Preparing Documents for Your Trip to France

Your trip won't get off the ground if you don't think ahead, well before your departure date, about your passport and other documentation you'll need for your trip. Give yourself plenty of lead time.

Passports

In much of Europe, the only travel document a US or Canadian citizen needs is a passport.

Getting or Renewing Your Passport

A US passport, good for 10 years, costs $130, plus a $35 acceptance fee (to renew a passport costs $130, no extra fee). You must show up in person to apply for a first-time passport. You can apply at some courthouses, libraries, and post offices, as well as municipal buildings, such as your city hall. The State Department has an online tool for looking up your nearest passport-acceptance facility (you can also call 877 487 2778). Adults (25 and up) can renew a passport by mail, provided you meet some basic requirements (e.g. that your current passport is in your possession, was issued in the last 15 years, and that your name and other key info haven't changed), and now also entirely online (same requirements as by mail, plus that your passport was issued at least nine years ago, and that you can upload a digital photo that meets certain conditions). No matter how you apply, allow ample time to receive your passport. Processing time varies; the current wait is posted on the State Department website. During busier periods, waits of 12 weeks or more are common. After you apply, you can check online for the status of your application and your passport's estimated arrival date. If you need your passport faster than current processing times allow, make an appointment to go in person to the nearest US Passport Agency. You'll pay an additional $60 expediting fee, plus overnight shipping both ways, which shaves off several weeks from the turnaround — check online for estimated waits. In a last-minute emergency, call the above number and speak to a customer-service representative. If you can prove that you must travel within two weeks (by showing evidence of a purchased airline ticket or a letter from work requiring you to go overseas on short notice), you may be able to receive a passport in 24 to 72 hours. Keep an eye on your passport's expiration date. Many European countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after your ticketed date of return to the United States. This means that even if your passport doesn't expire for a few months, you may be denied entry to a country. 

Traveling with Your Passport in Europe

Guard your passport carefully. Keep it in your money belt, and if you're asked to show it, put it back in your money belt right away. You'll need to show your passport at your first point of entry into Europe, again when you exit Europe, and to reenter the US. 

Replacing Your Passport Mid-Trip

If you need to replace a lost or stolen passport while traveling, it's much easier if you have a copy of it and a couple of passport photos already printed.

Visas and Travel Authorizations

A travel visa is a stamp placed in your passport by a foreign government allowing you to enter that country. Visas are not required for Americans or Canadians traveling to the European countries covered by the Schengen Agreement, nor for those going to the Republic of Ireland, UK, or Turkey.