Do France passport holders need a visa to visit NI?

French passport holders do NOT need a visa for Nicaragua. They can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days. A mandatory Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) costing US$10 is purchased on arrival, and the passport must be valid for at least 6 months. As of 30 May 2026, France (FR) ordinary passport holders enjoy visa-free entry to Nicaragua for tourism and short visits of up to 90 days. France is classified in Category A (visa-exempt) under Nicaragua's revised visa framework, Disposición Administrativa No. 002-2026, which took effect on 16 February 2026. That major overhaul moved roughly 128 nationalities into a new Category C "Consulted Visa," but the European Union, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and Australia all explicitly retained visa-free status, so French travelers are unaffected. On arrival, all visa-exempt visitors (except citizens of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) must purchase a Tourist Card / Tarjeta de Turismo for US$10. The 90-day stay can be extended once at a Nicaraguan migration office for an additional period for a fee. Entry conditions: passport valid for at least 6 months, proof of onward/return travel, and proof of sufficient funds. Note that Nicaragua is in Central America, not the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply to entering Nicaragua (ETIAS applies to Nicaraguans visiting France, the reverse direction).