Identity documents

Where to travel with a national ID card?

Publié le null - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

You are planning to travel this summer but your passport has expired and cannot be renewed in the required time. Service-Public.fr shows you the possible destinations with a valid identity card and offers you a simulator.

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Image 1Crédits: DavidPrado - stock.adobe.com

European Union and Schengen Area

You can go to the 27 Schengen countries with only your national identity card (NIC): Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

These other European countries also accept it: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Liechtenstein and Monaco.

Islands such as Corsica in France, Sardinia and Sicily in Italy, Madeira and the Azores in Portugal, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands in Spain, or Crete in Greece, are also accessible without a passport.

What about the UK?

The conditions of entry into the UK have changed since its withdrawal from the European Union. Since 1er october 2021, know thata valid passport is required to visit England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Outside the European continent

Few countries allow French nationals to enter their territory without a passport:

  • Turkey: an identity card may be sufficient if its period of validity exceeds the date of entry by at least 150 days (5 months) (travel of less than 3 months);
  • Egypt: The identity card must be valid at least 6 months after the date of return to France.

    A visa is required. It is affixed, on arrival, to a form provided by the local authorities. Travelers must bring two identity photos that will be attached to this form before departure

    , points out France Diplomatie;
  • Tunisia: An identity card can be accepted if you are traveling as part of a group trip organized by a travel agency. The travel booklet issued by the latter will be required (this tolerance not always being applied, it is recommended to travel to Tunisia with a passport).

FYI  

from 22 April to 30 September 2023, on an experimental basis, the identity card is enough to get you to Jersey and Guernsey. Several conditions:

  • make the round trip during the day and get there on board Condor Ferries and Manche Île Express;
  • in case of arrival by air or overnight stay, the passport is still required.

Discover the simulator proposed by Service-Public.fr to know the identity document required to travel to Europe, in case of short stay (less than 3 months).

Please note

are you wondering how long your identity card is valid? You can look at the Service-Public.fr How long is an identity card valid?

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