Hi everyone. I might sound silly to some, but I don’t care. I live in the Paris region and I’m driving to Switzerland this summer. The thing is, I’m really struggling to understand what I need to do. I’ve read that I have to declare what I’m bringing (GPS, tablet, watch, phone, etc.). Is that true, and what’s the point? How does crossing the border by car work? Is it normally hassle-free, like passing through a toll in France? I have an expired ID card that’s been extended by the state, and I’ve printed the official government document explaining that Switzerland accepts it (just in case).
On the way back to France, we’d like to bring back some chocolate, maybe a little alcohol, some local biscuit boxes, and nothing more. Maybe one or two T-shirts from there, but no cigarettes, no devices, etc. Are there quantity limits? Since it’s just my wife and me, do we need to stop at the border when entering France?
Again, sorry for the basic questions, but we’re really confused, and when I ask customs, they just send me pages to read. So thanks to anyone who takes the time to answer each of my questions.
The Schengen Area, which allows free movement of people.
This area is treated as a single space, with border checks "pushed" to the borders with non-Schengen countries.
As of today, the Schengen Area includes all EU states (with a few exceptions for certain overseas territories) except the UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Cyprus.
It also includes non-EU states: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
So, you can travel from southern Spain or Italy all the way to northern Norway without any immigration checks.
That covers people.
The second point is the customs union.
The entire EU (28 countries) has a single customs policy. You can move goods, shop, etc., between countries without formalities or duties.
In addition to these 28 countries, three non-EU members of the European Economic Area—Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—also apply roughly the same rules.
And you’ll notice Switzerland isn’t mentioned.
Special rules apply there, with customs duties if the value of what you’re carrying is too high, quantity allowances, etc.
These rules can be quite restrictive in both directions.
Here’s a Swiss document outlining these rules: www.ezv.admin.ch/...orm.%2018.50)%20.pdf
As for GPS—we’re talking about dedicated devices or apps with radar alerts.
In some countries, they’re banned. In Switzerland, even *transporting* them is illegal, and it gets complicated.
And one more small additional detail: you’ll need a vignette for your car (CHF 40.00) if you drive on Swiss highways. You can buy it at customs or at any gas station.
Nothing special—no GPS/Coyote or other radar-detecting gadgets in the vehicle (even if dismantled and stored), a vignette if using the highway, check the regulations mentioned above for exports on your return, 120 km/h on highways, 80 on other roads, watch out for speed cameras. Highway signs are green, other roads are blue (opposite of France). You probably won’t see many customs officers, except maybe a customs vehicle doing random checks anywhere... (in France or Switzerland)...
Over the past 10 years, I've entered Switzerland about ten times, and they've never asked me for anything except to buy the highway vignette when I entered via the motorway. Pretty nice, really—unlike in other countries like Austria, Slovenia, or the Czech Republic, where they let you in without a vignette and then catch you later.
For physically crossing the border, check Google Maps.
One of the main crossing points between France and Switzerland is in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois on the highway, at the Bardonnex customs.
In practice, you’ll go through the checkpoints at a very slow speed—something like 10 km/h. The officer will signal you to stop or pull over for an inspection. If there’s no instruction or staff, just keep going.
There’s no systematic check.
Regarding goods, you can bring any used items into Switzerland, including your car, without formalities or tax payments.
You can also bring what you need for your trip, like medical treatment (for the duration of your stay) or food.
Anything new is limited to 300 CHF (Swiss francs) in value (including gifts) per person.
For the return trip to France, it’s the same.
For purchases, the limit is 300 € in value (not cumulative for the same item: for example, it doesn’t apply if you’re two people buying a new tablet for 600 €).
Beyond that, you’ll have to pay taxes + VAT.
Be careful with certain goods (alcohol, tobacco)—quantity allowances apply: for cigarettes, it’s 200 per person (one carton). For alcohol, I think it’s 1 liter of spirits + 1 liter of non-spirits.
No need to stop if you’re within these limits and/or no officer is present and/or they don’t signal you to stop.
I don’t see the point of giving all these explanations to someone who doesn’t feel like reading... The rules are basically the same as for going to Spain or Italy—you don’t need to declare everything you don’t intend to import into Switzerland, and I assume the guy isn’t traveling with his phone or tablet still in its original packaging.
As for bringing back alcohol at full price from a country that doesn’t even produce it—that’s just laughable.
He’d be better off checking his international bank card’s spending limit, assuming he even has one.
I mean, if he’s traveling with a radar detector on his smartphone, using it, and then gets caught at the border or at a red light because it’s visible, he’ll be in deep trouble.
