last edited Dec 11, 2019
Entry Requirements and Visa for French Guiana
Location Map of French Guiana
French Guiana
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People
For French Citizens
Since French Guiana is a French department, there are no special entry requirements regardless of the length or purpose of your stay. A valid national identity card or passport is sufficient. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is (in principle) mandatory.
Other Nationalities
For citizens of the European Union, Canada, and Switzerland, a valid passport is required along with a return travel ticket. Like all other French overseas territories, French Guiana is not part of the Schengen Area.
Long Stays
In Case of Offense
Regulated Access Zone
In 1970, to protect indigenous populations and their environment, the prefecture established a "Regulated Access Zone" (ZAR) covering southern French Guiana. In practice, this means that anyone outside local communities wishing to visit must submit a prior request to the prefectural authorities in Cayenne. Visits for purely tourist purposes are systematically refused.
However, in recent years, this regulation has been increasingly questioned, including by some Indigenous communities who see it as a barrier to their development and ecotourism projects. In 2013, the municipality of Camopi withdrew from the ZAR, accelerating the idea that a general relaxation of the rules may occur in the near future.
Vehicles
Consulates
In foreign countries, French consulates handle all matters concerning French Guiana. Note that there are some administrative differences between metropolitan France and the overseas territories, such as the Foreigners' Entry and Residence Code, which does not apply locally.