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🇩🇪Germany
🇫🇷FranceDE-FR

Germany to France visa requirements

No visa needed. German citizens can enter France with a valid passport or German national ID card under EU freedom of movement; no Schengen 90/180 cap, ETIAS or EES registration applies. Germany and France are both members of the European Union and the Schengen Area. Under EU freedom of movement, German nationals may enter, travel, work, study and reside in France without a visa or prior travel authorisation. You may travel using either a valid German passport or a valid German national identity card; the document only needs to be valid on the day of travel (no six-month rule applies). There are normally no routine internal Schengen border checks between Germany and France, although police identity checks are possible and member states may temporarily reintroduce border controls. The Schengen 90/180-day short-stay limit, ETIAS travel authorisation and the Entry/Exit System (EES) apply to non-EU short-stay travellers, not to German EU citizens. French Service Public guidance confirms EU/EEA citizens can settle in France for more than three months subject to residence conditions; for a German citizen visiting France, there is still no tourist visa, ETIAS fee or advance processing.
VISA-FREETOURISMUNLIMITEDLast verified 2026-06-19
For guidance only — visa rules change with little notice. Always confirm directly with the destination's embassy or foreign ministry before booking non-refundable travel. Information here applies to ordinary (non-diplomatic) passports unless noted.
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/01 — The numbers

Key facts

Last verified 2026-06-19
Visa type
Visa-free (EU freedom of movement)
Maximum stay
No Schengen 90/180 limit; stays over 3 months may involve EU residence rules
per entry
Entries
Unlimited
from issue date
Visa fee
EUR 0
consular fee only
Processing time
None — no application required
standard track
Validity
Travel document must be valid on the day of travel
from issue date
/02 — The process

How to apply

/01
Confirm your travel document is valid
Ensure your German passport or national identity card (Personalausweis) is valid on your day of travel. No minimum remaining-validity (six-month) rule applies to EU citizens.
· Passport or national ID· Valid on travel day
/02
Book travel — no visa, ETIAS or EES needed
Book flights, trains or drive freely. As an EU citizen you do not apply for a French visa, ETIAS does not apply, and EES biometric registration is not used for EU citizens.
· No visa· No ETIAS· No EES
/03
Travel across the internal Schengen border
Germany and France are both in Schengen, so there are normally no routine border checks. Carry your ID document in case of a police spot-check or temporary border control.
· No routine checks· Carry ID
/04
Enter France for tourism
Enter without a visa and without counting Schengen 90/180 days. If you stay over three months or settle in France, check EU residence conditions and any local formalities separately.
· No Schengen cap· Residence rules if settling
/05
Keep ID accessible during your stay
Carry your passport or ID card while in France; French police may carry out identity checks, and proof of EU citizenship resolves them immediately.
· Spot-checks possible
/03 — The paperwork

Required materials

12 items
Personalized checklist
Germany -> France · Visa-free (EU freedom of movement)
0 / 12 complete
Deadline reminderAdd a date before export
RequiredValid German passport OR national identity card
Original passport; keep the blank pages and remaining validity required for this route
required
RequiredDocument valid on the day of travel
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
required
RequiredNo visa application
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
not-needed
RequiredNo ETIAS authorisation
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
not-needed
RequiredNo EES biometric registration (EU citizens exempt)
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
not-needed
ConditionalResidence-rule check if staying over 3 months or settling
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
conditional
RecommendedReturn/onward ticket (good practice, not mandatory)
Bookings, itinerary, or confirmations matching the requested stay dates
recommended
RecommendedTravel/health insurance or EHIC card
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
recommended
OptionalProof of accommodation (optional, for convenience)
Provide a clear scan, digital file, or original as requested by the official channel
optional
ConditionalOfficial application form or online application
Official form; submit online or print and sign as instructed
Visa-free routes usually do not require a visa form; submit any arrival card or authorization if required.
RequiredFlight and hotel itinerary
Confirmed or agency-arranged itinerary when the route guide requires it
Use dates that fit the allowed stay and visa validity.
RecommendedTravel medical insurance
Policy certificate showing traveler name, destination, and coverage dates
Some destinations or agencies require it even when the core visa rule only recommends it.
Official sourcesYour Europe (European Commission) — Travel documents for EU nationalsEuropean Commission — Free movement and residenceService Public (French government) — Long-term stay of a European in France
Application link included: EU Travel to Europe — ETIAS who should apply
Open link
/04 — The cost

Fee breakdown

All-in estimate
Line itemAmountSource
Visa feeEUR 0No visa required for EU citizens
ETIAS authorisationEUR 0Not applicable to EU citizens
EES registrationEUR 0EU citizens are exempt from the Entry/Exit System
Total estimateEUR 0 — EUR 0incl. all
/05 — The wait

Processing time

No application required
Immediate
EU freedom of movement means a German citizen simply travels to France with a valid passport or ID card — no visa application, no ETIAS and no EES enrolment.
/06 — The risks

Common refusal reasons

by frequency
/01
Both countries are EU members
Germany and France are EU member states, granting German citizens full freedom of movement.
High
/02
Tourism / short visit
Tourist stays are covered by free movement and are not subject to the Schengen 90/180-day visitor cap.
High
/03
Visiting family or friends
EU citizens can visit relatives in France freely with no visa, ETIAS or EES registration.
Medium
/04
Business trip or conference
Short business travel is permitted under free movement without a visa.
Medium
/05
Transit through France
Transit within Schengen requires only a valid EU travel document.
Low
/06
Longer stay or settling
A stay beyond three months remains visa-free for EU citizens, but residence conditions or local formalities can apply depending on status.
Medium
/07 — On arrival

After you land

/01
Immigration
Keep your passport, visa or exemption proof, return ticket, and accommodation details ready for border inspection.
/02
Customs
Review the destination's customs rules before travel and declare restricted goods or large cash amounts when required.
/03
Connectivity
Check whether airport SIMs, eSIMs, or roaming are the best option for your route before arrival.
/08 — The history

Policy changelog

since 2024
2026-06-19
Reviewed by Claude Code
Re-verified EU free-movement, French Service Public long-stay guidance, ETIAS/EES exemption and internal-border guidance; added checked-date and clarified that stays over three months may involve EU residence conditions rather than Schengen 90/180 limits.
2026-05-30
Germany to France route verified
Confirmed via the European Commission (Your Europe) and France-Visas that German EU citizens travel visa-free to France with a passport or national ID card, with no ETIAS and no EES registration (EU citizens are exempt from the EES that became operational on 10 April 2026).
/09 — The questions

Frequently asked

Do German citizens need a visa for France?—
No. Germany and France are both EU members, so German citizens travel visa-free under EU freedom of movement.
Can I travel to France with only my German ID card?+
Does ETIAS apply to German travellers?+
Is there a 90-day limit on my stay in France?+
Do I need to register biometrics under the new EES?+
Are there border checks between Germany and France?+
/11 — Passport tools

Tools for the Germany passport

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