Documents & Travel Insurance for France: Passport, Visa & Health Cover
What Documents Do You Need for France?
France is part of the Schengen Area, which simplifies entry for many nationalities and complicates it for others. Here's what you need.
Passport or ID Card?
EU/EEA citizens: Can enter France with a national ID card. No passport required.
Non-EU citizens: Passport required. Must be valid for the duration of your stay (some nationalities need 3 months beyond departure date—check your country's specific requirements).
UK citizens (post-Brexit): Passport required (no longer ID card). No visa for stays under 90 days. Passport must be less than 10 years old AND have at least 6 months validity remaining. This catches people out—check the issue date, not just the expiry.
US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand: No visa required for stays up to 90 days within 180 days (Schengen rule). Just a valid passport.
Schengen Visa (if required)
Citizens of many countries need a Schengen visa to enter France.
Key points:
- A single Schengen visa covers 26 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain
- Apply at the French embassy or consulate in your country
- Apply 3-6 months before travel (summer especially—processing times vary)
- Requires: proof of accommodation, return ticket, bank statements, travel insurance
- Cost: €80 for adults, €40 for children 6-12
90/180 rule: Even without a visa, non-EU travelers can only stay 90 days out of any 180-day period across all Schengen countries combined—not 90 days per country.
ETIAS (Coming 2025)
The EU is introducing ETIAS—a pre-travel authorization (like US ESTA or Australian ETA) for visa-exempt visitors. Expected to cost €7, valid 3 years.
Check the latest status before your trip—implementation has been delayed multiple times.
Health Insurance for France
EU/EEA citizens: EHIC or GHIC
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC—UK version post-Brexit) gives you access to French state healthcare at the same cost as locals.
- What it covers: Medically necessary treatment. Not repatriation, private hospital, or everything.
- How it works: Show at a French hospital or doctor. Pay upfront, get reimbursed (usually 70-80% of costs).
- Cost: Free. Apply through your country's health authority.
- EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance—it covers medical treatment but not cancellation, luggage, delays.
Non-EU citizens: France has no reciprocal health agreements with most non-European countries. Treatment is good but expensive without insurance. A broken leg can cost €5,000-15,000.
Travel Insurance: Do You Need It?
Yes. Even for EU citizens with EHIC.
Standard travel insurance covers:
- Trip cancellation/interruption: You get sick before departure, flight cancelled, family emergency
- Medical evacuation: Getting flown home if seriously ill
- Baggage loss/delay: Airlines lose luggage
- Travel delay: Missed connections, overnight stays
- Medical top-up: Costs not covered by EHIC
What to look for:
- Medical coverage: minimum €1 million
- Medical evacuation included
- "Cancel for any reason" if you want full flexibility (more expensive)
- Sports/adventure activities covered if relevant
Cost: €20-60 for a 1-2 week trip to France, depending on age and coverage.
Where to buy:
- Direct: World Nomads, Allianz, AXA, InsureMyTrip
- Credit card: Some cards include travel insurance if you pay flights with them (check terms)
- Not from the airline: Airline insurance is usually overpriced and limited
Digital Copies & Practical Prep
- Passport: Photo on your phone + email scan to yourself
- Insurance documents: Download to phone, email to yourself
- Emergency contacts: Write them somewhere physical (not just phone)
- Hotel/accommodation addresses: Print one physical copy
- EHIC/GHIC: Photo on phone
Hotel safes: Use them for your passport. Walk around Paris with just a photocopy or your ID card photo.
Explore France with Trevurs
Once your paperwork is sorted, Trevurs audio tours help you explore on arrival. Download tours before you leave—no data needed once downloaded.