Visa policy of the French overseas departments and territories

src: www.schengenvisainfo.com

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.

Video Visa policy of the French overseas departments and 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:

Citizens of the EU, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland can use their national identity card instead of their passport as a travel document (only for French Overseas departments).

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:

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. For Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Canadian citizens may enter visa-free without a passport and use another identification document (e.g. a driver's licence or a Secure Certificate of Indian Status) instead.
4. Except for Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin.
5. 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.
6. Except with passport issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.
7. With passport bearing identity card number.

In addition, this exemption applies to:

• British nationals who are not British citizens¹

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

• Holders of a valid long-term visa or residence permit issued by France or another Schengen country

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:

For Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin:

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 Saint Pierre and Miquelon:

For Réunion:

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

For Mayotte:

For the overseas territories in Oceania (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia):

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

Maps Visa policy of the French overseas departments and territories

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) for a fee of EUR9 to EUR60 (depending on the destination and length of stay).

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

src: wikitravel.org

Visitor statistics

src: www.worldtravelguide.net

See also

• Visa policies in the European Union

src: upload.wikimedia.org

References

src: www.thepoortraveler.net

External links

• Visa policy in the French West Indies (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy)
• Visa policy of Réunion
• Visa policy of French Guiana
• Visa policy of French Polynesia
• Visa policy of New Caledonia
• Visa policy of Mayotte

Source of the article : Wikipedia