IMPORTANT NOTICE AND INFORMATIONS ABOUT SCHENGEN VISA

Important notice

• France’s territory in Europe is part of the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area also comprises the territory of other European Union and associated states : Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
• A Schengen visa is valid to enter the countries above listed.
• You must submit your application to the country of main destination. The main destination is the country where the applicant intends to spend the longest time or where the main purpose of the journey is carried on. In case the stays in different countries are the same length, the application must be submitted to the Embassy of the country where you first enter the Schengen area.
• A Schengen visa doesn’t allow entering the territory of overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane Française, Réunion) or overseas territorial communities (French Polynesia, New Caledonia). Please apply for a visa for the territories above listed.

Who are exempt from visa for a short stay ?

Your can check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to determine whether you need a visa.

A short stay is a stay in the Schengen Area lasting less than 90 days or a succession of stays totalling less than 90 days in any period of 6 months.

For short stays, European regulations specify the list of countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirement to enter the Schengen Area.

Exempt from visa requirement for France’s territory in Europe are :
 citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland ;
 nationals of the following countries, whatever the reason for their stay : Albania*, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bosnia*, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Serbia*, Seychelles, Taiwan (passport bearing identity card number), Uruguay ;
*bearers of biometric passports only
 nationals of the following countries : Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Venezuela, bearers of passports of the Hong Kong special administrative region (People’s Republic of China) and the Macau special administrative region (People’s Republic of China).
If you are gainfully employed, the exemption only applies if you can produce a work permit ;
 holders of a valid residence permit for France ;
 holders of a residence permit issued by a state applying the Schengen Agreements ;
 holders of certain travel documents issued by an EU Member State ;
 holders of a British National (Overseas) passport.

Special cases
Certain nationals remain subject to short-stay visa requirements in the following cases :
 nationals of the United States : journalists on assignment, scientists and artists in gainful employment in France.