Declaring things is a principle.
You either respect it or you don’t.
And no, the duty-free allowances and values aren’t the same as for travel within the EU.
Just make sure you know what you’re allowed to bring, in either direction.
Remember that a French customs check can also happen well after the border.
True! But if he just wants to smuggle some chocolate and cookies, he’s not risking much. 😏 Drug trafficking usually comes from Spain, and for weapons, I don’t know—you’d have to ask the folks from Marseille’s northern neighborhoods, but I don’t think they transit through Switzerland either.
I have family in Switzerland, so I go there often, and customs officers don’t really have time for pointless checks. They only stop cars that look suspicious to them—like luxury cars with four guys inside or, on the flip side, rolling junk heaps that don’t seem like they could afford a vacation in Switzerland. That said, Serge will still need to stop if he has to buy the vignette.
Personally, I don’t see the point in smuggling boxes of chocolate—especially since I only like dark chocolate... 😏
The rules are basically the same as for going to Spain or Italy (...) As for bringing back alcohol at a high price from a country that doesn’t produce it, it’s still laughable.
No, the rules are absolutely not the same: the country is outside the EU, which is why there are still physical customs posts with Switzerland, whereas they’ve disappeared within the EU.
Switzerland is a wine producer, FYI.
And there was a time when the French used to buy their cigarettes in Switzerland, as they were cheaper. Not being a smoker, I don’t know the current price difference.
Also, FYI, buying computer equipment is cheaper in Switzerland than in France. Between the tax refund and the taxation in France, you’ll need to do the math to see if it’s worth it. But keep in mind that you’ll have to add 20% VAT when returning to France, which isn’t the case in Spain or Italy.
Come on, stop jumping on me! Of course I know Valais wines, but as far as I know, Switzerland doesn’t produce whisky or cognac, and it’s not worth bringing back alcohol that costs twice as much as it does here. Just a reminder—I’ve got family in Switzerland and I’ve been going there since I was a kid.
It’s really Serghio who needs the explanation—I doubt he’s thinking about Swiss wines when he talks about bringing back alcohol. To be honest, I’m not even sure he knows the national currency isn’t the euro and that prices are super high.
Yeah, yeah, I know all about the currency. And I'm staying with friends, so no worries there. As for alcohol, I don’t see the point in buying a bottle I could find in France 😄. And if I do buy alcohol, it’ll be 2-3 bottles max. They won’t make a fortune off me 😄.
Visas & paperwork › Italy / Switzerland · 16 replies
Hi there, My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex. We ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we…
Hi,
Since September 15, 2026, French travelers can only stay in Thailand for 30 days without a visa, down from 60 days previously (according to the France Diplomatie website for a tourist stay with a regular passport).
For those traveling solo for more than a month, this changes quite a bit: overstaying without an extension from immigration can result in a fine or even deportation.
I’ve read that a 30-day extension is still possible on-site, but it’s at the discretion of the officers. For those who’ve requested it since the change, was it granted without any issues?
Thanks for your feedback!
Élodie
We’ll be in Nepal from November 1st to 12th, 2026.
We paid for our flight tickets with a Visa Premier card. Is it worth getting additional insurance? And if so, which one would you recommend?
Thanks,
Guylaine
I’m sharing my successful e-Visa application experience because I’ll admit—I really struggled with the website and gathering all the required documents.
https://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/les-types-de-visa-et-les-documents-necessaires/visa-touristique/
I recommend preparing everything in advance according to the instructions below and trying to complete the 60-day TR tourist e-Visa application in one go. You can save and return to it later, but I didn’t find the site very intuitive (it took a lot of time to figure out how it works, etc.). For the 60-day TR tourist e-Visa, it took me about 2 to 3 hours to prepare all the required documents and fill out the online form completely. (Next time, though, it’ll take me much less time since I’ll know how it works better, etc.).
I received my e-Visa 15 days later, but according to the embassy, the processing time can be much longer (the embassy recommends in section 4.3: “We advise you to submit your visa application between 2 and 3 months before your planned departure.”)
https://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/infos-generales/
⚠️ RECOMMENDATION: 4 months before applying (so 6 months before your trip if you apply 2 months ahead), make sure your bank statements show a minimum balance of 700 € for each of the 3 months prior to your application.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE 60-DAY TR SINGLE-ENTRY E-VISA IN THAILAND
A digital copy of your passport: Color copy of the double-page spread with your photo. It must show the entire machine-readable zone (the two lines of characters at the bottom) and all four corners of the page. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your departure date. (Format: JPEG or PDF)
A color ID photo: Official ID photo on a plain white background, max 3 MB in size, and taken within the last 6 months. If you use the same photo as the one printed in your passport (if it was issued 2 years ago, for example), the system will detect the inconsistency and reject your application. The background must be strictly white, with no shadows, no glasses, and your face must be fully visible.
