Immigration
regulation divides French territory into 3 main subdivisions:
 Metropolitan
France:
the part of France situated in Europe, also commonly called "Hexagone" due
to its shape.
Overseas Departments:
overseas French territories organized administratively as "departments":  La Réunion: situated in the Indian Ocean
La Guyane: situated on the Atlantic coast of South America
La Guadeloupe: situated in the West Indies
La Martinique: situated in the West Indies
La Guyane, la Guadeloupe and la Martinique are known as the French
Departments of America ("DFA"). Immigration regulation valid
for Metropolitan France is usually valid for the Overseas Departments
with the following exceptions:
- some nationalities are exempted from the visa obligation
to enter France but not to enter a French Overseas Department.
For example: citizens of Brazil, of Venezuela.
- the French Overseas Departments are not part of the Schengen space. Therefore,
only French embassies and consulates can issue visas valid for the French Overseas
Departments.
Overseas
Territories : Saint-Pierre et Miquelon: isles situated in the Atlantic
Ocean, in front of Canada
New
Caledonia: situated in the Pacific Ocean
French Polynesia: isles (including Tahiti and Bora Bora) situated in the Pacific
Ocean
Wallis and Futuna: isles situated in the Pacific Ocean
Mayotte: in the Indian Ocean
French Antarctica
Immigration regulation for the French Overseas Territories differs
from the regulation which applies to Metropolitan France and French
Overseas Departments. Therefore, immigration information should
be checked before traveling to any of these territories.
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