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Passport valid for the entire duration of the stay, for French nationals.
To be prepared for any eventuality, make sure you have a passport with the required or sufficient number of blank pages (3, including 2 facing pages).
Emergency passport. As this document is not accepted everywhere, before applying for one, you should check that it is recognized by the country you are traveling to. You should also check whether it requires a visa application (which may be the case even for countries where you are exempt with a regular passport).
If you are traveling with your children, please note that minors, regardless of their age, must now also have their own passport. French law stipulates that minors traveling with both parents, or just one parent, do not need to have authorization to leave the country. However, this document is mandatory (since January 15, 2017) if this condition is not met. In the latter case, the child must present: a passport (or identity card, depending on the requirements of the destination country); the authorization to leave the country form, signed by one of the parents with parental authority (the authorization to leave the country form is available at www.service-public.fr); a photocopy of the identity document of the signing parent.
When a minor travels with one of their parents whose surname they do not share, it is strongly recommended that they either be able to prove their parentage (https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F15392), or to present an authorization to leave the country (Cerfa form no. 15646*01) duly completed and signed by the other parent, along with a copy of their identity document. This authorization does not exempt you from completing any other formalities specific to the destination concerning minors.
Since November 20, 2007, immigration offices have been equipped with devices for taking fingerprints and passport photos. All foreign nationals over the age of 16 arriving in Japan for the first time have their photo taken and their fingerprints recorded. This procedure is mandatory; visitors who refuse to comply will not be allowed to enter the country.
New security measures have come into effect at airports: electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.) must be charged and in working order for all flights to or via the United States and London. Security officers must be able to turn them on. As a precaution, keep your charger handy. If your device is dead or defective, it will be confiscated. As this measure is likely to be extended to other airports, we advise you to charge your electronic devices before your flight, regardless of your destination.
Driver's license: to avoid any inconvenience, it may be useful, even for non-European countries that officially recognize the validity of French driver's licenses on their territory, to also obtain an international driver's license or, failing that, a certified translation of your French driver's license.
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As of October 11, 2022, visas will no longer be required for French travelers.
Biometric data collection upon arrival.
Please note! As part of the specific measures related to the Covid pandemic, we recommend that you check your vaccination status with regard to the requirements of your destination country and the expectations of the French authorities upon your return. You should also check whether one or more PCR tests are required (before departure, on arrival, during the trip, or upon return). Finally, fill out the specific Covid forms that may be required to enter certain countries. Our advisors are available to provide you with details on the formalities to be completed.