The announcement was made Thursday, December 16 in the evening, at the end of a first day of the European Council summit in Brussels. France “does not plan to set up tests” screening for Covid-19 for vaccinated travelers coming from other countries of the European Union, said Emmanuel Macron. A decision at the antipodes of choices made by certain member states of the European Union, such as Italy, Greece or Portugal. The latter now require European travelers, even vaccinated, to present a negative test when arriving in their territories.
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As the end of the year holidays approach, what are the rules in force to be able to travel to European countries neighboring France? Overview.
“Compelling reasons” for the United Kingdom
From Saturday, you will have to justify a “compelling reason” to come from the United Kingdom or go there, whether you are vaccinated or not, announced the French authorities. In question: the strong progression of the Omicron variant across the Channel. In 24 hours on Wednesday, British health authorities identified 78,610 new cases of Covid-19 contamination, a record since the start of the pandemic. “By the UK government’s own words, the UK will face a tidal wave linked to the Omicron variant in the coming days”, justified Paris.
These compelling reasons “will not allow travel for tourist or professional reasons”, warned the government. The reasons justifying a trip to the United Kingdom can be a right of child custody, the death of a direct family member, a judicial or administrative summons, or the fact of working in the land transport sector, maritime and air. The list of all “compelling reasons” is available here.
Vaccinated persons traveling to the UK must show a negative test result within 48 hours when crossing the border and complete the Passenger Locator Form (PLF). They must also provide proof of purchase of a PCR test to be carried out no later than two days after arrival in the territory (the list of suppliers is available on this link). These travelers will have to isolate themselves on their arrival until obtaining the result of their PCR test, provided that it is negative. In the event of a positive result, they will have to isolate themselves for a period of 10 days. Antigenic tests are not accepted, warns France Diplomatie.
For unvaccinated people, in parallel with the presentation of the result of a negative test of less than 48 hours and the online form, they are required to book, before departure, two tests to be carried out in the second and eighth day of arrival in the territory. Proof of purchase must be presented when crossing the border. Finally, they must respect an isolation period of 10 days on arrival, which can be carried out at home or at the hotel.
Variable rules in Belgium
The Belgian authorities also ask travelers to complete a Passenger Tracking Form (PLF) before entering the territory, if these people plan to stay in Belgium for more than 48 hours.
The other health measures vary according to the French region of departure, these being classified by color code according to their epidemiological situation. Thus, as the Info-Coronavirus site specifies, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Saint-Martin or Mayotte are classified as orange. The whole of France as well as French Polynesia, Martinique and Reunion are in “red”, that is to say regions “where individuals are at high risk of infection”.
Travelers from “orange” regions are exempt from PCR testing or quarantine, “with or without a Covid certificate”, explain the Belgian authorities. People arriving from “red” areas must perform a PCR test in the three days preceding their arrival on Belgian territory, then another screening (also PCR) on the seventh day after entering Belgium. “Travelers in possession of a vaccination certificate or a certificate of recovery do not need to be quarantined or undergo tests”, specifies the government.
This specifies that unvaccinated travelers and having no proof of recovery from Covid-19 will have to isolate themselves for ten days if they travel to the Brussels-Capital region. The quarantine may be reduced to seven days in the event of a negative test that day.
A health pass to enter Germany
To travel to Germany from France, all travelers over the age of 12 must present “valid health proof” : a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours or a negative antigen test of less than 48 hours; proof of recovery from Covid-19 or full vaccination certification “completed more than 14 days ago”, specifies the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. You can present the European QR code or the certificate in hard copy. German authorities later clarified that unvaccinated travelers from France would be subject to a quarantine period.
If you are traveling by plane, it is recommended that you contact your airline upstream, some requiring PCR rather than antigen testing before boarding. In any case, the test must be done before entering Germany.
In Italy, a mandatory negative test for all
As with Belgium or the United Kingdom, people traveling to Italy must complete a traceability form available here.
Italian health authorities have also announced new health measures in recent days for travelers. Since Thursday and until January 31, all travelers over six years old arriving from a member state of the European Union must present, on departure, a negative screening test for Covid-19. This can be an antigen test carried out within 24 hours, or a PCR test carried out in the two days before the trip. This rule therefore concerns both unvaccinated and vaccinated people.
People who do not have a complete vaccination schedule will be required to self-isolate for five days upon arrival in Italy, at the same time as presenting a negative test.
Several categories of travelers are exempt from these new measures, specifies France Diplomatie. These are mainly people with a stay of less than 120 hours in Italy “for professional, health or absolute emergency reasons”, frontier workers, or people passing through Italy for less than 36 hours.
Location and health pass for Spain
French travelers wishing to travel to Spain by plane or by boat must also complete a form.
As stated by the Quai d’Orsay, France is considered a “risk” area by the Spanish health authorities. People arriving from France by air, land or sea must present one of the following supporting documents: a complete vaccination certificate for at least two weeks, a negative antigen test of less than 48 hours or a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours, a Covid-19 healing certificate less than six months old or the European digital Covid certificate.
Travelers under the age of 12, in air transit, cross-border workers or residents of the border area for trips close to their home, among others, do not have to present proof to travel to Spain.