Visa policy of the French overseas departments and territories

Visa policy of the French overseas departments and territories
Visa-free access to:
  All territories, unlimited period
  All territories, up to 3 months
  All territories; most up to 3 months, one up to 15 days on organized trips
  All territories; some up to 3 months, some up to 15 days
  Most territories, up to 3 months
  Some territories, up to 3 months
  Some territories, up to 15 days on organized trips
French Polynesia entry stamp
Guadeloupe entry stamp
Martinique entry stamp
New Caledonia entry stamp
Saint Barthélemy entry stamp
Saint Pierre and Miquelon entry stamp

Whereas France is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, the overseas departments and territories of France are not part of the Schengen area and apply their own visa restrictions. Those policies are generally similar to those adopted according to the Schengen acquis.[1]

Overseas departments:


Overseas territories:

Visa exemptions

Nationals of the following countries can enter and reside for an unlimited period without a visa in the French overseas departments and territories:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland travelling directly between Europe (usually France) and a French overseas department/collectivity can use their national identity card instead of their passport as a travel document. In practice, the only French overseas departments/collectivities which can be reached directly by plane from Europe are French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

For short stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period, visa-free entry is granted to nationals of the following countries and territories:[2][3][4][5][6][7]

1. With biometric passport.
2. For French Guiana, Brazilian citizens may enter without a visa only in the following cases: up to 15 days for trips organized by an approved travel agency; up to 3 days when in transit to France (including all territories) or Brazil; local residents of Oiapoque who are holders of a special card authorising cross-border travel (in which case they can visit Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock only visa-free for up to 72 hours); or members of the emergency services.
3. Except for Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin.
4. For French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, visa-free entry of up to 15 days for each short stay, as long as the visa-free short stays do not total more than 120 days over a 12-month period.
5. Except with passport issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.
6. With passport bearing identity card number.

In addition, this exemption applies to:

1. For Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, only British Nationals (Overseas) and British subjects with right of abode in the United Kingdom.

Also, holders of a multiple-entry visa issued by a French consular authority valid for 6 months to 5 years are exempt from obtaining a short-stay visa for another French territory, only if they are nationals of the following countries: Bahrain, Belarus, China, India, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates.

Additional exemptions for specific territories

For French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique:[2]

For Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin:[3]

1. Only for Saint Martin.
Note: As British nationals, British Overseas Territories citizens are also granted visa-free entry to all other French territories.

For Réunion:[2]

1. Visa-free entry of up to 15 days for each short stay, for trips organized by an approved travel agency.

For Mayotte:[4]

For the overseas territories in Oceania (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia):[5][6][7]

1. Visa-free entry of up to 15 days for each short stay, for trips organized by an approved travel agency.
2. Only for French Polynesia.
3. Only for New Caledonia.

Summary of short-stay visa exemptions

Country or territory France (Schengen) French Guiana Guadeloupe and Martinique Réunion Mayotte Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna French Polynesia New Caledonia Saint Martin Saint Barthélemy
 EU/EFTA Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Schengen 'Annex II'[Note 1] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Brazil Yes organized trips or in transit Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Bermuda Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Montserrat Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 British Virgin Islands Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Turks and Caicos Islands Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Anguilla Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
United Kingdom other British nationals Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Colombia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 East Timor Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Grenada Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Palau Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Samoa Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Tonga Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Trinidad and Tobago Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 United Arab Emirates Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Vanuatu Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
 Peru Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No
 Kiribati Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Marshall Islands Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Micronesia Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Solomon Islands Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Tuvalu Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Bolivia No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
 Ecuador No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No
 Mozambique No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No
 South Africa No No No Yes No No No No No No No
 China No No No organized trips No No No organized trips No No No
 India No No No organized trips No No No No No No No
 Nauru No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
 Fiji No No No No No No No No Yes No No
 Papua New Guinea No No No No No No No No Yes No No
  1. Except Brazil, Colombia, East Timor, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Greandines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, and British nationals who are not EU citizens or British Nationals (Overseas).

Obtaining a visa

Foreign nationals who require a visa for a French overseas department or territory can obtain one by lodging an application at a French embassy or consulate in their country of residence (or, in the case of foreign nationals already in metropolitan France, the local prefecture)[14] for a fee of €9 to €60 (depending on the destination and length of stay).[15]

Note that a Schengen short stay visa ('C visa') is not valid for the French overseas departments and territories, and vice versa.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Foreigners holding a normal passport exempt from a visa obligation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, October 2013. (French)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ruling of 26 July 2011 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion and the collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Légifrance, consolidated version of 6 April 2016. (French)
  3. 1 2 3 Ruling of 18 April 2012 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of the collectivities of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, Légifrance, consolidated version of 6 April 2016. (French)
  4. 1 2 3 Ruling of 4 February 2015 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of Mayotte, Légifrance, consolidated version of 6 April 2016. (French)
  5. 1 2 3 Ruling of 22 July 2011 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of New Caledonia, Légifrance, consolidated version of 7 September 2016. (French)
  6. 1 2 3 Ruling of 26 July 2011 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of Wallis and Futuna, Légifrance, consolidated version of 6 April 2016. (French)
  7. 1 2 3 Ruling of 29 December 2011 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners in the territory of French Polynesia, Légifrance, consolidated version of 7 September 2016. (French)
  8. http://www.guyane.cci.fr/fr/aeroport/informations_pratiques
  9. http://www.guadeloupe.aeroport.fr/guide-du-voyageur/formalites-police-et-douanes.php#formalites-de-police
  10. http://www.aeroport-mayotte.com/gp/Documents-et-Formalites/89
  11. http://www.martinique.aeroport.fr/Formalites.asp
  12. http://www.reunion.aeroport.fr/index.php?id=88
  13. http://www.aeroport-mayotte.com/gp/Documents-et-Formalites/89
  14. http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F10610.xhtml
  15. France Diplomatie: Entry and stay visas: Application fees
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