whether it applies.

As checked on November 3, 2026, ETIAS is not operating and applications are not open. Check the official EU update before your trip. EES registration does not create a new stay allowance, and ETIAS will not replace a required Schengen visa.

Official sources: Government of France; European Commission.