Visas for non-EU/non-British students on your French trip
8 May 2024, 11:41
by Kate Moore
Do non-EU/non-British students need a visa for school trips to France?
We are often asked about the visa situation for students who don't hold a British or EU passport taking a school trip to France.
Though we are not qualified to give advice on French visa requirements, we can share the guidance from the French Consulate (below).
School trip visa guidance from the French Consulate
According to the France Visa website, non-EU schoolchildren living in the UK can travel visa free to France as long as:
- They are a pupil at a general education school (up to sixth form) in the UK;
- They are on an organised school trip with their own school;
- They have their own valid passport, recognised by France;
- They are resident in the UK (valid residence permit)
To ease border crossing, schools must provide the accompanying teachers with an official list on headed paper with details of the pupils concerned. This must include the full name, date and place of birth, nationality of the non-EU school children and must be signed and dated by the head of the school.
- Students of further education colleges or universities / Accompanying teachers / Youth organisations are not eligible;
- Children must have their own passports and cannot travel on a parent’s passport;
- Note that this, alike a visa, cannot completely guarantee entry into France;
- The decision to allow people to travel or not is made by the Border Police on the day of travel.
Click here to download a copy of the French Consulate's guidance letter
Rules are subject to change, therefore, you should check the School Trips section of the France Visas website for the latest measures relating to non-UK/EU travellers in your group. Please do this well in advance of your trip.
Though we are happy to share the experience of past groups, we are not qualified to give advice on visa requirements. It is the party leader's responsibility to obtain the necessary paperwork needed for the group to visit.
What about school trips to other EU countries?
You can find information about travel documents required for non-EU nationals on the European Commission website, including a list of the countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirements for stays of 90 days or less.
New requirements for all school groups travelling from UK to EU from 2024
Prepare for new EU border changes that will impact your EU school trip from the 2024/25 academic year:
- A new EU border system comes into force in 2024 which means that you will need to allow extra time to pass through the Entry/Exit System (EES) passport gates, especially at the Channel crossing ports of Folkestone and Dover
- All travellers from the UK, including children, will need to apply online for an ETIAS visa waiver to visit the EU from 2025
Do non-British students require an ETIAS for a school trip to Europe from 2025?
The new ETIAS visa waiver comes into force in 2025. Once introduced, non-UK/non-EU passport holders on a school trip may be able to visit the EU on an ETIAS, without the need for a visa. Visit the EU travel website for more information on travelling to any of the European countries requiring ETIAS on a school trip.
More school trip planning advice from Voyager School Travel:
- Travel has changed now we've left the EU. Read our essential checklist for schools visiting the EU.
- Crossing the Channel by ferry? Read our top tips for taking a school trip by ferry
- The difference between ABTA & ATOL and how your school trip is protected
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