Entry requirement · France passport

Do French citizens need a visa for the United States?

Passport

France

Destination

United States

France passport holders do not need a traditional visa for the United States, but must get an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) online before departure.

Answer eTA required

No visa, but an eTA is required

Entry requirement: eTA required
Maximum stay: Check on entry
Apply before travel: Yes
Last updated: February 2026

How to apply

Checked November 2026

⚠️ CBP directs travellers to apply only through the official ESTA site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov; look-alike sites charge extra service fees. Use only the official links below.

Official route

ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) - Visa Waiver Program nationals only

Fee: USD 40.62 (same for all eligible nationalities)
Valid for: Up to 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first; stays of up to 90 days per visit
Processing: Most answers come quickly, but CBP advises applying as soon as you start planning, ideally before buying tickets

Official site →

At the border

Passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the planned stay, unless your country has an exemption agreement with the US.
Visa Waiver Program travellers must hold an electronic passport (e-Passport) and an approved ESTA before boarding.
Visa applicants should be ready to show the trip purpose, ties to home, and the means to pay for the visit.
Visitors may not work; admission and length of stay are decided by the CBP officer at the port of entry and recorded on the electronic I-94.
Overstaying automatically voids the visa and can affect future eligibility.

Recent changes

September 2025: ESTA fee rose from USD 21 to USD 40 (collected from 30 September 2025); the official ESTA site now lists USD 40.62.
October 2025: interview waivers were sharply narrowed (State Department notice of 18 September 2025, effective 1 October 2025); most visa applicants now need an in-person interview.
2025-2026: the ESTA application now asks for a selfie photo of the traveller.

Official source: U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs (travel.state.gov) · Not yet confirmed officially: eta.processing: exact ESTA processing time (commonly cited as up to 72 hours) could not be read on the official FAQ, Date when the ESTA fee moved from USD 40 to USD 40.62, Visa Integrity Fee (USD 250, set by the 2025 HR-1 law): not shown on the official State Department fee page, so collection status is unconfirmed and it is left out, Selfie requirement start date

What France passport holders need to do

Apply on the official government website or app before you book non-refundable travel.
Pay the fee and wait for approval, which usually arrives by email within minutes to a few days.
Travel with the same passport you used in the application.

France is one of 42 passports in the “eta required” group for the United States. See the full United States visa requirements for every passport.

Other easy destinations in North America for France passport holders

The United States is one of 8 destinations in the “eta required” group for the France passport, which ranks #3 worldwide with a mobility score of 165. Of 23 destinations in North America, 22 need no visa arranged in advance; the easiest are listed below.

Destination	Requirement	Max stay
Antigua and Barbuda	Visa-free	180 days
Bahamas	Visa-free	90 days
Barbados	Visa-free	90 days
Belize	Visa-free	–
Costa Rica	Visa-free	180 days
Dominica	Visa-free	180 days
Dominican Republic	Visa-free	–
El Salvador	Visa-free	180 days
Grenada	Visa-free	90 days
Guatemala	Visa-free	90 days
Haiti	Visa-free	90 days
Honduras	Visa-free	90 days