As the Omicron variant spreads rapidly in the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France has changed the entry rules for people coming from this area.
From December 18th, 2021, both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers from the UK must have a “compelling reason” to travel to France.
Some of these compelling reasons or pressing grounds for travel include:
- Family emergency. If a British citizen or resident has close relatives in France, he or she might be allowed entry if one of his or her family members is seriously ill or has recently died. A medical certificate or a death certificate are required to prove the situation.
- Essential workers. Staff of the Channel tunnel, diplomats on a mission (and their spouses and children), healthcare professionals or researchers, even those recruited as trainees (and their spouses and children), students enrolled in French as a foreign language (FLE) courses and teaching staff (including language assistants), drivers of vehicles transporting goods (including ship crews), transport service providers, etc.
This means that tourism in France will not be allowed to people who’ve recently spent time in the UK. Business travels are also forbidden for the time being.
Only French nationals residing in the UK will be exempt from this norm, as well as their spouses and children. But they still must comply with the rest of the travel requirements from the UK to France, whether they’re fully vaccinated or not.
These travel requirements include taking a PCR or TAG diagnostic test up to 24 hours before the departure time and another one on the second day of the mandatory self-isolation period in a place of the traveler’s choice. The traveler must provide the address of this place through registration on a digital platform prior to their trip.
Another modification in the entry rules is related to the color-based classification of departure countries.
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Malawi, and Zambia are no longer considered “scarlet red” countries. This means that entry restrictions for people coming from these countries have been eased. South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho remain on the list with stricter travel rules due to the high rates of infection and the presence of the Omicron variant.
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Malawi, and Zambia are on the red list now, as well as Afghanistan, Belarus, Georgia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Suriname, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Although Mauritius is not a scarlet red country, scarlet red country rules apply in the flights between Mauritius and Réunion Island. Furthermore, Morocco has suspended regular flights to and from France.
Special rules also apply to people coming from Belgium, who from 18 December 2021 must present proof of vaccination or a negative result of a PCR or rapid antigen test taken less than 24 hours before arrival in France.
Green countries are still the rest of the European countries plus Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Comoros, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.
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