Is France enforcing the 90 day rule?

All visitors to France without a visa, residency, or citizenship must respect the so-called 90/180-day rule. Alongside Britons (who have been subject to the rule since Brexit) Americans, Australians, Canadians and any other person who enjoys visa-free access to the EU must also comply.



Yes, France is strictly enforcing the 90/180-day rule for non-EU citizens, including those from the UK, US, and Australia. This rule dictates that you can stay in the Schengen Area (which includes France) for a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day period. In 2026, enforcement is becoming even more rigorous with the full rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces manual passport stamping with digital biometric registration (fingerprints and facial scans). This system automatically calculates stays and alerts border guards to overstayers. Furthermore, the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is now active, requiring visitors to obtain a €7 digital authorization before travel. Overstaying even by a single day can result in heavy fines, immediate deportation, and a potential ban from the entire Schengen Zone for up to three years.

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Each Schengen Area country has its own set and standards for penalties for overstays; however, individuals who exceed the 90-day period will typically be issued with a monetary fine and an order to depart the country and entirety of the Schengen Area within a certain period of time (sometimes immediately).

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Furthermore, once you've used up your quota of 90 days, you cannot return to Schengen until 90 more days have passed. For example, if you enter Spain on January 1st and spend 90 days in the country until June 30th, you cannot return to Spain until at least the end of September.

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