PARAFE gates: the nationalities allowed entry and exit differ

The automated PARAFE gates in French airports, train stations, and ports do not grant access to the same passports for entry and exit. According to a list published by the French Ministry of the Interior, at the exit, additional nationalities from 48 countries—such as Algeria, China, and Brazil—are permitted, while at entry, only Europeans and nationals from sixteen third countries are included.

Misleading Translation at Roissy Airport

In late September 2026, several media outlets reported a translation error on a PARAFE gate sign at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. The Chinese abbreviation « CH », which stands for Switzerland (Confoederatio Helvetica), was incorrectly translated as « China ». No official authority commented on the incident. According to these reports, the airport operator requested a correction.

The confusion stems from a rule many travelers are unaware of: a Chinese passport does not grant access to the PARAFE gates upon arrival in France. It does upon departure.

Entry: Europeans and sixteen third countries

Under the French Internal Security Code, PARAFE gates at entry are accessible to European Union citizens, nationals of other EEA states, Switzerland, and nationals from sixteen listed third countries. Travelers must be at least 12 years old.

Entry eligibility is defined by the list attached to the order of 30 june 2023. It includes Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, South Korea, United States, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Peru, United Kingdom, San Marino and Singapore. The French Ministry of the Interior continues to cite this order.

A valid biometric passport is required to use the PARAFE gates. EU citizens with a valid biometric national identity card can also do so. For all others—for example, Moroccans or Tunisians—the entry must be via the counter, with a border guard present.

Exit: sixty-four nationalities

At departure, the rule is different: there is no nationality restriction « for adults without conditions on nationality ». However, the travel document must still be a valid biometric passport or ID card with an ICAO-compliant chip, including a machine-readable zone and digital facial photograph. The document must be issued by one of the countries on the list of the European Entry Exit System (EES) and its authenticity verified by the ICAO Public Key Directory.

The Internal Security Code unlocks the exit gates for Eligible countries, as listed by the French Ministry of the Interior for PARAFE, including the addition of Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Brazil, Cameroon, China, Ecuador, Georgia, Kuwait, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, Nepal, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis (Saint-Christophe-et-Niévès), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines), Serbia, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vatican and Zimbabwe.

For example, an Algerian traveler departing from Roissy can use the PARAFE gate, whereas he or she had to go to the counter on arrival. A passport that is not on this list—for example, a Tunisian passport—will not be accepted. This is why travelers from ineligible countries must still use the counter with a border guard.

The age limit also differs: a 12 to 17-year-old minor can use the PARAFE gates on arrival, but on departure must be 18 years or older.

Since the EES, pre-registration before PARAFE

Third-country nationals must follow an additional procedure upon the entry into force of the European Entry Exit System (EES) on 12 October 2025. The Internal Security Code states that they can only access PARAFE after going through the « pre-registration device »—a self-service system that captures data for their EES file: identity, travel document, visa if applicable, four fingerprints, and a facial image. This pre-registration does not replace border control but moves part of the process outside the queue.

This pre-registration has become even more important since the automatic border gates no longer captured fingerprints. For travelers from the United States, Japan, or the United Kingdom arriving in Paris, the process is therefore: pre-registration machine, then the PARAFE gates.

Where to find PARAFE gates and how to use them

The French Ministry of the Interior lists PARAFE gates in 7 airports: Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (Bâle-Mulhouse), Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Nice. They are also available at 4 Eurostar stops in the cross-channel corridor—Paris Gare du Nord, London St Pancras, Calais Coquelles, and Folkestone Eurotunnel terminal—and at Calais port.

Using the PARAFE gates is straightforward: the traveler places an open passport on the scanner, steps into the gate once the document is read, removes any headgear, eyewear or mask, looks at the camera for facial recognition, and the exit doors open once the checks are completed, without any signature required or fee applied.

All eligibility rules and steps to use the PARAFE gate are listed on the Ministry of the Interior’s PARAFE page.