French Guiana
Phone Code
+594
Capital
Cayenne
Population
300,000
Native Name
Guyane française
Region
Americas
South America
Timezone
French Guiana Time
UTC-03:00
On This Page
French Guiana is a French overseas department in South America — 96% Amazonian rainforest, bordering Brazil and Suriname, and legally part of France and the EU. It centers on coastal Cayenne, a fully modern French city, while the interior holds indigenous and Maroon communities, rare wildlife, and Europe's spaceport near Kourou. Entry has one crucial twist: French Guiana sits OUTSIDE the Schengen Area, so EU citizens move freely, visa-exempt nationalities (including the US and UK) get 90 days, but visa-required travellers need a specific French overseas-territory visa — an ordinary Schengen visa does not admit you unless expressly endorsed.
French Guiana Visa & Entry Requirements
French Guiana's entry rules look French but are not Schengen — the territory is a French overseas department and EU outermost region that sits outside the Schengen area, and that distinction drives everything. EU and EEA citizens enter freely with a passport or identity card, as for any other part of France. Visa-exempt nationalities — including the United States and the United Kingdom — visit without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism or business, presenting a passport valid at least three months beyond the planned departure, a return or onward ticket, and proof of means. Travellers whose nationality requires a visa need a French overseas-territory short-stay visa applied for through France-Visas: an ordinary Schengen visa does not permit entry unless it is expressly endorsed for the French overseas territories, and an itinerary combining mainland France with French Guiana needs both authorizations. A yellow fever certificate is mandatory for entry regardless of nationality. Longer stays, work and residence follow the French long-stay system through the competent consulate. Most visitors arrive via Cayenne–Félix Eboué Airport, with connections mainly through Paris; overland entry from Brazil or Suriname is possible but requires the appropriate visa for those countries first.
Common Visa Types
Visa-Free Entry (90 days)
Tourism and business visits of up to 90 days for visa-exempt nationalities, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Bring a passport valid at least three months beyond your planned departure, proof of a return or onward ticket, evidence of sufficient funds, and a mandatory yellow fever certificate. Covers space centre tours, Devil's Island trips, rainforest expeditions and business meetings alike.
French Long-Stay Visa (For stays over 90 days, work, or study)
Extended stays, work or study beyond the 90-day visa-free period require a French long-stay visa, applied for through the France-Visas portal and the competent French consulate before travel. Supporting documentation follows the purpose — an employment contract, school enrolment or proof of accommodation — plus financial means and insurance. Processing takes time, so apply well in advance and check current requirements on the official portal.
Essential French Guiana Travel Information
French Guiana packs a modern French capital, an active European spaceport, penal-colony history and pristine Amazon rainforest into one territory small enough to combine on a single trip. Cayenne anchors transport and comfort, Kourou opens onto both the space centre and Devil's Island, and the interior — accessible by pirogue and jungle lodge — holds indigenous and Maroon communities living largely as they always have. Costs run close to metropolitan France, and infrastructure thins out fast past the coast, so this rewards travellers who plan ahead and accept some friction for genuinely rare experiences.
Discover French Guiana
Cayenne surprises visitors expecting primitive jungle outpost with its modern French city character—paved streets, supermarkets stocking French products, European-standard hotels, and infrastructure matching metropolitan France despite equatorial rainforest location. Place des Palmistes anchors the city center with elegant palms, cafes, and colonial buildings painted in pastel colors, while nearby Place Victor Schoelcher features weekend market selling tropical fruits, spices, Creole dishes, and local crafts. The Museum of French Guiana preserves territorial history through exhibits on indigenous cultures, colonial period, penal colony system, and space industry. Fort Cépérou overlooks the city from hilltop position offering sunset views across Atlantic coast. Cayenne's culinary scene blends French and Creole influences—restaurants serve blaff (spicy fish soup), bouillon d'awara (palm fruit stew), and French classics alongside Chinese and Vietnamese options reflecting diverse population. Nearby beaches including Rémire-Montjoly attract swimmers and sunset watchers, while Gosselin Beach sees leatherback turtle nesting April-July when females lumber ashore at night to lay eggs. Cayenne provides comfortable base for exploring territory with hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and tour operators organizing space center visits, Devil's Island trips, and jungle expeditions.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Visit Guiana Space Centre: tour rocket assembly facilities, learn space technology at museums, watch actual Ariane or Soyuz launches if timing aligns, experience cutting-edge aerospace in jungle setting, unique opportunity available nowhere else.
