Visit the Embassy of France website for the most current visa and entry requirement information.

The Government of France does not recognize the 12-page U.S. emergency passport, issued by U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, as a valid travel document for visa-free entry into France. If traveling on this emergency passport, you may be refused boarding and/or entry by immigration officials and/or held at the airport until a return flight to the U.S. is available. Direct transit through France for another destination accepting an emergency passport may be permitted. You should check entry requirements of any other country of destination to make sure the emergency passport is accepted for entry.

You may enter the Schengen area, including France, for up to 90 days for tourist and business purposes without a visa.

Immigration officers may also request you show sufficient funds for your intended stay and a return airline ticket.

If you are traveling to France or Monaco for reasons other than business or tourism, such as employment (including diplomatic or official travel), study, or internship, you must obtain the appropriate French or Monegasque (Monaco) visa for that purpose before you leave the United States. You should be aware that it is nearly impossible to obtain or change visa status while in France.

All minors (under age 18) traveling without a parent or legal guardian and who are residents in France must have the written consent of at least one parent or legal guardian to leave France. The minor must travel with his or her own I.D., a copy of the parent/guardian’s I.D., and form number 15646*01, executed by the parent/guardian and available here.

If you are transiting through France to South Africa, there are special requirements for minors. See Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements for South Africa for additional information.

Contact the French Embassy in Washington at 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007, tel. (202) 944 6000, or one of the French Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, or San Francisco for the most current visa information.

Special Note: Overseas departments and territories of France (i.e. those not located in Europe) are not included in the Schengen Agreement. Please see Country Specific Information on French Guiana, French Polynesia, and the French West Indies for entry and exit requirements. For other departments and territories, visit the Embassy of France website for the most current visa and entry requirement information for those areas.

Monaco: For further information on entry requirements to Monaco, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Principality of Monaco, 888 17th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington D.C. 20006, Tel: (202) 234-1530, Email: info@monacodc.org; or the Consulate General of Monaco, 565 Fifth Avenue – 23rd floor, New York, NY 10017, Tel: (212) 286-0500, Email: info@monaco-consulate.com.

Traveling Through Europe:  If you are planning to visit or travel through European countries, you should be familiar with the requirements of the Schengen Agreement. 

• Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay if you plan on transiting a Schengen country. Please review our U.S. Travelers in Europe page. We recommend that your passport have at least six months’ validity remaining.
• You will need sufficient proof of funds and a return plane ticket. 
• For additional information about visas for the Schengen area, see the Schengen Visa page.

HIV/AIDS Restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of France.

Find information about dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction and customs regulations on our websites.

Entry & Exit:

• You must obtain a visa prior to arriving in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Your passport must have at least six months' validity remaining. If your visa is not in your valid passport, the biographical data on the valid passport and the visa must match exactly. Failure to provide any of these items may result in denial of entry and possibly additional penalties.
• U.S. citizens may apply for a ten-year multiple entry visa, which is useful for repeated travel.
• If you plan to work in the PRC, be sure to obtain the correct visa. You cannot work in the PRC on a student or tourist visa. Working without the proper visa may result in detention, deportation, criminal charges, or imprisonment.
• You must have a valid visa to exit the PRC. You must leave the PRC before the expiration of the listed duration of stay.
• Do not travel to the PRC if you have a warrant for your arrest in the United States.

Lack of a visa, having an expired visa, or overstaying your visa will result in detention and/or fines.

• If your visa has expired or is due to expire, apply for a visa extension from the local Entry-Exit Bureau before attempting to leave the PRC. Do not expect your request to be expedited, so apply ahead of time.
• Staying in the PRC on an expired visa may lead to a fine, imprisonment, and deportation.
• Visit the website of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for current visa information. You can also review information on the PRC’s immigration and nationality laws.

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): You must obtain a special permit for tourist travel to the TAR. This is different from a PRC visa. Special permits can often be obtained through a travel agent in the PRC. To learn more about entry requirements for the TAR or other restricted areas, check with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America.

The U.S. government has limited ability to help if you encounter problems in the TAR. The PRC government does not usually allow U.S. government personnel to travel there, even to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens.

HIV/AIDS:
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the PRC.

