Good evening and best travel wishes to everyone. I’m leaving soon for a two-month road trip in Southeast Asia. Arriving in Bangkok on January 14th, returning from Ho Chi Minh City on March 13th. I don’t have an exit ticket from Thailand because I’d like to keep some flexibility in my itinerary. Do you think my return ticket from Vietnam will be enough to prove that I’ll have left Thai territory within 60 days of my entry? I hope I won’t run into any issues boarding at Roissy or at immigration once I’m in BKK. What do you think? Thanks for your help. Christine

Hi there,

We’re heading to Southeast Asia for several months as a family with two teens (10 and 13). The first country we’re visiting is Cambodia. I’m having an issue with the e-visa—it won’t accept any of the documents I’m attaching. I’ve validated all four e-visas and received the registration numbers, but when I check the application, it shows no attachments. I’ve tried multiple times in different formats (PDF, JPEG, PNG), whether compressed or not, but there’s always a red cross next to the documents.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

Thanks for your help—I’m losing patience, and our departure is in 15 DAYS 😕

Magos

Hello,

I’ve heard a lot about WISE for low-cost money transfers (booking/paying for safari services). I’m looking for feedback from people who’ve actually used WISE to pay at a restaurant or withdraw local cash from an ATM.

Could you share what you consider the "pros" and "cons" of the WISE debit card compared to a traditional bank card? Also, do you think there are any risks? If so, what are they? Thanks in advance for shedding some light on this—I’m only interested in firsthand experiences.

Thanks!

...

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a one-way ticket to Vietnam. My return flight will be from Malaysia since I’ll be traveling around Southeast Asia overland. To qualify for the 45-day visa-free entry, you need to show an exit ticket from Vietnam. Do you think a bus ticket from Saigon to Phnom Penh would work?

Hi everyone,

I’ll be in Bangkok at the end of March and I’m thinking of heading to Chongqing, China, for a few days. I know China has a visa exemption program for French citizens, but a few years ago, I was in South Korea and wanted to go to Shanghai. They wouldn’t let me board because I was departing from Thailand instead of France—basically, the 3-day visa exemption at the time only worked if you were coming from Europe, not Asia. So I lost my flight tickets and accommodations and ended up staying in Seoul.

Now I’d like to give it another shot to visit that wild city, Chongqing. I read on the embassy’s website that "you can travel to China without a visa, even from a third country" (??)... But nothing’s clear—you call them, they don’t answer; you don’t know where to go to ask; and the website talks about 2025, not even 2026 yet. It’s kind of a mess...

If you’ve got any firsthand experience, I’d love to hear it! :)

Thanks everyone,

Hi there,

I’m planning a few-month trip to Asia with my partner and our daughter, who’ll be 5 at the time.

We’d love to visit Bhutan. Do you have any recommendations for getting a low-cost visa? I know we have to go through a local travel agency, but do we always have to stay with the agency while we’re there? We’re not big fans of organized tours, so I’d love to find a way to travel there backpacker-style... Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Cynthia

Hi there, Do I need a return ticket? Proof of insurance and a hotel reservation?? I’m French. Also, is there any control on meds and sleeping pills?? Thanks a bunch!

Hi everyone, is there anyone sure about this topic? I’ve heard two different things. I’m leaving for Thailand on March 2nd and returning to France on March 30th, and my passport expires on September 25th. When I look at the rule that says the passport must be valid for more than 6 months upon entry, I’m good until March 25th, but on the way out, I’ll be 2 days short of the full 6 months (5 days early, to be precise).

Most people tell me it’s okay because it’s the entry date that counts, and even ChatGPT confirmed that for me. But some say no, it’s the return date that matters. So I called Qatar Airways, and even there, I got two different answers—one person said no, it’s the return date, and another said it’s fine for them. I’m not sure they fully understood what I was asking, and since I’m not in Paris, I can’t go in person either...

Just to be safe, I applied for a passport renewal at the town hall. They told me it would take 4 to 6 weeks, and I applied on January 14th, leaving on March 2nd, which is 6 and a half weeks. On the ANTS tracking, it’s been marked as "in production" since January 17th...

So, are there any experts on this topic out there? Either about whether boarding is allowed with the old passport or about the usual timeline for receiving a new passport... Am I wrong to worry in either case?

Thanks to those who reply!

Hello,

We’re French nationals planning a tourist trip to Asia with the following itinerary:

First entry into Thailand from Paris: 3 days in Bangkok (visa exemption).

Departure to Cambodia (we have a Cambodia e-visa) then to Laos (we have a Laos e-visa) for 5 days in each country, totaling 10 days outside Thailand.

Second entry into Thailand from Laos: 8 days in Chiang Mai (visa exemption) before returning to Paris.

This means two entries into Thailand in less than a month, with a total stay of 11 days in the country.

**Can you confirm if we can do this trip under the visa exemption policy, or do we need to apply for a double-entry tourist visa?**

Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone, could someone clarify a doubt for me? Here's the thing: my passport expires on 25/09, and I want to go to Thailand from 03/3 to 30/3. So, on the day of departure, it will be 6 months and 22 days before the passport's expiry date.

