Dernièrement je suis allé pour qq jours en Allemagne en provenance de la République Dominicaine, j'allais visiter un ami, puis par la suite départ pour Paris. Peu après mon débarquement, avant de passer au contrôle des passports, j'ai étais abordé par un policier en civil qui m'a demandé mon passeport, mon billet....où j'allais, combien de temps, voir qui...bref...et a commencé a regarder dans mon sac. Puis il m'a demandé de le suivre dans les bureau en arrière de la police et m'a fait déballer le contenu de mon sac, à vérifier le contenu, mais sans plus, puis il a sorti «un bidulle» dde sa poche, genre thermomère éléctronique, qu'il a ouvert en deux. Il m'a demandé d'ouvrir les mains côté paumes sur le dessus et puis avec son «bidulle» (une languette semi rigide de 8-10 centimètres) il a passé la languette une fois sur chacune des paumes de mes mains, puis il replacer la languette dans l'autre partie du «bidulle», j'ai vu qu'il y avait un liquide dans la deuxième partie. Quelques secondes plus tard il a dit à un autre policier «Négatif»....et donc il m'a dit de ranger mes affaires et de partir aux contrôles des passeports. Un peu aprées moi, un autre messieurs subissait le même contrôle.
Bon, je voyage pas mal et c'est la première fois que cela m'arrive de me faire contrôler ainsi dans l'aeroport puis avec ce genre de «bidulle», je suppose que c'est sûrement pour chercher des traces de drogues ou d'explosifs, je ne vosi que cela, et encore l'a je ne compremd pas trop pourquoi passer sa languette juste sur mes paumes...si je dois manipuler drogues ou explosifs, je crois que je ne le ferais pas à pleines mains...
Alors, c'est ma question, est-ce que quelqu'uns sait ce qu'il cherchait ???? Et combien même si j'avais des traces rien rien ne peux prouver que je suis un trafiquant ou un terroriste, car, par exemple, je peux très bien posséder une arme légalement et avoir fait du tir dans un club ou bien avoir fumé un joint...donc à priori rien de «punisable»...à moins que les lois allemandes soient différentes.
Donc si qq'un peu m'éclairer, je suis preneur des explications pour satisfaire ma curiosité. Merci
3 jours plus tard lorsque je suis retourné à l'aeroport, j'ai vu le même policier fouillé un sac à dos de deux perosnnes dans le hall d'enregistrement, puis après je l'ai vu dans les couloirs apres les contrôles des bagages....il se promène donc partout et dois piger du monde comme cela ou à la gueule du client...donc, voyageurs, si vous avez qq chose de «pas net», fais donc attention à l'aéroport de Francfort....Bonne voyage`!
Alors, c'est ma question, est-ce que quelqu'uns sait ce qu'il cherchait ???? Et combien même si j'avais des traces rien rien ne peux prouver que je suis un trafiquant ou un terroriste, car, par exemple, je peux très bien posséder une arme légalement et avoir fait du tir dans un club ou bien avoir fumé un joint...donc à priori rien de «punisable»...à moins que les lois allemandes soient différentes.
Ce genre de contrôle est très courant. J'ai du en subir une dizaine. Soit sur les mains, soit sur les bagages. Recherche de traces d'explosif, entre autres.
Si vous avez une raison d'avoir manipulé des explosifs, ou de faire du tir comme vous dites, vous aurez une raison de connaitre la procédure qui s'applique alors.
donc, voyageurs, si vous avez qq chose de «pas net», fais donc attention à l'aéroport de Francfort..
Je vous laisse la responsabilité de ces propos particulièrement déplacés.
Ils ne savaient pas que c'était impossible, alors ils l'ont fait.
Merci pour ta réponse rapide, me voilà donc un peu plus «éclairé»...mais reste perplexe quand même. Voyageant pas mal aux USA, je connaissais cette pratique pour les bagages puisquent lors de son enregistrement, c'est ce qu'ils font aux bagages en passant un genre de petit «trucs» dessus, dedans....puis qu'ils placent sur une machine pour chercher des «traces».
Mais bon, puisque mon contrôle s'est fait à l'arrivée.....je ne comprend pas très bien le pourquoi, d'accord si c'est le départ avec la peur de faire quelque chose dans l'avion ou au decollage....mais à l'arrivée, je reste tj perpeplexe....Part contre au sujet de ton connentaire, à savoir que si je fais du tir je devrais connaître les procédures (je prenais cela comme exemple), je ne vois pas trop le rapport, à mon avis toutes les personnes qui «manipulent» des armes sont bien loin de connaître les procédures....je vis plus en république Dominicaine qu'à Canada et il est comme monaie courante que les dominicains se promenent avec un revolver à la ceinture, et en ce qui concerne les procédure, il faudra repasser !!!!!!
Quand à mes propos déplacés, je ne vois pas vraiment en quoi ils le sont, car se faire achâler par des policiers ou des douaniers de la sorte, devant tout le monde, je trouve que c'est pas mal nul et que cela manque de «courtoisie», mais bon, il faut de tout pour faire un monde, même des crétins !
Mon fils de 17ans en partance pour chine aujourd'hui, s'est fait confisquer ses boissons (fruitées) et surtout toutes ses affaires de toilette ! Y a-t-il une explication à cela ???
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,
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’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 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 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 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
Hello everyone,
Could a resident of Benin (Cotonou) kindly let me know which is the best mobile phone and internet service provider?
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Juan
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’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
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,
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, 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.
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 need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
