Current rules on travel to France during COVID-19 pandemic

As Europe begins to slowly open up to travelers from outside the Schengen area, France is preparing to once-again host millions of foreign tourists for the summer season. If you are considering undertaking travel to France during the COVID-19 era, you should be aware of the current testing and quarantine regulations in addition to the other relevant France travel restrictions. Today’s blog will therefore provide France tourist information for those looking to travel to France in the upcoming months. Read on for the latest coronavirus update for France, and for France entry and exit requirements (including requirements for tests and proof of vaccination for entry into France borders). 

[Published on 31 May 2021] Disclaimer: Please note that this coronavirus update for France is subject to change and may vary from the date it was published. For the latest France travel information, contact us here.

Travel to France during COVID-19

• Since the pandemic began, France, like the rest of the Schengen area, has upheld the principle of free travel for Schengen citizens and residents by allowing their unrestricted entry. This means, for example, that throughout the pandemic, if you were Spanish, you theoretically could (and can) enter France and face minimal restrictions (relative to non-EU nationals). 
• As a member of both the Schengen area and the European Union, France has followed these bodies’ recommendations regarding the entry of non-Schengen/non-EU travelers. 
• In addition to imposing what are essentially travel bans on the entry of third-country nationals from outside the EU, France has also periodically imposed domestic restrictions meant to halt the spread of the virus. Sometimes country wide, often regional, these measures have included (but are not limited to) curfews, closures of non-essential shops, and bans on regional travel. Current domestic regulations restrictions include, but are not limited to: 
  • Curfew from 9pm-6am: Residents must stay at home during these hours unless they have an approved reason for venturing into public (and only if carrying a certificate of exemption). Typical exemptions apply to those who are traveling for the purpose of work or school, walking pets, seeking urgent medical treatment, etc.). 
  • Mask requirements for public places 
  • Ban on indoor dining; restrictions on outdoor dining (including limitations on the number of people allowed at a restaurant) 
  • Capacity limitations for sporting arenas and shops (such as ban on the number of people allowed in an indoor shop at a given time) bans on contact sports. 
• For most of the pandemic period, France borders have been closed to non-EU/non-Schengen third-country nationals who are traveling for non-essential reasons. Like the rest of the Schengen area, France has generally made an exception for residents of states classified by the European Commission as relatively “safe.” This group of countries has broadly included Australia, China, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand (although the list is subject to change, and different countries have essentially curated their own lists, which occasionally—such as in the case of France—include (or exclude) countries not on the EC list). 
• In addition to travel bans for certain countries, individuals who are allowed entry into the country continue to be subject to some or all of the following France entry and exit requirements:
  • Pre-flight COVID-19 test 
  • Post-arrival COVID-19 test
  • Mandatory post-arrival 7-day self-isolation 
  • Mandatory post-arrival 10 day quarantine
  • Completion of “Sworn Declaration” form
  • Completion of “Exemption” form 
• Please note, while “self-isolation” and “quarantine” may sound similar, the demand to self-isolate is generally less intensive and strict than the requirement to quarantine, which often involves giving inspectors access to your location in France (which could theoretically entail them showing up to make sure that you are in fact there, and that you are in fact observing all of the related quarantine rules). If you are found to be in in violation of your quarantine requirements, you might be subject to a fine or face additional consequences. 
• Finally, measures are in place for France (as well as the rest of the Schengen area) to make provisions allowing the (relatively unrestricted) entry of vaccinated passengers from many third-countries (even those not on the safe list, such as United States). Under this scheme, a traveler who demonstrated proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19 would theoretically be allowed to enter France, without have to undergo self-isolation and other restrictions. It is anticipated that the EU will provide further clarity on this topic (and eventually a set of guidelines for those seeking to take advantage of this scheme) in the upcoming weeks, if not days. In the meantime, vaccinated passengers seeking entry to France will continue to be subject to the same requirements as unvaccinated travelers.
• The EU is currently well on its way toward developing what is often referred to as a “vaccine passport” for its citizens. Known as a “Digital Green Certificate,” the digital document will remove barriers for EU/Schengen residents seeking to travel throughout Europe without restrictions (such as mandatory self-isolations). Going forward, this digital passport scheme will show requirements for tests and proof of vaccination, and probably be expanded to include non-EU travelers, who could access the app or website (once developed) to enter and travel throughout the Schengen area.   

Current France travel restrictions and rules 

For simplicity, this section assigns a letter category to travelers from certain countries/regions seeking to enter France (either A, B, C, D, or E). Each category of traveler is subject to specific pre-entry and post-arrival travel requirements. See which category you fall into, below: 

• A. European travelers arriving from fellow EU/Schengen countries may travel to France without an essential reason for doing so, without having to self-isolate or quarantine post-arrival, on the condition that they follow current pre-flight and post-departure testing and quarantine regulations, including: 
  1. The completion of a “sworn declaration,” available here.
  2. Submission of ONE coronavirus test (taken at least 72 hours prior to departing for France).

• B. At the moment, people may travel to France from the following states without an essential reason for doing so (and only on the condition that they follow current pre-flight and post-departure testing and quarantine regulations): Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea. Restrictions for this category of travelers include: 
  1. The completion of a “sworn declaration,” available here.
  2. Participation in a mandatory seven-day self-isolation post-arrival. 
  3. Submission of TWO coronavirus tests (one PCR taken at least 72 hours prior to departing for France, and one PCR taken at the end of self-isolation). 

• C. At the moment, people may travel to France from the following states only if they have “pressing grounds” for doing so (and only on the condition that they follow current pre-flight and post-departure testing and quarantine regulations): Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. Restrictions for this category of travelers include: 
  1. The completion of a “sworn declaration,” available here.
  2. The completion of a traveler exemption form (also accessible through the previous link).
  3. Participation in a mandatory 10-day quarantine post-arrival.
  4. Submission of TWO coronavirus tests (one taken prior to departing for France, and one taken at the end of quarantine). A person may submit either 
     • PCR test taken 36 hours before flying into France OR
     • PCR test taken 72 hours prior to flying into France AND an antigen test taken 24 hours prior to that same flight. 

• D. At the moment, people may travel to France from the United Kingdom only if they have “pressing grounds” for doing so, and only on the condition that they follow current pre-flight and post-departure testing and quarantine regulations, including the following: 
  1. The completion of a “sworn declaration,” available here.
  2. The completion of a traveler exemption form, also accessible through the previous link
  3. Participation in a mandatory seven-day self-isolation post-arrival 
  4. Submission of at least TWO coronavirus tests (one taken prior to departing for France, and one taken at the end of quarantine). A person may submit either Antigen or PCR test taken 48 hours before flying into France.

• E. At the moment, any traveler not represented within categories A-D should consider themselves in category “E.” If you are traveling from one of the “E” countries, you may travel to France from one of them only if you have “pressing grounds” for doing so, and only on the condition that you follow current pre-flight and post-departure testing and quarantine regulations, including the following: 
  1. The completion of a “sworn declaration,” available here.
  2. The completion of a traveler exemption form (also accessible through the previous link).
  3. Participation in a mandatory seven-day self-isolation post-arrival. 
  4. Submission of at least TWO coronavirus tests (one taken 72 hours prior to departing for France, and one taken at the end of quarantine).