Proof of financial means: Official bank statements (checking and/or savings) for the last 3 months. They must clearly display your name and show a minimum balance of 700 € for each month (1,000 € is preferable), per person (even for couples).
Bank statement format and date: Screenshots from mobile banking apps (without your name or the bank’s logo) are systematically rejected. You must provide the full official statement in PDF format, downloaded from your online banking. Additionally, the most recent statement must be less than 30 days old at the time of submission. Don’t forget to merge the 3 statements into a single PDF, as only one document can be uploaded per category.
Entry and exit tickets: A reservation or confirmation of flight tickets showing your entry into and exit from Thailand. The document must include the PNR (Passenger Name Record: a 6-character booking code used as a reference by the airline) and/or the e-ticket number.
90-day rule: Your exit flight date must not exceed 90 days after your arrival in Thailand.
If you have separate tickets: If you have two different tickets for entry and exit, merge them into a single document showing only the entry and exit from Thailand within 90 days (exclude other flights). For example, if you have a round-trip Paris-Bangkok ticket spaced 6 months apart but plan to stay in Indonesia after 60 or 90 days, only submit the inbound flight to Thailand from your first ticket (exclude the return flight that’s 6 months later) and the outbound flight from Thailand to Indonesia (without the flight out of Indonesia, which is likely separate). Merge the two PDFs into one.
Proof of residence in France (less than 3 months old): Mobile phone, landline, internet, or electricity bill in your name. This document must prove that you currently reside in the country from which you’re applying. (Format: PDF or JPEG)
Hotel reservation in your name: Covering the first few nights with your name on it, or an official invitation letter signed by your host along with a copy of their ID. (Format: PDF or JPEG)
⚠️ FOR COUPLES: The official confirmation of your first accommodation in Thailand (hotel, Airbnb) must clearly display the names of BOTH members of the couple, as it will need to be attached to each individual e-Visa application. The second name is essential because each visa applicant must provide proof of accommodation in their name. If your partner’s name doesn’t appear anywhere on the hotel document, their visa application may be blocked or rejected, even if you include a marriage certificate.
Prepare the addresses of the first two hotels for the online form; Write down (on paper) the exact address of the first hotel and the next one, as the form also asks for the address of the second hotel (without requiring proof of reservation). Look up the name of the sub-district, district, and province of these establishments online. When applying for the e-Visa, you’ll need to enter the exact address and select the province, district... from dropdown menus.
How to add your partner’s name to the hotel reservation?
Log in to your account (Agoda, Booking, etc.), go to your reservations, and look for the option to modify traveler details. You can often add the second person’s name or, in the main traveler name field, enter both names separated by a slash or comma.
If you can’t modify it online, ask the hotel for an official reservation confirmation letter (“Confirmation Letter”) explicitly stating: “Room booked for and ”. Thai hotels are used to this process for visas and will send it to you quickly by email in PDF format.
How to merge PDF files?
To combine your multiple bank statements or flight tickets in the correct order into a single PDF, you can use a free and intuitive online tool like iLovePDF or Smallpdf. No software to download—everything is done online.
PS: I’ve shared the steps I followed to get my e-Visa. I put them together by comparing recommendations from several AIs and the official e-Visa website. ID photo: I had 6 ID photos taken in an automatic photo booth (found in shopping malls). I cut one out and scanned it in color with a regular scanner.
Bank statements: I downloaded the last 3 official monthly bank statements in PDF format and merged them into one. However, 3 years ago, a friend told me he didn’t submit his statements but instead provided a document from his bank (requested from his banker, with stamps, the bank’s logo, and the banker’s signature) clearly stating he had the required funds. I don’t know if this option is still available, but I’m mentioning it.
File names: For all files (PDF, JPEG) attached to my e-Visa application, I used my name followed by a description of the document (e.g., “Name photo”).
Hi everyone, next year in 2027 I’d like to bring some furniture from France to Morocco—6 chairs and a Basque sideboard—to give to a family that hosted me during my bike trips. My question: do I have to pay a duty to bring these items through customs? If so, how much? And what about a mountain bike too?! Thanks for your answers.
Best,
Rv..
hi
I was almost done with my e-visa application, and when I selected the payment method, I chose Razorpay. It glitched, and I got a server error 500/404... No matter how many times I go back to "complete partially filled form," it doesn’t work...
