Reunion Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Reunion.
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Guide
Réunion, the French department in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, follows French immigration rules generally, but with the same Schengen carve-out as France's other overseas territories. A Schengen visa only works for entry here if its visa label specifically states it is valid for Réunion, and a non-resident foreign national holding a Schengen visa without that specific endorsement has to apply for a visa extension covering the overseas department, a process that goes through the prefecture of Réunion Island. EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can enter with just a valid national ID card or passport, for an unlimited stay, notably more open than the standard visitor allowance.
As of 2026, citizens of 85 countries get visa free access for short term tourism stays, and every traveler needs a passport valid for at least three months beyond their departure date from Réunion.
Border crossings
- Roland Garros Airport, near Saint-Denis
Réunion's main gateway, where the specifically endorsed Schengen visa, or a separate overseas department visa extension, is checked for nationalities that need it.
Transit routes
- Check your Schengen visa label specifically for a Réunion endorsement
Without the specific 'Valid for Réunion Island' wording, the visa does not work here, and an extension through the Réunion prefecture is needed instead.
- Confirm your nationality's status on the 85 country visa free list
Worth checking directly before assuming either a visa or an exemption applies.
Entry point notes
- EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens get an unlimited stay
A genuinely open arrangement, distinct from the standard tourist allowance most other visitors receive.
- Three months of passport validity beyond departure
The specific figure to check for Réunion, worth confirming against your own passport's expiry date.