Documents required in order to cross the French border and travel on French territory

CERN/DSU-DO/RH/8705- Rev.2 - 15 December 1998 - 25 April 2006 - 1 January 2013 - 15 January 2017

CERN staff are requested to take note of the French regulations, summarised below, governing the documents that they and their families should carry on them in order to cross the French border and travel on French territory. In particular, persons who fail to abide by these regulations will incur legal penalties.

1. Crossing the French border

a) French nationals, whether residing in France or not

French nationals must carry a French travel document (e.g. a national passport or identity card).
Special provision relating to French nationals who are minors

Special provisions relating to French minors : the "Autorisation de sortie du territoire" is re-established since January 15, 2017 (http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F1359.xhtml).

b) Non-French nationals, residing in France

Persons of other than French nationality residing in France must carry:

i) a travel document recognised in France (e.g. a national passport; N.B. France only recognises the national identity cards of certain countries - information on this subject can be obtained from French consulates and from Prefectures) and

ii) a valid French titre de séjour (residence document, e.g. a Carte spéciale FI, EM or AT or a Carte diplomatique issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a carte de résident, or a temporary carte de séjour, issued by the relevant Prefecture, or a récépissé de renouvellement, i.e. receipt for an application to renew one of the above; N.B. an Attestation de fonctions FR, AR or EF is not a residence document).

 

Special provisions relating to non-French minors

Non-French minors (under the age of 18) travelling without their parents must carry a passport.
With the exception of those entitled to a Carte spéciale or Carte diplomatique issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, non-French minors residing in France do not generally receive residence documents. Consequently they are exempted from the obligation referred to in ii) above.

However, non-French minors who would be obliged to have a visa if they were non-residents must be able to prove they comply with the residence requirements in France by presenting one of the following:

  • a Carte spéciale FI, EM or AT or a Carte diplomatique issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs or;
  • a Document de Circulation pour Etrangers mineurs (DCEM), issued by the relevant Prefecture or;
  • a Visa de retour (re-entry visa) issued by the relevant Prefecture.

c) Non-French nationals, not residing in France

Persons of other than French nationality, not residing in France, must carry:

  • a travel document recognised in France (cf para. 1. b) i) above) and
  • a visa, issued by the relevant French Consulate, if they come from a country whose nationals are liable to this obligation (information can be obtained from French consulates).

2. Travel on French territory

a) French nationals, whether residing in France or not

They are advised to carry some form of identification (e.g. passport, identity card, driving licence, student card, etc.).

b) Non-French nationals, residing in France

They must carry their valid French residence document (cf para. 1. b) ii) above).

Special provisions relating to non-French minors

Non-French minors (under the age of 18) are advised to carry some form of identification (cf para. 2. a) above).

c) Non-French nationals, not residing in France

Cf para. 1. c) above.)