What should I do? Thanks for your help!
Hi fellow travelers,
I need some info.
Landing in Mumbai on the 16th at 11:55 PM, so immigration will be on the 17th.
On the e-arrival card form, which date should I put—16th or 17th?
Thanks for your answers.
Hi everyone,
I have to leave for Perth, Australia in a week, for 7 days, and I couldn’t get my international driver’s permit due to processing and delivery delays.
The information I’ve found about whether an international permit is required is contradictory. Some sources say you need one, others say you don’t.
Could anyone let me know if an international driver’s permit is necessary to rent a car in Australia (Perth), or if a French license is enough for a 7-day rental?
Hi there,
I’m explaining our situation—my daughter and her young family have just moved to Polynesia, specifically to the island of Raiatea. That’s great, of course, and my wife and I are planning to visit them. However, flights that go through the United States are causing us a problem because we’ve been to Cuba. I think we’ll need a visa because of that.
Has anyone else dealt with this situation before? Any advice on flights and visas would be really helpful.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I have two questions about applying for a Non-Immigrant O Visa at the Thai embassy in France for someone over 50:
- - Do I need to provide the address(es) of stay in Thailand (hotels, staying with a Thai friend)?
- - Financial proof: Is a retirement statement showing over 2,000 € per month sufficient, or are bank statements also required?
I know there’s already a lot of information about the visa requirements on the embassy’s website, but from my experience—having dealt with embassies in other countries in previous years—I know that the information is sometimes (!) incomplete or inconsistent. So, I’d rather hear from people who’ve recently gone through this process to avoid any surprises after submitting my application, which could cause unpleasant delays.
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Laos from France with a transit through Thailand involving 2 entries. I might spend up to 7 days max in Thailand (round trip).
The flight I’ve spotted: arrival at BKK and return to France 31 days later.
With the new regulations/visa:
"Starting September 15, 2026, French nationals holding an ordinary passport will be able to stay in Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism purposes only, down from the previous 60 days."
How do you think the counting is done?
- Number of days spent in Thai territory?
- Entry and exit dates: number of days between the two?
I’m leaning toward the first option, but to avoid any administrative hassles with Thailand (fines, etc.) and before booking my ticket, your input would really help.
Hi there,
we’re planning our trip to the North Cape this summer. We bought a new vehicle for it. Unfortunately, the registration document is still being processed, and the delay seems long—I don’t think I’ll have it in time for our departure...
I have the transfer documents, insurance in my name, and all the supporting paperwork, but not the registration document. So my question is: does the ferry company require the registration document *mandatorily* when boarding in Denmark or not?
Thanks for any insights...
Hi everyone,
I bought a new apartment in Pattaya that will be finished at the end of 2013, and I’d like to buy more later...
I think it’s a good investment idea, but I’d love to hear from those of you with experience—what do you think? I’d also like to know how to handle rentals... Should I go through agencies, or are they usually rented out directly by the building management companies?
Thanks in advance for your replies! 🙂
hi everyone,
I need to apply for a new eTA for Canada.
do I need the number from my old eTA or not?
because I can’t find my old eTA number anymore.
thanks for your replies, have a great weekend
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi everyone,
I’ll explain my situation.
Unfortunately, I lost my passport, and I only realized it two weeks before my departure for a humanitarian mission in Libya. I’m a nurse, and this mission really means a lot to me.
First, I applied for an emergency passport, but it was denied by the Val-d'Oise prefecture on the grounds that a planned humanitarian mission wasn’t considered an urgent reason.
So, I submitted a biometric passport application on July 20th. Since then, the tracking has been stuck, and the town hall can’t (or won’t) give me any clear information. Every time I call, I get a different story. The last update I received was that the passport had been produced since July 23rd with a status of "about to be shipped," but nothing since then.
I’ve managed to push my departure back to next Tuesday at the latest, but I’m starting to really panic.
Have any of you submitted an application around July 20th, especially in Val-d'Oise (95)? How long did you wait between the passport being produced and it being available at the town hall? Is it normal for this step to take this long?
This mission means so much to me. I had everything organized, and I’m also supposed to attend a friend’s wedding right after near the border.
Thanks so much to those who take the time to respond or share their experience. 😔
Can anyone tell me exactly if a passport "valid for the duration of the stay" is enough, or does it need to be valid for 6 months after the trip?
I checked the embassy’s website, but that info is missing.
Hi there,
I’ll be arriving in Seoul on November 18th after spending about a month in India.
Do you know if I’ll need to fill out any additional documents besides the e-arrival card?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
