France Passport

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PASSPORT OF
France

MOBILITY SCORE

189

GLOBAL RANK

3rd

INDIVIDUAL RANK

6

VISA DETAILS

Visa-Free

151

VoA

26

ETA

12

e-Visa

16

As of 2025, France passport rank is 3rd globally, with global mobility score 189 offering visa-free access to 151 countries and territories , Visa on arrival access to 26 countries , ETA access to 12 countries and E-visa access to 16 countries.The passport strength lies in the ease of travel it provides, allowing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a large number of countries. Note: You will need a valid passport, often with at least six months until expiry from the date of application to travel.

About French Passports

The French passport, issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, ranks 3rd globally, allowing citizens to travel to 189 countries and territories without needing a prior visa. It's either visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or a simple e-visa process. This means effortless travel across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond. French citizens can visit the United States and Canada with just an online authorization instead of a full visa.

The history of the French passport dates back to the 18th century, evolving over time to meet modern security standards. In 2022, the passport cover was updated to a distinctive Bordeaux-red design, setting it apart from the burgundy covers of most other EU countries. It ensures enhanced security and includes biometric data such as fingerprints and a digital photograph. Citizens also benefit from the right of free movement within the EU, EEA, and Schengen Area.

Since 2018, the French passport has always secured a position among the five most powerful passports in the world, and it still strongly holds the third position in 2025.

