QuickTravelTools Do I need a visa for France with a US passport?
- Passport
- US
- Destination
- France
- Purpose
- Tourism
- Stay
- Up to 90 days
No visa needed. You can stay up to 90 days.
Verified October 5, 2026
Source: France in the United States (French Embassy / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs).
What you need
- No visa required
US passport holders do not need a visa for tourism stays in France of up to 90 days.
Source: France in the United States (French Embassy / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
QTT checked France's official guidance on October 5, 2026. We re-check these sources and update this page when official rules change.
Official sources
- US citizens may spend 90 days in metropolitan France without a visa under the France-US bilateral agreement, in addition to the Schengen 90-day visa exemption (invoked at the border) (France in the United States (French Embassy / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs), verified October 5, 2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annexes I and II: the common EU list of third countries whose nationals must (Annex I) or must not (Annex II) hold a visa for short stays in the Schengen area. This is the destination's full inbound matrix as a Schengen member state. Note: EUR-Lex redirects automated fetches to the TodayOJ portal; the regulation text was verified via the IS/LT/DK batch checks of 2026-10-06. (EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the European Union), verified October 6, 2026)
Visa rules for all 199 passports: France visa hub.
Visa costs and applying
France at a glance
| Region | Europe |
|---|---|
| Everyday prices | 73 on our price index (US = 100) |
| Power | Type C/E sockets, 230/400 V, 50 Hz |
On cost, France is mid-priced for travelers: everyday prices sit at about 73 on a global index where the United States is 100. See how France compares to 179 countries.
Pack a plug adapter: US devices use Type A/B/NEMA 14-30/NEMA 14-50, but France uses Type C/E. Voltage differs too (230/400 V there versus 120/240 V, 120/208 V, 277/480 V at home), so check for a dual-voltage label before plugging in. Full plug and voltage guide for France.
Good to know about France
- Your 90-day limit is shared across the whole Schengen area. Time spent in Italy, Spain, or any other Schengen country counts toward the same 90 days in any 180-day period. It is not 90 days per country. (European External Action Service)
- Your passport must stay valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. If it does not meet this rule, your airline can refuse to let you board. (U.S. Embassy in France)
- Carrying EUR 10,000 or more in cash? You must declare it to French customs when you enter or leave France. Not declaring can lead to fines. (French Customs)
- France does not accept the 12-page U.S. emergency passport for visa-free entry. If you travel on one, you can be refused boarding or refused entry. (U.S. Embassy in France)
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Common questions
Do US citizens need a visa for France?
No. US passport holders do not need a visa for tourism stays in France of up to 90 days.
How long can a US passport holder stay in France?
US passport holders can stay in France for up to 90 days without a visa. Stays longer than 90 days require a different visa or immigration authorization.
Is the visa information on this page official?
No. This is a summary compiled from official government sources and verified by QuickTravelTools, and it can lag rule changes. Always confirm with France's embassy or official immigration portal before you travel.
Is there an arrival card or travel authorisation for France?
Europe's ETIAS travel authorization is not live yet, so visa-free visitors from outside the EU need only a passport for now. The EU has not set a launch date and says it will announce one several months before the system goes live.
Nearby destinations for US passport holders
Sorted by distance from France, useful if your trip covers more than one country.