Entry/Exit System: no to health insurance proof for travel in France
Proof of medical cover is not required, contrary to claims
It is expected that standard questions will relate to where passengers are coming from and going
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No new medical-insurance requirement will be imposed on visitors to France when the European Entry/Exit System (EES) starts on October 12, 2025, despite recent UK media reports.
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage claimed travellers must “prove medical insurance” – however, this is not a requirement covered in the EU’s regulations establishing EES, nor the Schengen Border Code or Schengen Border Guard’s Handbook.
Instead it is expected that the standard questions asked will relate to where passengers are coming from and going, the purpose of the trip, where they will stay, and if they have sufficient funds for the stay and a return ticket (or funds to buy one).
In theory, French border guards can already ask these questions and request supporting paperwork, but rarely do.
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This is set to be more standardised with EES, which aims at better control of Schengen borders.
The questions will, for example, be asked by the automated pre-registration kiosks (see photo) that are being installed at some larger airports, ports and stations, for passengers to enter some data before they arrive at a border guard’s desk.
We believe short answers will suffice and it is unlikely supporting documents, such as hotel booking or a letter from a host, will be insisted upon.
Schengen rules (already) state that guards may assess funds by reference to cash, travellers’ cheques, credit cards etc the traveller has with them.
With regard to health insurance, France’s national code on the entry and stay of foreign people has since 2020 included wording at article L311-1 saying visitors should have cover for medical/hospital costs they may incur as well as to cover potential repatriation.
In practice, for Britons a UK Ghic/Ehic (issued free of charge) is accepted as sufficient, though the UK foreign office advises taking travel insurance for additional cover.
Britons have not so far been asked to show their Ghic/Ehic at the border and there has been no information that this will change.
Having said that, we advise all visitors to have this as a minimum, as they already should.
Other non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors are asked to check their own government’s travel advice for France as to what cover they need.
In most cases, Americans, for example, should take out a specific policy to cover their trip as neither government-backed schemes nor most ordinary US health insurance plans cover trips abroad.
