It is the Traveler’s responsibility to ensure that he is in order (and that the people appearing on his file are also in order) with the police, customs, health formalities and the validity and conformity of all required travel documents.
Check the travel documents required (identity document, visa) for entry and stay in your country of destination, transit and in all stopovers visited with the embassy and consulate of this country as well as your country of origin in France.
Contact details of foreign embassies and consulates in France — you can find contact details for foreign embassies and consulates in France here.
Depending on the country of destination, it is advisable to ask for the renewal of the identity card or to bring a passport. In order to avoid any inconvenience during your trip, you are strongly recommended to favor the use of a valid passport rather than a CNI bearing an expired expiry date, even if it is considered by the French authorities to be still valid.
To travel overseas a valid identity card is sufficient. However, if you must transit through a foreign country during your trip, you will need to present a valid passport.
Regarding the passport, some countries require a minimum validity (at least 6 months before the return date). Most states require a passport valid for several months after the planned date of return to France (at least 6 months after the return date). Contact your prefecture in good time for its possible renewal.
The valid national identity card is sufficient to travel within the European Economic Area or Switzerland. However, not all countries allow entry into their territory to persons holding a card bearing a validity date that appears to have expired. Travel with a valid document is strongly recommended.
If your identity document is lost or stolen, you will not be able to travel with either the photocopy of your document or the police declaration.
For a trip to a country of the European Economic Area or to Switzerland, no visa is required.
For most other foreign countries you need a short stay visa. To find out if your country of destination, transit or all stopovers visited requires a visa, check with the consulate or embassy of the country concerned in France.
To find out if your country of destination, transit or all stopovers visited requires a visa, find out by consulting the sheet for the country concerned (Entry/Stay section) or at the consulate or embassy of the country concerned in France.
A minor child who is a French national and travels with his parents must have:
A minor child who lives in France (whether French or foreign) and traveling abroad alone (without being accompanied by one of his parents) must have the following documents:
If the child is traveling with only one parent, some countries such as Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco or Switzerland may require proof that the other parent authorizes this trip.
No text obliges the parent to justify the exercise of parental authority when his child does not bear the same name as him. However, to avoid any inconvenience during your trip, remember to bring a photocopy of the family record book or birth certificate.
If the child leaves mainland France to go to an overseas department, he must produce an authorization to leave the territory if he is stopping over in a foreign country.
In all cases, it is recommended to check the documents required by the country of destination by consulting the country sheets on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Before leaving, we advise you to make the necessary institutional contacts on the spot (French diplomatic authorities in the country of destination for French nationals) or diplomatic representations of your country of origin in the country of destination (for nationals of other countries).
Vaccinations, health risks and recommendations for your health: by consulting the sheet for the country concerned (Entry/Stay, Health sections) as well as on the detailed information sheets (Preparing my trip section) on the Institut Pasteur website.
Travel Advice: as well as on the Travel advice section of the Ministry of Affairs website by consulting the sheet for the country concerned (Entry/Stay section).
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has created Ariane, a new portal which allows French travelers who so wish to communicate data relating to their trips abroad. This data may be used, in the event of a crisis, to contact them or their relatives.
This information is provided as a guide and may change at any time. It is your responsibility to verify up-to-date requirements with the relevant authorities before your departure.