France new update on its entry rules as of 16 December 2021

The French government has updated the entry rules to France as of December 16th, 2021.

There are new special rules that apply specifically for people coming to France from the UK. This is due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in that area.

From December 16th, all UK travelers aged 12 and over must have pressing grounds for travel as tourism and business travel will no longer be allowed to them. People coming from the UK should have a “good reason” to travel to France —unless they’re French nationals residing in the United Kingdom.

If they’re not, they must have direct family members living in France and be going through a provable family emergency (such as serious illness or death of a close relative) to enter France. Or they have to be essential workers in the transport sector, healthcare sector, etc. But unjustified, free movement will not be permitted.

Apart from being able to properly justify the travel, the travelers coming from the UK must take a COVID-19 diagnostic test (PCR or RAT) before boarding the ship, the train, or the plane to French territory. They must also complete a form on the digital platform éOS-COVID and choose a place for a period of self-isolation (that can be shortened with a PCR or RAT test on day 2).

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also published new rules that apply to other countries. A negative PCR or rapid antigen test will be required for all travelers over 12 years old. They must take it within 24 or 48 hours prior to the trip.

If there are children under 12 years old traveling with the traveler, the parent or guardian’s vaccination status will be taken into account.

Only people coming from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Vatican, Switzerland, and any of the Member States of the European Union will be exempt from these requirements, provided that they’re fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine.

France currently has four lists of countries and areas based on health indicators:

• Green countries are those with no active circulation of SARS-CoV-2: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, New Zealand, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Taiwan, the Union of the Comoros, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vanuatu. European countries are normally on this list, too.
• Amber countries are those in which the virus is considered “controlled”. There are COVID-19 cases in these areas but not so many, and there is no spread of variants of concern. These are the countries that are neither in the green nor in the red list.
• Red countries are those with an active circulation of the virus and variants of concern: Afghanistan, Belarus, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Georgia, Mauritius, Moldavia, Montenegro, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Suriname, Turkey, and Ukraine.
• The scarlet red list includes the countries with a very active circulation of the virus and variants of concern. These countries are South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Malawi, and Zambia (due to the Omicron variant).