How Long Can UK Citizens Stay in France? 90/180, the EES and the Long-Stay Visa (2026)

France holds more British-owned second homes than any country except Spain, and the post-Brexit rules bite the same way: 90 days in any 180, shared across the whole Schengen area, counted automatically at the border since April 2026. Here is the France-specific picture, including the long-stay route owners use and one persistent rumour worth killing. Updated 5 August 2026.

The visa-free position

British passport holders need no visa for short stays: 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, shared with the other 28 Schengen countries (full mechanics in our 90/180 guide for UK citizens). UK government travel advice for France carries the standard Schengen framing (GOV.UK, France entry requirements), and since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System registers every crossing with biometrics and, in the Commission's words, enables "the automatic detection of overstayers" (European Commission, Entry/Exit System).

No, there is no British version of the 1949 deal

You may have heard that Americans can claim 90 extra days in France under a 1949 bilateral agreement, a claim which is, remarkably, true and now has an official EES procedure (our full guide to the France-US bilateral agreement covers it). No equivalent exists for UK citizens: British government guidance is unambiguous that the 90/180 limit applies, and no French mechanism recognises extra days on a UK passport. If your plans rely on more than 90 days, you need a visa, not a rumour.

Staying longer: the long-stay visitor visa

France's route for second-home owners and long-stayers is the long-stay visitor visa (VLS-T / VLS-TS "visiteur"): typically six months to a year, requiring proof of income, accommodation and health cover, and a commitment not to work in France. Applications go through France-Visas, the official portal. Time in France under a long-stay visa sits outside your Schengen 90/180 count, though your travel to other Schengen countries remains limited.

The tax line

France's domestic tests can make you tax resident well before you expect: the classic markers are your foyer (household), your principal place of stay (183 days is the working figure), your principal professional activity, or your centre of economic interests. Half-years split between the UK and France are precisely where dual-residence disputes live, and they are resolved on evidence of where you actually were, day by day. See our dual tax residency guide for how the UK-France treaty tie-breakers work.

Count it, do not estimate it

Check where you stand today with the free Schengen calculator. For the ongoing version, the Days Monitor iPhone app logs your days automatically, shows the rolling window, and warns you before you reach 90, with a trip planner for testing bookings before you commit. Download it on the App Store.

Sources

• GOV.UK, France entry requirements (accessed 5 August 2026)
• France-Visas, official visa portal (accessed 5 August 2026)
• European Commission, Entry/Exit System (accessed 5 August 2026)

This article is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules and their enforcement change, and your facts matter. Verify current requirements with the official sources linked above and confirm your position with a qualified professional.