Nantes Entry Requirements
Visa, immigration, and customs information
Visa Requirements
Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.
Short-stay tourism, business, or family visits for passport holders of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, the UK, and 60+ visa-waiver countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, UAE, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico.
Passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the intended departure date from the Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years.
Starting in mid-2025, visa-exempt travelers aged 18-70 will need to obtain an online travel authorization before boarding a flight, ferry, or coach to any Schengen country, including France.
Cost: Mid-range fee around €7; free for under-18s and over-70s.
ETIAS is not a visa. It is an electronic pre-screening linked to your passport.
Citizens of countries not on the visa-waiver list must secure a short-stay Schengen visa before travel.
Processing usually takes 15 calendar days but can extend to 45 days during peak summer or winter holiday seasons.
Arrival Process
Nantes Atlantique's compact single-terminal layout means you'll walk from aircraft to immigration in under five minutes, often smelling coffee from the nearby Illy stand.
Documents to Have Ready
Tips for Smooth Entry
Customs & Duty-Free
France applies EU customs rules; Nantes airport's red and green channels lead you past uniformed officers who may scan suitcases with handheld X-ray wands that hum softly.
Prohibited Items
- Meat, milk, and products containing them from non-EU countries due to animal disease controls
- Protected wildlife species or products like ivory, tortoise-shell, or certain exotic woods
- Counterfeit goods, customs can seize fake designer bags and levy heavy fines
Restricted Items
- Medications containing narcotics or psychotropic substances require a doctor's letter translated into French and original prescription
- Weapons and ammunition need a French Interior Ministry import permit filed weeks before arrival
Health Requirements
No special vaccinations are demanded for entry to Nantes. But routine immunizations keep you safe while tasting Loire oysters at a riverside stand.
Required Vaccinations
- None for travelers from non-yellow-fever areas
Recommended Vaccinations
- Hepatitis An if you plan rural farm visits
- Hepatitis B for stays longer than 3 months or health-care workers
- Tick-borne encephalitis if you will hike in forested Loire-Atlantique parks in spring
- Routine boosters: MMR, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, seasonal flu
Health Insurance
Schengen visa holders must show coverage of at least €30,000; EU citizens can use their EHIC or the newer European Health Insurance Card app for public hospitals in Nantes. Non-EU visitors should buy travel insurance that includes medical evacuation, as private clinics in Nantes may demand upfront payment.
Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance
Comprehensive coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and 24/7 emergency assistance. Many countries recommend or require travel insurance.
Get a Quote from World NomadsRead our complete Nantes Travel Insurance Guide →
Important Contacts
Essential resources for your trip.
Special Situations
Additional requirements for specific circumstances.
If the child is not your own or you're divorced, pack a notarized consent letter from the absent parent(s) plus the child's birth certificate. French officers at Nantes stations and ports sometimes demand proof to block parental abduction. Every child needs a passport; EU kids can travel on an ID card.
Dogs and cats entering France must carry an EU pet passport or EU health certificate, an ISO 11784/11785 microchip, and a rabies shot given at least 21 days earlier. Only specific breeds are permitted, and snub-nosed dogs face summer heat restrictions even in Nantes' mild climate.
If you'll study, work, or join family in Nantes for more than 90 days, secure a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) at the French consulate before you fly. After arrival, validate it online within three months and pay the mid-range tax to OFII.
Know What to Pack
Climate-specific clothing, travel documents, electronics, and gear, with shopping links for every item.
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