Visa-Free Countries for French Citizens

  1. Albania

  2. Andorra

  3. Angola

  4. Anguilla

  5. Antigua and Barbuda

  6. Argentina

  7. Armenia

  8. Aruba

  9. Austria

  10. Bahamas

  11. Barbados

  12. Belarus

  13. Belgium

  14. Belize

  15. Bermuda

  16. Bolivia

  17. Bonaire; St. Eustatius and Saba

  18. Bosnia and Herzegovina

  19. Botswana

  20. Brazil

  21. British Virgin Islands

  22. Brunei

  23. Bulgaria

  24. Cape Verde Islands

  25. Cayman Islands

  26. Chile

  27. China

  28. Colombia

  29. Cook Islands

  30. Costa Rica

  31. Croatia

  32. Curacao

  33. Cyprus

  34. Czechia

  35. Dominica

  36. Dominican Republic

  37. Ecuador

  38. El Salvador

  39. Estonia

  40. eSwatini

  41. Falkland Islands

  42. Faroe Islands

  43. Fiji

  44. Finland

  45. France

  46. French Guiana

  47. French Polynesia

  48. French West Indies

  49. Georgia

  50. Germany

  51. Gibraltar

  52. Greece

  53. Greenland

  54. Grenada

  55. Guatemala

  56. Guyana

  57. Haiti

  58. Honduras

  59. Hong Kong (SAR China)

  60. Hungary

  61. Iceland

  62. Iraq

  63. Ireland

  64. Italy

  65. Jamaica

  66. Japan

  67. Kazakhstan

  68. Kiribati

  69. Kosovo

  70. Kyrgyzstan

  71. Laos

  72. Latvia

  73. Lesotho

  74. Liechtenstein

  75. Lithuania

  76. Luxembourg

  77. Macao (SAR China)

  78. Madagascar

  79. Malaysia

  80. Malta

  81. Marshall Islands

  82. Mauritius

  83. Mayotte

  84. Mexico

  85. Micronesia

  86. Moldova

  87. Monaco

  88. Mongolia

  89. Montenegro

  90. Montserrat

  91. Morocco

  92. Mozambique

  93. Namibia

  94. Netherlands

  95. New Caledonia

  96. Nicaragua

  97. Niue

  98. North Macedonia

  99. Norway

  100. Oman

  101. Palau Islands

  102. Palestinian Territory

  103. Panama

  104. Paraguay

  105. Peru

  106. Philippines

  107. Poland

  108. Portugal

  109. Reunion

  110. Romania

  111. Samoa

  112. San Marino

  113. Sao Tome and Principe

  114. Senegal

  115. Serbia

  116. Singapore

  117. Slovakia

  118. Slovenia

  119. Solomon Islands

  120. South Africa

  121. South Korea

  122. Spain

  123. Seychelles

  124. St. Kitts and Nevis

  125. St. Lucia

  126. St. Maarten

  127. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

  128. Suriname

  129. Sweden

  130. Switzerland

  131. Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

  132. Tajikistan

  133. Thailand

  134. The Gambia

  135. Timor-Leste

  136. Tonga

  137. Trinidad and Tobago

  138. Tunisia

  139. Türkiye

  140. Turks and Caicos Islands

  141. Tuvalu

  142. Ukraine

  143. United Arab Emirates

  144. United Kingdom

  145. Uruguay

  146. Uzbekistan

  147. Vanuatu

  148. Vatican City

  149. Venezuela

  150. Vietnam

  151. Zambia

Visa on Arrival (VOA) Countries for the Citizens of France

  1. Bahrain

  2. Bangladesh

  3. Burundi

  4. Cambodia

  5. Comoro Islands

  6. Djibouti

  7. Egypt

  8. Ethiopia

  9. Guinea-Bissau

  10. Indonesia

  11. Iran

  12. Jordan

  13. Kuwait

  14. Lebanon

  15. Malawi

  16. Maldives

  17. Myanmar

  18. Nepal

  19. Qatar

  20. Rwanda

  21. Saudi Arabia

  22. Sierra Leone

  23. Somalia

  24. St. Helena

  25. Tanzania

  26. Zimbabwe

Countries Offering E-Visas for the Citizens of France

  1. Azerbaijan

  2. Benin

  3. Burkina Faso

  4. Cameroon

  5. Cuba

  6. Equatorial Guinea

  7. Gabon

  8. Guinea

  9. India

  10. Mauritania

  11. Pakistan

  12. Papua New Guinea

  13. Russian Federation

  14. Syria

  15. Togo

  16. Uganda


Countries Offering ETA for French Citizens

  1. American Samoa

  2. Australia

  3. Canada

  4. Guam

  5. Israel

  6. Kenya

  7. New Zealand

  8. Northern Mariana Islands

  9. Puerto Rico

  10. Sri Lanka

  11. United States

  12. US Virgin Islands


How Long is a French Passport Valid?


French passports are valid for 10 years for applicants aged 18 and over, and 5 years for those under 18.

There are three main types of French passports:

  • Optical passports (older versions) have no symbol beneath the word Passeport on the front cover.

  • Electronic passports contain an embedded chip and display the chip logo under Passeport.

  • Biometric passports are the most recent and have the same design as electronic passports, but with Passeport underlined for distinction.

French Passport

What Does a French Passport Look Like?

Unlike most other EU passports, which have a burgundy cover, the French passport stands out with its Bordeaux-red front cover. At the center, it features the diplomatic emblem of France, with the word PASSEPORT (Passport) inscribed below. Above the emblem, Union européenne (European Union) and République française (French Republic) are printed in gold lettering.

  • French passports follow the standard EU design and typically contain 32 pages.

  • The e-passport version includes a microchip symbol at the bottom, indicating its embedded electronic chip.

  • The biometric e-passport, the most advanced version, looks similar but has PASSEPORT underlined for distinction.

Inside the Info Page of a French Passport

French passport

The image shows the biodata page of the French non-biometric passport, which contains the passport holder's essential personal details.

Included Information:

  • Photo: A passport-sized photograph of the holder (left side).

  • Type: P

  • Country Code: FRA

  • Passport Number: 60RF197658

  • Surname: SPECIMEN

  • Given Name: NATACHA

  • Nationality: Française

  • Date of Birth: 06/07/1984

  • Sex: F (Female)

  • Place of Birth: TOULON

  • Date of Issue: 06/07/2010

  • Date of Expiry: 05/07/2020

  • Issuing Authority: Direction des Libertés Publiques et des Affaires Juridiques

  • Holder's Signature: (Signature area visible)

  • Height: 1.55 m

  • Eye Color: Vert (Green)

  • Residence: 102 Rue Principale, 34700 Lodève, France (Referenced on Page 36)

At the bottom of the biodata page is a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), which starts with P<FRA, allowing easy scanning for verification.

The data page is printed in French and English, while translations of the fields appear elsewhere in the passport in other European Union languages.