French passport visa-free countries

Traveling with a French passport

The French passport is an official document issued to all eligible citizens of France for purposes of traveling abroad. The document contains the traveler’s personal data, such as full name, gender, and nationality, and is used to verify their identity while in another country. The French passport is usually issued for a time period of 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors.

According to the Henley Passport Index ranking, the French passport is the 5th strongest passport in the world, granting visa-free access to 120 countries. For other journeys, it may be essential to apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa), a visa on arrival (VOA), or a regular visa.

The French passport application process

In order to apply for a French passport, it is mandatory that you are a citizen of France. You need to schedule an appointment at the town hall and complete a special pre-application form. Keep in mind that children should be accompanied by their parents or guardians in the office.

Collect the following documents to obtain the French passport:

• ID card
• Recent biometric photograph
• Number of completed pre-application
• Evidence of covering the processing fee
• Evidence of permanent residence in France

It is essential that all the provided documents are in French or English. Other languages must be translated into French by a professional translator.

Countries that French passport holders can visit visa-free

French passport holders are allowed to travel visa-free to a number of different destinations. This type of traveling is very convenient, as it eliminates the need to schedule time-consuming appointments at the Embassy or the Consulate. On arrival to another country, French citizens will only be asked to present the immigration officers with a valid passport.

The French nationals can enjoy traveling to 120 visa-exempt countries:

• Andorra
• United Arab Emirates
• Albania
• Armenia
• Angola
• Argentina
• Austria
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Brunei
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bahamas
• Botswana
• Belarus
• Belize
• Switzerland
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Serbia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Spain
• Finland
• Fiji
• Micronesia
• United Kingdom
• Grenada
• Georgia
• Gambia
• Greece
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Croatia
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Israel
• Iceland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kiribati
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Kazakhstan
• Saint Lucia
• Liechtenstein
• Lesotho
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Latvia
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Marshall Islands
• Macedonia
• Mongolia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Malaysia
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• San Marino
• Senegal
• Suriname
• El Salvador
• Thailand
• Tajikistan
• Timor Leste
• Tunisia
• Tonga
• Turkey
• Tuvalu
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vatican City
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Vanuatu
• Samoa
• South Africa
• Zambia
• Qatar
• Singapore
• Seychelles
• Palau
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Romania
• Paraguay
• Kosovo
• Solomon Islands
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Eswatini

The benefits of visiting visa-free countries with a French passport

There are endless advantages to traveling without a visa. The French passport is considered one of the strongest in the world, allowing the citizens of France to visit 120 visa-free countries with no problem. To travel visa-free, they only need a valid passport and a national ID card.

• Convenient Traveling – While choosing visa-free destinations, you can enjoy the convenience of traveling. There is no need to schedule visits at the Embassy or complete any application forms – you only need to pack your bags and collect your passport.
• Increased Mobility – Without wasting any time on applying for mandatory visas, visa-free travel allows you to enjoy numerous opportunities for international trips. Sometimes, you can even visit a few countries at once, depending on the selected route.
• Cost Savings – By choosing countries with no strict visa requirements, you also save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on visa processing fees. All the saved funds may be used to organize other international adventures.

Countries offering electronic visas to French citizens

To facilitate international travel for foreign visitors, some countries introduced the online visa system. The electronic visa (e-Visa) may be easily obtained through an online application system. To obtain the mandatory visa, all you need to do is complete the form, upload the documents, and cover the payment. The approved electronic visas are sent to applicants via e-mail.

French citizens are eligible to apply for an online visa for the following 36 countries:

• Azerbaijan
• Burkina Faso
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Congo
• Ivory Coast
• Cameroon
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Guinea
• Equatorial Guinea
• India
• Iran
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Cambodia
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Madagascar
• Myanmar
• Malawi
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Nepal
• Papua New Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• South Sudan

Instead of an online visa, some countries offer foreign travelers the Electronic Travel Authorization – ETA. This electronic visa is also easily obtainable online with an effortless application process and minimal visa requirements. It may be issued for short-term trips related to tourism and leisure.

The Electronic Travel Authorization ETA for French citizens is available in:

• Australia
• Canada
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• New Zealand
• Pakistan

Countries offering visas on arrival to French passport holders

A visa on arrival (VOA) is one of the most convenient methods of obtaining a visa. There is no need to complete any forms prior to the journey – collect all the required documentation and fill in the visa application form on arrival abroad. Remember that your documents will be verified by the immigration officers, and if there are any discrepancies, you may be denied entry.

French passport holders may apply for a visa on arrival to 25 places worldwide:

• Bangladesh
• Burkina Faso
• Bahrain
• Burundi
• Egypt
• Guinea Bissau
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Cambodia
• Comoros
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Madagascar
• Mauritania
• Maldives
• Malawi
• Nepal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Tanzania
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda
• Saudi Arabia

Countries where French citizens need to get a visa to travel to

French passport holders may visit many countries worldwide without a visa, but some destinations still have strict visa requirements. For some international travel, it is essential to have a regular visa. In order to obtain the required visa, visit the nearest Embassy and complete the application in person.

French passport holders are required to have a valid visa while visiting 19 countries:

• Afghanistan
• Congo
• Central African Republic
• China
• Cuba
• Algeria
• Eritrea
• Ghana
• North Korea
• Liberia
• Libya
• Mali
• Niger
• Nauru
• Syria
• Chad
• Turkmenistan
• Yemen
• Sudan