...So, for entry into Thailand, will there be a problem? Apparently not, but I'm not sure. And for the return, since it will exceed the expiry date by 5 days, should I be careful with the layover outside Europe due to the 6-month passport validity rule? For safety, should I choose a European layover to avoid the 6-month passport issue?

I understood that what matters is that on the date of entry into Thailand, the passport must be valid for more than 6 months, and it will be exactly 6 months and 23 days.

However, for the return to France, I leave on 30/03, which is 5 months and 25 days (just 5 days short).

I heard that they don’t check it, and if I have a layover in Doha, for example, where the 6-month rule applies, as long as I stay in the transit area and don’t go through immigration, there shouldn’t be a problem either.

But I’m not sure about anything—even ChatGPT tells me there’s no issue...

Is there an expert on this topic on this forum? Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

The Netherlands is one of the countries that hasn’t officially taken a position on accepting French ID cards with extended validity (+5 years). However, it seems to be tolerated, and it’s recommended to carry the explanatory notice about the law that extended the validity of ID cards—especially in case of a police check during your stay in the Netherlands. The main concern seems to be about legal status in the country. Air France (apparently) indicates that boarding is possible. Has anyone had experience traveling by plane under these conditions, and can someone confirm whether it’s possible to visit the Netherlands (by plane with Air France) with an expired French ID card (based on the date printed on it) but with validity extended by 5 years? It’s hard to get a definitive answer, which is why I’m asking fellow travelers for their experiences :) Thanks in advance for your feedback! Audrey

India is introducing an electronic arrival card for foreign travelers. The measure is effective for all travelers starting October 1st.

India is now adopting the electronic arrival card. Presenting this "e-Arrival Card" is now mandatory for all arrivals in India as of October 1, 2025. This formality replaces the paper card previously filled out on the plane or upon arrival. India aims to streamline traveler tracking. The requirement applies to travelers of all nationalities, both adults and minors, for all entry points into India. It’s an additional mandatory formality alongside the e-Visa or visa. The e-Arrival Card must be completed online within three days prior to arrival in the country. Available in English only, it’s free and can be done on the official Indian authorities' website. The document is valid only for the declared arrival day. "This means you’ll need to complete it for each new arrival," clarifies RapideVisa, an agency specializing in visa services. Travelers must provide standard information to obtain the document (passport number, purpose of stay, countries visited in the 6 days before arrival, etc.).

Once completed, a document with a QR code to present to authorities upon arrival is generated. With this new system, India aims to facilitate traveler tracking and reduce congestion at airport counters. Nearly 19 million international visitors traveled to India in 2023. Among them, 189,000 were French.

Source: https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/inde-une-nouvelle-formalite-obligatoire-pour-voyager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WaPqVyUmuY

Hello, We’re planning to travel to Indonesia (Sulawesi with family) next July and August for a stay longer than a month (about 6 weeks). I’ve seen that it’s possible to get a 60-day visa before departure, but I’ve also read about people having a lot of trouble getting it (some even didn’t manage and had to leave without it). We absolutely need to have these 4 visas BEFORE leaving because once we’re in Sulawesi, I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to an embassy to request a visa extension after 30 days.

In short, how can we **100% guarantee** that we’ll get our 4 60-day visas before our trip this summer?

Thanks for your valuable tips!

Elodie

Hi,

Currently, it's possible to travel for 180 days in Mexico without a visa (just with a valid passport for French nationals). Could you please tell me, when a traveler leaves Mexico after staying for 180 days, how long they need to wait before re-entering by air? Thanks so much for your feedback. liza

Hi everyone!

What a joy to be back on this forum where I’ve spent so many hours traveling and gathering info—let’s get started! 👋

Almost everything’s in the title, but just to clarify: As far as I know, you currently need a full French motorcycle license (A) to legally ride a scooter in Thailand, since they don’t recognize A1 or A2 licenses. Yes, I know most rental places only ask for an international car license (B), or sometimes nothing at all… but that’s not what I’m asking. What I’d like to know is whether you think this might change in the future, allowing A1 licenses (which are easier to get) or even car licenses (B), since you can ride a scooter in France with one. I don’t want to get a motorcycle license—I’m scared of motorcycles, even though I’m comfortable on a scooter. I’m a bit confused by their regulations. Thanks for any insights you can share!

Lulu56😅

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?...

Thanks for your help

Hi everyone!

I’m currently a student on a gap year, and I don’t plan to go back to school right away. That said, traveling really interests me. But I’ve been wondering: does being a student come with any perks when you decide to go abroad? The real question is whether I should re-enroll in a program just to keep that status without actually attending.

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Axel

hi Do you know of any travel insurance for someone with a pre-existing condition? Can a person who’s had a heart attack and is on medication get travel insurance? Thanks

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my experience in case it helps others. I applied for an ESTA to travel to the United States, but unfortunately, it was denied because I checked a "Yes" box by mistake. I then tried contacting several numbers I found here on the forum for help or to find out how to reset my ESTA application, but most of them no longer work. One of the numbers I called wasn’t even assigned (it came from a 2015 discussion). I also tried reaching the U.S. Embassy in Paris, but they told me to apply for a visa instead.

