Preparing for Paris
Preparing for Paris
You must have a valid passport to enter France and the European Union, and it must be valid at least three months after the date of your return flight. So if your return ticket is for July 30, your passport would have to be valid through Oct. 30.
To apply for a passport, go to your local post office or go to the wizard to prepare to apply online.
Apply for the passport as soon as you decide to attend the Paris program as it may take weeks to obtain the passport.
Note that your name on your plane ticket should be exactly the same as the name on your passport!
When your passport is in hand, sign it, and MAKE 3 COPIES OF THE PICTURE PAGE, to carry separately from the passport in case of loss. It's also a good idea to put a picture of the passport picture page in your cell phone. Email this to yourself as well.
Should you mislay your US passport in Paris, you'll need the picture page copy to obtain the new passport. Ann Mah has a good description of how to do this on her website; the US Embassy in Paris site has links to all the forms you'll need.
Passport Security: Carry the photocopy of your passport, NOT the real passport, around Paris. Lock the passport in a suitcase in your dorm room.
Normally US citizens staying fewer than 90 days, do not need a visa to enter the European Union. If you have a passport from another country, check the website of the nearest French consulate to see if you need a visa. Below are nationalities NOT needing a visa for France:
Nationals of the following countries, whatever the reason for their stay: Albania*, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, East Timor, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Grenada, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro*, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Serbia*, Seychelles, Taiwan (passport bearing identity card number), Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.
*bearers of biometric passports only
Nationals of the following countries: Australia, Brazil, United States, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Venezuela.
Bearers of passports of the Hong Kong special administrative region (People’s Republic of China) and the Macau special administrative region (People’s Republic of China)
The U.S. State Department maintains web pages with Travel Advisories. You are encouraged to go online and check out the page for France. The Travel Advisory page has lots of information regarding safety & security, travel, visas/passports and local laws.
Participants who are U.S. citizens are encouraged to register in the STEP program (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program).