Entry/Exit Requirements

A current U.S. passport with a minimum validity of six months or more is now required to enter most European Union countries, including France.  Although U.S. citizens may enter France and Monaco for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa, you need to check the expiration date on your passport carefully before traveling to France or other countries in the European Union.  Because of the EU’s new “Schengen” regulations, U.S. Citizens presenting passports with less than six month validity have been denied entry into France and sometimes detained by airport police pending mandatory boarding on a return flight. If your passport does not meet the Schengen requirements, you may also be refused boarding by the airline at your point of origin or while transferring planes. Consequently, we recommend that your passport have at least six month validity remaining whenever you travel to Europe and that you carefully read the State Department’s Schengen FAQ.  Immigration officers may also request you show sufficient funds and a return airline ticket.

If you are traveling for reasons other than business or tourism – such as employment, study, or internship – you must obtain a French or Monegasque visa for that purpose before you leave the United States. You should be aware that it is nearly impossible to obtain or change visa status while in France.

Contact the French Embassy in Washington at 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007, tel. (202) 944 6000, or the French Consulate General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, or San Francisco for the most current visa information.

If you are transiting France or Monaco en route to other countries, make sure you know all of the entry and exit requirements for your trip and final destination. If you don’t have the right documentation, you might be denied boarding to your connecting flight. Some countries require a certain number of blank visa pages or more than six months remaining validity on your passport.

Special Note: Overseas departments and territories of France (i.e. those not located in Europe) are not part of the Schengen Agreement. Please see Country Specific Information on French Guiana, French Polynesia, and the French West Indies for entry and exit requirements for those areas.

MONACO: For further information on entry requirements to Monaco, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Principality of Monaco, 3400 International Drive, NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington D.C. 20008, Tel: (202) 234-1530, Email: Embassy Monaco, or the Consulate General of Monaco, 565 Fifth Avenue – 23rd floor, New York, NY 10017, Tel: (212) 286-0500, Email: Monaco Consulate. For the most current visa information, visit the Embassy of the Principality of Monaco website. For more information please visit the official site of the Monaco Government, or the Government Tourist Office.

There are strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export of items such as firearms, antiquities, medications, business equipment, sales samples, and other items. Contact the Consulate General of Monaco for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Our website can provide you with information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information Sheet.

HIV/AIDS Restrictions: There are no HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to France or Monaco, and no specific HIV/AIDS restrictions for foreign residents. However, due to the extensive medical benefits provided by the French Government, permanent resident status may be denied to foreigners with terminal illnesses when treatment is available in their home country.