After months of dormancy due to the raging pandemic, travel industry is gearing up for a return to small normalcy with borders reopening, easing of quarantine requirements, and creation of travel bubbles. Travelers around the world are now keen to find out if, when and where they can travel abroad. One country that’s been on many travel wish list is France. Can anyone travel to France now?
Who can travel to France?
Citizens from a select list of countries
Upon recommendation by the council published on June 11, starting June 15, the EU decided to ease travel restriction for residents of European zone which include EU Member States, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the UK. People from these countries are now allowed to enter and exit France for tourism purposes and are also not subject to any quarantine measures upon entering Metropolitan France.
Passengers from the UK can enter France only if they carry a certificate for travel and a sworn declaration about their health. Those aged 11 and above must carry a negative RT-PCR test carried out less than 72 hours before boarding. Without these documents, you’ll not be allowed to board.
French nationals, permanent residents, and others
Apart from citizens listed above, there are other visitors allowed to travel to France:
If you are a French national (you may be accompanied by your spouse and children);
If you are a European Union citizen or a national of Andorra, the Holy See, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, and your main residence is in France or you are crossing France to reach your country of nationality or residence (you may be accompanied by your spouse and children);
If you hold a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa and your main residence is in France or you are crossing France to reach your residence in the European space;
If you are transiting for less than 24 hours in an international zone;
If you hold an official passport;
If you take up your duties in a diplomatic or consular mission or in an international organization headquartered or having an office in France, where necessary with your spouse and children, or if you travel to France with a mission order issued by your home State;
If you are a foreign health professional helping to fight COVID-19 or recruited as a trainee for this purpose;
If you are a member of crew or personnel operating passenger or cargo flights, or travelling as a passenger to reach your departure base;
If you are carrying out international goods transport;
If you are a passenger coach or train driver or crew member;
If you are a member of crew or personnel operating a merchant or fishing vessel;
If you are a student with a long-stay visa or short-stay visa (VCS) for study or placements or coming for less than 90 days from a country exempted from VCS requirements or you are a minor enrolled in school, and you can prove you have accommodation in France;
If you are a professor or researcher employed or invited by a French higher education establishment or research laboratory and you are travelling for study and teaching purposes;
If you have a “Talent Passport” or “ICT posted worker” long-stay visa, where necessary with your spouse and children;
If you are travelling to France to receive treatment in a public or private hospital.
For arrival in France, travellers from any country other than Member States of the European Union, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican, would need to fill in and carry the following travel documents:
a negative result of a “COVID RT-PCR” virological test less than 3 days before departure if the traveller is 11 years of age and over. If the traveller is not in possession of these results, boarding will be refused.
a sworn statement certifying that the traveller does not show signs of Covid-19 and that he has not met people with Covid-19 in the last 14 days. This certificate will also certify that he undertakes to respect isolation for 7 days after his arrival and to perform a virological test “RT-PCR COVID” at the end of the isolation.
an international travel certificate indicating the reason for the travel.
one or more documents to justify the reason for this trip
International students
In June, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs tweeted that starting July 1, international students are allowed in and applications for visas and permits began on that date as well.
📢Attention international students! 🌍✈️
As of July 1:
☑️visa and resident permit applications will be processed as a priority ☑️you’ll be allowed to travel to 🇫🇷, wherever you’re travelling from
— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) June 16, 2020
Do I need to quarantine if I travel to France?
If travellers do not have a negative result of a test carried out in the 72 hours before departure, and if they test positive at the airport or have COVID-19 symptoms, the authorities can require that they self-isolate.
Travellers are asked to show civic responsibility and to follow the health precautions recommended by the authorities.
Are there flights to France now?
Only flights from permitted countries on the list are available on Wego. If you’re from one of the countries mentioned above, you’ll be able to find flights served by major airlines to France’s busiest airports: Charles de Gaulle and Orly in Paris. Airlines will be flying in to different terminals, so please check the information on the airports’ official website.
According to the officials, only passengers and people accompanying children traveling alone or under 18, people accompanying passengers with disabilities or vulnerable people, can access the terminals of Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly airports. Masks are mandatory at all times.