Explore pristine jungle: multiday river expeditions by pirogue, stay at jungle lodges, spot jaguars and giant otters, hike rainforest trails with indigenous guides, experience Amazon biodiversity with European safety standards.
Discover penal colony history at Devil's Island, explore colonial Cayenne architecture and museums, visit indigenous and Maroon communities, experience multicultural markets, learn complex territorial history blending brutality and resistance.
Witness leatherback turtle nesting April-July at Awala-Yalimapo, spot incredible birdlife including scarlet ibis and toucans, search for caiman and anacondas on night river trips, experience world-class biodiversity in protected ecosystems.
Experience unique cultural blend: shop Hmong markets in Cacao, taste Creole cuisine in Cayenne, attend local festivals mixing African and Brazilian traditions, interact with indigenous communities, discover South America's only European society.
Money & Currency
Euro (€, EUR)
Currency code: EUR
Practical Money Tips
Euro (EUR) — French Guiana is an EU territory and integral part of France
French Guiana (Guyane) is not a separate country but an overseas department (département d'outre-mer) and region of France, fully part of the European Union and the Eurozone. The euro is the only legal currency — no need to exchange money if arriving from France or another Eurozone country. US travelers should exchange USD to EUR before departure or upon arrival in Cayenne; airport exchange facilities are limited. GBP and CAD travelers should also convert to EUR. French Guiana is significantly more expensive than neighboring Suriname or Brazil, as most goods are imported from mainland France. ATMs and banking infrastructure exist in Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni but are very limited in Amazonian interior communities.
ATMs in Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni — none in Amazonian interior villages
BNP Paribas, Crédit Mutuel de Guyane, and Caisse d'Épargne have ATM machines in Cayenne (the capital) and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni on the Suriname border. Major Visa and Mastercard cards function well. In the Amazonian interior — along the Maroni River, in Amerindian villages, in Saül (the jungle hiking center), or in Maroon communities — there are no ATMs and virtually no card acceptance. For any journey beyond Cayenne or the coast, withdraw substantial EUR cash before departure. The distances are enormous: Saül is accessible only by small plane and completely cash-based.
Cards work in Cayenne — Amazonian interior is entirely cash-based
In Cayenne, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Kourou (Space Center area), and larger coastal towns, Visa and Mastercard are accepted at supermarkets, hotels, and tourist businesses. Apple Pay and Google Pay work at modern French-standard terminals in Cayenne. The interior Amazonian jungle, river villages, ecotourism lodges on the Maroni and Approuague rivers, and gold-panning route areas are exclusively cash-based. Jungle guides, river boatmen (pirogue operators), and village guesthouses only accept cash — often EUR only.
French pricing on South American soil — notably more expensive than neighbors
French Guiana applies French mainland standards but with significantly higher prices due to import costs and geographic isolation. Cayenne café lunch: €12–20. Restaurant dinner: €20–40 per person. Beer: €4–7. Budget guesthouse (chambre d'hôte) in Cayenne: €50–80/night. Mid-range hotel: €80–150/night. For jungle expeditions to Saül or Maroni River lodges, costs increase substantially due to mandatory small-aircraft access and guided tour requirements. The Guiana Space Centre in Kourou is free to visit (with pre-registration) but nearby accommodation is limited. Plan for much higher cash reserves than comparable South American backpacker routes.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
Embassies in French Guiana
These foreign embassies and consulates are based here. Choose a mission to open its in-depth guide and contact details.
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No. French Guiana is a French overseas department and part of the European Union, but it is outside the Schengen Area. A permission valid only for Schengen does not necessarily cover French Guiana.
Not unless the visa or accompanying authorization is also valid for the French overseas territories. Travellers who require a visa should confirm the territorial validity before departure.
Free public viewing areas along the coast near Kourou don't require booking, but launch dates change frequently and depend on the mission schedule — check current dates with the tourist office or the space centre before planning around one. VIP viewing inside the space centre does require booking.
This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.