If anyone knows the correct official number or procedure to reset a denied ESTA application, I’d really appreciate it. My departure is in 2 weeks, and I won’t have time to get a visa.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Numbers I’ve already contacted: 202-325-7171 202-325-8000 1-202-877-227-5511

Non-working number found on the forum: 00 1 2023443710

Hi, I went to submit my visa application to visit my partner’s family. We’re religiously married in France. I provided an accommodation certificate, pay slips, travel insurance, and a document stating we’re religiously married—signed, etc. I want to travel with my partner’s son, who has both Algerian and French passports and is a minor. So, I told them he lives with us. Since his father has custody, they didn’t charge me anything and said they’d call me back because my file is going to a committee. I also told them I needed to leave by July 15th. This is the Lille consulate—has this ever happened to any of you?,

Hello everyone, We’re planning a family trip (my wife and our two kids) for 12–13 months in 2026–2027. The idea is to start our journey by biking across the U.S. from July to December 2026. We’re thinking of leaving our bikes there and then traveling by public transport for 3 months in Central America down to Belize (during the U.S. winter). After that, we’d return to the U.S. and finish our trip by bike for about 4 more months.

We’ll need to apply for a B2 visa, but we’ve heard the conditions are for a 6-month stay. Depending on the border officers’ discretion, we *might* be allowed to re-enter the U.S. if we’ve left for a non-contiguous country for a while (which would be our case since we’d go as far as Belize). Has anyone here confirmed this? Have you been in this situation before, and is there a chance we might not be allowed back into the U.S. after leaving at the end of 2026?

Another question about the B2 visa interview. We’ve read it’s best to be transparent with the officer. Should we mention our full plan (including the trip to Belize and return to the U.S.), or should we only talk about the first part?

Thanks so much for your experiences and advice!

Hi, I’m traveling to Mauritius with my kids from Réunion. My kids only have national ID cards that still show our old address in mainland France. What do we need to show at the airport as proof of residence in Réunion to travel with just an ID card?

Thanks—this is pretty urgent since we leave next week!

Hello, I’d like to hear from travelers (French nationals) who have a B2 visa (tourism) about their experiences. I read on the U.S. Embassy in France’s website that the B2 visa allows travel for up to 6 months (at the discretion of the immigration officer) within U.S. territory. It’s possible to renew the stay multiple times during the visa’s validity period.

If I understand correctly, I must leave the U.S. BEFORE the date stamped in my passport (or on the I-94 form) by the immigration officer upon entry.

What’s the minimum amount of time I should wait between two stays?

If I land in Washington (USA), travel to Halifax (Canada), stay in Canada until Calgary (Canada), visit Alaska (USA) for 2 months, and then re-enter the U.S. a few weeks later via Canada—how are "stays" and days counted?

I can’t find any official documents explaining how this counting works. From what I’ve heard from recent travelers, practices have changed in recent years. Is the counting left to the discretion of the immigration officer, or is there something less arbitrary I can rely on?

Thanks to anyone who can answer this question.

Hi,

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.

The consulate tells me my French residence permit needs to be valid for at least 6 months after I leave Egypt, but my permit will only be valid for 5 months and a few days by my departure date from Egypt. Is it still doable to get a visa on arrival (at the airport)? Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer me.

I'm heading to Guinea at the end of January 2026 for 15 days. I applied for my visa through their website. My application is registered (it says "saved"), but I don’t see what comes next. Should I have received an email about them reviewing my application? What’s the usual processing time after that? Thanks for your help!

Hi, I successfully applied for an ESTA for my family and myself for an upcoming trip to New York in August. But here’s what I didn’t realize: my two older daughters are leaving for Costa Rica in a week with a layover in the United States, something I wasn’t aware of when I filled out the ESTA application. The person handling their application is stuck because one is already on file... My question is: is this ESTA valid for their layover even though it’s not specified on the application (since a U.S. address was provided)? If not, how can I reapply for their transit ESTA? Thanks for your help!

Hi, I’m traveling with my 6-year-old daughter this summer, and since her father hasn’t seen her in 3 months, he won’t be able to sign a travel consent form for me. He’s been completely out of touch since early March, and I have no idea where he is. We’re heading to Montreal for 2 weeks in early July—I have both the outbound and return tickets. Am I required to provide a signed consent letter from the father, even though she’s traveling with a parent who has legal custody? If I don’t have one but can prove my good faith—explaining that he’s completely unreachable—will that be enough? Thanks for your help!

Hi there, I’m looking for info on the visa for India: duration, cost, and a reliable website to apply. Thanks!

Hi, I’m planning a trip to Thailand from April 1st to 24th. I’m flying with Qatar Airways. My passport is valid until October 7th, 2025. My question: For entry into Thailand, my passport is valid for more than 6 months (6 months and 6 days). For my exit, my passport’s validity will be 5 months and 14 days. Do I need to renew my passport, or is it okay? Thanks for your answers!