FRANCE – Visa and Immigration for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris

February 16, 2024


By: Soo Gurtcheff-Smit and Clara Excler

The Olympic flame will burn brightly in France this summer, as the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in across the country from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and from August 28 to September 08, 2024, respectively. With nearly 15,000 athletes (Olympic and Paralympic) representing 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), competing in 32 sports, drawing over 26,000 accredited journalists and 15 million visitors from around the world, the French authorities have already begun preparations to process a massive number of visa and entry requirements.

Access Newland Chase’s factsheet “Visa and Immigration Considerations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris” for a full breakdown of the specific visa requirements and related processes.

Generally, the authorities have confirmed the following for the Games:

  • Sporting events, including the Olympic Games, fall under a work permit exemption for 90 days.
  • The French authorities have outlined three categories of visa applicants. Note that this only applies to non-EU/Schengen, visa-required nationals.
    • Members of the Olympic Family accredited from the 2024 Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (OCOG) will require a Schengen Visa and associated Accreditation Card from the Olympic Consulate. Note that this requirement differs slightly from previous Olympic Games in that applicants must specifically request the Schengen Visa as part of their Accreditation Card application. The visa number will be printed on the Accreditation Card.
    • Persons invited by the OCOG will require an ordinary Schengen Visa.
    • Supporters/fans will require an ordinary Schengen Visa.
  • A virtual “Olympic Consulate” opened in January 2024 and will centralize Accreditation Card and Olympic Family applications in France. The OCOG will receive the requests for visa assistance as part of the Accreditation Card application process and liaise with the “Olympic Consulate” for the submitted visa requests.
  • Olympic and Paralympic Family members needing or wishing to stay in France either pre- or post-Games will need to undergo standard visa and immigration processes to cover this additional time spent in-country. Note that Schengen stay allowances will still apply to these individuals.

Olympic Games impact on French assignments & relocation

Processing and coordinating the massive influx of travellers for the Olympics is a significant undertaking, but French authorities will need to continue adjudication of routine visa and immigration applications as well. As such, the following should be noted for non-Olympic Games related travel to France:

  • The volume of visas issued ahead of the Games over the year 2024 is likely to pull resources away from other French visa applications and potential delays should be expected.
  • The Games will also increase the pressure on an already tense housing market, and while the summer is generally considered the best time for a family to move, ahead of the French school start in September, affordable temporary housing on arrival will be scarce. This may potentially impact on the issuance of a proof of residence. Expectations should be managed accordingly.

Newland Chase Insights

Looking for more details? Please see Newland Chase’s dedicated Factsheet, which includes a full breakdown of the specific visa requirements and related processes. 

If you are unsure about your entry requirements, if you need assistance in applying for entry into France for the Olympic Games, or if you have questions about non-Olympic travel to France in the upcoming months, please contact Newland Chase today.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.