Visa-Free Travel to Hainan:
Citizens of the United States and certain other countries can enter the province of Hainan visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, temporary commercial and trade activities, medical treatment, exhibitions and sports competitions, but excluding work and study. Travelers must arrive by direct international flight or via Hong Kong or Macau.

Transiting the PRC:

• You may transit through certain international airports in mainland China without a PRC visa. However, this “visa-free travel” permit is typically only valid for specific cities or regions and is subject to change. Different rules apply for different ports of entry.
• Travelers may not pursue any official meetings or take part in any work-related activities while on a “visa-free travel” permit.
• How long you can stay and where you may travel while in transit varies by region.
• Transiting without a visa requires a valid passport with at least six months of remaining validity, a visa for your onward destination (if required), and an onward ticket from the same city.
• This visa-free transit is only allowed if the flight to the PRC departs from a different country than the onward destination.
• If you enter the PRC by flying into an airport, you must depart from the same airport.
• You must inform your airline upon check-in and get an endorsement stamp at the immigration desk before leaving the airport.
• Consult the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for a current list of eligible airports and more detailed guidance.
• PRC border officials have the authority to deny foreign travelers’ entry to the PRC without warning or explanation. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General cannot intervene on your behalf if you are denied entry to the PRC.

During Your Stay: 

• You must register your stay within 24 hours of arrival in the PRC, and at each hotel or residence where you stay. Failure to do so could result in fines and deportation. You can register with hotel staff or the local police station. 
• Foreigners must carry valid passports and PRC visas or residence permits at all times.
• Entry and exit requirements are strictly enforced. Do not overstay your visa. Only participate in activities allowed by your visa class. For example, if you are on a tourist visa or student visa, you should not be working.
• Police, school administrators, transportation officials, and hotel staff may check your visa to make sure you have not overstayed. If you overstay your visa’s duration of stay, you may be denied service by hotels, airports, and train stations, as well as face fines and arrest.

Dual Nationality: The PRC government does not recognize dual nationality. If you are a citizen of both the United States and the PRC and you enter the PRC on a PRC passport, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, or other PRC-issued travel document, local authorities will assert that you are a PRC citizen only and refuse to recognize you as a U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens with ethnic or historical ties to China may also be considered PRC nationals by local authorities. This could limit your ability to access certain consular services. For example, if you are detained, local officials could deny access to U.S. consular officials and assistance.

Dual U.S.-PRC citizens may encounter challenges when seeking public benefits in the PRC. This can include enrolling in public schools, getting treatment at public hospitals and clinics, or obtaining PRC identity and citizenship documents, such as passports. The U.S. government may be unable to assist U.S.-PRC dual citizens in overcoming these challenges or navigating other consequences of PRC nationality. The PRC government may inconsistently apply interpretations of dual nationality.

If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen or have a possible claim to PRC citizenship, and you are traveling to the PRC, inform yourself about PRC nationality law and practices relating to determination and loss of PRC citizenship. PRC authorities generally consider a child born in the PRC to at least one PRC-national parent to be a PRC citizen, even if the child was issued a U.S. passport at the time of birth. If you have or had a claim to PRC citizenship and your child is born in the PRC, prior to departing the PRC with your child, you may wish to contact the local Public Security Bureau and/or Entry-Exit Bureau for information on obtaining a travel document. If you have or had a claim to PRC citizenship and your child is born in the United States, please contact the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for specific information on the documentation requirements to bring your child to the PRC.

Find information on dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction, and customs regulations on our websites.

Helpful resources

• Embassy of Italy Visa Information
• Consulate General of Italy in New York
• Dual Nationality
• Prevention of International Child Abduction
• Customs Regulations
• Italian Customs

Traveling through Europe

If you plan to visit or travel through Europe, know the Schengen Agreement's requirements:

• Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the period of stay. Visit our U.S. Travelers in Europe page.
• You will need proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket.
• Passports and visas
• U.S. citizens must arrive at Italian ports of entry with a valid passport. This regulation is strictly enforced. If your passport has ever been reported as lost or stolen, or is expired, Italian authorities could deny you entry and return you immediately to the United States.
• U.S. citizens may enter Italy for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.
• If you intend to live or stay in Italy for longer than 90 days, you must apply for a visa from an Italian Embassy or Consulate. Once in Italy, you must also obtain a permit of stay (permesso di soggiorno). You can get more information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polizia di Stato.

HIV/AIDS restrictions

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Italy.