Travelling to France from the UK: the 90-day rule, passports and EES
Since the UK left the EU, British citizens visit France as third-country nationals. That brings two rules that catch people out, the 90-day limit and the passport dates, and one new procedure at the border, the Entry/Exit System (EES). ETIAS, the online authorisation that will come later, is not running yet: see ETIAS for UK travellers.
The 90-day rule
GOV.UK's travel advice for France says you can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes France, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as a tourist, to visit family or friends, for business meetings, for cultural or sports events and for short-term studies or training.
The 180 days roll: every day you spend in any Schengen country counts, not only France. Time spent in France on a residence permit or a long-stay visa does not count towards the limit, according to the same page. Working in France follows different rules, and staying longer means a long-stay visa applied for from the UK.
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Passport dates and the Entry/Exit System
The passport rule has two parts. The date of issue must be less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and the expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. GOV.UK warns that a passport renewed before 1 October 2018 may carry a date of issue more than 10 years back, which makes it invalid for entry.
The EES is the EU's new border register for short stays. France Diplomatie says it has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, after a gradual start on 12 October 2025. On your first crossing your fingerprints and a photo are recorded; GOV.UK says there is no cost for EES registration.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Visa | none for up to 90 days in any 180 |
| Date of issue | less than 10 years before arrival |
| Expiry date | at least 3 months after you leave |
| EES | fingerprints and photo at the first crossing, free |
| ETIAS | not in operation yet |
Which situation is yours
The same passport rules apply to every short trip. What changes is whether 90 days are enough.
- Check the date of issue and the expiry date on your passport
- Count your Schengen days over the last 180
- Allow extra time at the border for the EES registration on your first trip
- Ignore websites selling ETIAS: it does not exist yet
Non-British residents of the UK follow the rules of their own passport: if it is not visa-exempt, see the France visa guide.
Check the date of issue, not only the expiry: a British passport older than 10 years on arrival day can be refused.Official sources: GOV.UK, France travel advice: entry requirements; France Diplomatie, EES enters into service on 10 April 2026; EES, official EU website.
Details checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
frenchconsulates.co.uk is an unofficial, independent guide to the French consular network in the UK.
No application can be made here. Where official pages contradict each other we say so; the consulate confirms what applies to you.