The Schengen visa exemption: 90 days in any 180
Japan is one of the countries whose nationals are exempt from short-stay visas in the Schengen Area. A Japanese citizen can therefore come to Paris for tourism, a family visit or a business trip (meetings, trade fairs) without any prior formalities. The exemption applies for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, across all 29 Schengen countries: a stop in Italy or Switzerland uses up the same days as a stay in Paris.
It does not allow salaried work, settling in France or studying for more than three months: see the long-stay visa below.
How to calculate the 90/180 rule
The 180-day period is rolling: on each day of presence, the authorities look back over the previous 180 days and check that the total does not exceed 90 days. Example: a stay from 10 March to 8 May (60 days) leaves 30 usable days until early September; after that, the March days drop out of the window and the counter frees up. The days of arrival and departure each count as a full day. With the EES, the count is automatic and any overstay shows up at every check.
The Franco-Japanese bilateral agreement
A visa waiver agreement predating Schengen links France and Japan. According to the French Embassy in Japan, it allows a Japanese national who has used up their 90 Schengen days to stay a further 90 days in metropolitan France only, without a visa. Airlines are largely unaware of this possibility, it gives no right to work or to social security, and how it fits with the EES remains unclear: the embassy advises applying for a long-stay visa rather than relying on it.
ETIAS: where does the European travel authorisation stand?
ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a prior electronic authorisation, comparable to Japan's future JESTA, that visa-exempt travellers, Japanese citizens included, will one day have to obtain. As of September 2026, ETIAS is not in force. Its launch, planned for the last quarter of 2026, has been postponed with no new date: the European Commission removed the deadline from its pages in July 2026 and will announce the final date several months in advance. Industry professionals mention 2027, without confirmation.
What is planned:
- Price: €20 per application, paid online; free for under-18s and over-70s, who must still apply.
- Validity: 3 years, or until the passport expires if sooner, multiple entries.
- Processing time: a few minutes in most cases, up to 30 days for some applications; a grace period of about six months is planned after the launch.
Beware of websites, including Japanese-language ones, already offering to "book" an ETIAS: no applications are being accepted for now.
EES: biometric border checks
The EES (Entry/Exit System) started gradually on 12 October 2025, with full application scheduled for 10 April 2026. It replaces the stamp with a digital record: on your first entry into the Schengen Area, the border police photograph your face and take the fingerprints of four fingers. The file is kept for three years; after that, a single biometric check is enough.
In practice, at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle: a longer first crossing, self-service pre-registration kiosks (free and optional), and queues that exceeded several hours at some European airports in summer 2026. The derogations granted to member states expired in early September 2026 but are still tolerated in several countries, including France: depending on the terminal and the time, you may face full biometric registration or a manual check. Arrive early for your return flight and allow extra time for a connection. Once through passport control, our guide to getting from the airport to the city centre takes over.
Passport and supporting documents: what you may be asked for
The passport
Two conditions, checked by the airline before boarding:
- valid for at least 3 months after your planned date of departure from the Schengen Area;
- issued less than 10 years before the date of entry.
Both 5-year and 10-year passports are accepted. An emergency travel document issued by a consulate after a loss or theft is for returning to Japan, not for starting a stay in Europe: check with the consulate before travelling on one.
Supporting documents
The check is usually limited to a question about the purpose and length of your stay. The border police may ask for:
- a return or onward ticket, or the means to buy one;
- proof of accommodation: a hotel booking, an attestation d'accueil (host certificate) validated at the town hall if you are staying with friends or family, or a rental contract;
- proof of sufficient funds: €65 per day with a hotel booking, €32.50 per day with a host certificate, €120 per day without proof of accommodation (France-Visas reference amounts);
- an insurance certificate covering medical expenses, hospital costs and repatriation.
In practice, a bank card and your booking confirmations are enough. For payments during your stay, read paying and withdrawing money in Paris.
Travel insurance
It is not compulsory, but Japanese national health insurance only partially reimburses treatment abroad, and after the fact. Travel insurance with repatriation cover, often included with Japanese credit cards if the ticket was paid with them, saves you from hefty bills. Our pointers: emergencies and health in Paris.
Staying more than 90 days: the long-stay visa
Beyond 90 days, a long-stay visa must be applied for before departure, via France-Visas and then at the application centre in Tokyo or Osaka. The common cases:
- Working holiday visa: for 18 to 30-year-olds, up to a year in France working to fund the stay; limited annual quota.
- Student visa (VLS-TS étudiant): after admission to an institution, via the Études en France procedure.
- Visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur): to live in France without working, with sufficient resources and private health insurance.
Submit your application up to three months before departure; allow several weeks for processing, then validate the VLS-TS online within three months of arrival. Expect around €100 in visa fees; the exact amount is shown on France-Visas when you apply.
Special cases
- Dual nationality: Japan does not officially recognise dual nationality for adults, but a Franco-Japanese child travels on their French passport, with no time limit and no ETIAS.
- Minors: each child travels on their own passport; if a child travels without one of their parents, a written authorisation from the absent parent makes the check easier.
- Driving in France: a Japanese driving licence is not written in Latin characters; it must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit issued in Japan by the licence centre of your prefecture, or by an official translation (JAF offers one). Without it, car hire will be refused.
Summary table
| Length and purpose of stay | Document required (September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Tourism, visits, business, up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid passport (3 months after exit, issued less than 10 years ago); EES registration; ETIAS not required until it launches |
| Same stay, after ETIAS launches | Passport + ETIAS (€20, free under 18 and over 70, valid for 3 years) |
| An extra 90 days in France only (bilateral agreement) | Passport; the French Embassy nevertheless recommends a long-stay visa |
| Stay of more than 6 months, without work | VLS-TS visiteur, to be validated online within 3 months |
| Studies lasting more than 90 days | VLS-TS étudiant |
| Working holiday, aged 18-30, up to 1 year | Working holiday visa |
On the day at the airport
Before boarding at Haneda, Narita or Kansai, the airline checks your passport and sometimes your return ticket: a non-compliant document means being refused boarding. At CDG, follow the signage: the automatic gates are open only to certain nationalities, and with the EES a first registration at a desk or kiosk is still required. Keep your hotel address and supporting documents to hand. To choose your dates, see the best time to visit Paris and, for museums and the Eiffel Tower, booking ahead in Paris.
Going further
This information reflects the situation in September 2026; ETIAS and the EES are still being rolled out and the arrangements may change quickly. Check France-Visas and the French Embassy in Japan before you leave. American travellers will find the counterpart to this article in Americans and visas for Paris. To stay reachable from the moment you land, compare eSIM or SIM card in France, and to choose your neighbourhood, read hotels in Paris by budget.
