France refuses entry to hundreds of Brits

"France refused entry to 200 British citizens in 2025, latest EU data shows, with most refused because they either did not have the correct paperwork or had previously over-stayed the 90-day limit. Last year France was the EU country that refused entry to the highest number of Brits, with 200 UK citizens turned back at the border, according to the latest Eurostat figures."

"In 2025, 132,600 non-EU citizens were refused entry at the EU external borders, 7 percent more than in 2024, the EU statistical office Eurostat has reported. The largest groups by nationality who were denied entry were Ukrainians (27,000), Albanians, Moldovans, Colombians, Turkish and Serbians - most of whom were attempting to cross a land border into the EU."

"But among the numbers, Brits make up a small but significant minority - in total, in 2025, 1,240 UK nationals were barred from entering the EU, along with 965 US citizens. France barred the highest number of UK entries - 200 - followed by the Netherlands (125), Italy and Poland (80 each). UK nationals made up the largest group denied entry to Malta."

"The main reason for refusing access to the EU was that the purpose and conditions of stay was not justified. The second most common reason was for having already stayed 3 months within a 6-month period, as set out under the Schengen 90-day rules. Other less common reasons for being refused entry included people having no valid visa or residence permit, a police alert having been issued against individuals and those who simply had no valid travel document."

France refused entry to 200 British citizens at the border in 2025, with most refusals linked to incorrect paperwork or prior overstays beyond the Schengen 90-day limit. Eurostat data shows a rise in refusals of non-EU citizens at EU external borders, reaching 132,600 in 2025, up 7% from 2024. The largest nationality groups denied entry included Ukrainians, Albanians, Moldovans, Colombians, Turks, and Serbians, often attempting land crossings. Among smaller but notable groups, 1,240 UK nationals were refused entry to the EU in 2025, with France denying the most. The most common refusal reason was that the purpose and conditions of stay were not justified, followed by already staying three months within a six-month period.

Read at www.thelocal.fr