The French government has released the categories of foreign nationals who will not be required to obtain a visa before travelling to its overseas territories in 2026.
The exemptions are based on three main criteria: nationality, possession of a valid residence permit, and holding a long stay visa.
Under the government’s guidelines, nationals of every European Union member state, countries within the European Economic Area, and Switzerland are exempt from visa requirements when travelling to French overseas territories.
Outside Europe, citizens of 13 countries are also eligible for a visa waiver, provided they hold a multiple entry visa issued by a French consular authority that remains valid for a period ranging from six months to five years.
The concerned countries are:
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Thailand
- the United Arab Emirates
In addition, nationals of countries included in the ministerial orders governing each French overseas territory may also qualify for visa free entry, depending on the specific territory they intend to visit.
Foreign nationals who are not covered under the nationality based exemptions may still benefit from a visa waiver through the documents they possess. This provision applies to three separate categories.
The first category includes travellers holding a valid residence permit issued by either a French prefecture or any country within the Schengen Area.
The second covers staff assigned to diplomatic and consular missions who possess a special identification card issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The third category consists of travellers holding a valid long stay visa issued by a Schengen Area state, allowing them to enter French overseas territories without obtaining an additional visa.
The French government also emphasized that meeting one or more of these conditions does not automatically guarantee a visa waiver.
The final eligibility is determined by the overseas territory being visited, as each territory applies its own ministerial order governing visa exemptions.
