They changed that a few weeks ago. France has banned non-essential travel from the UK in reponse to the spike in Omicron variant cases. Indeed, a couple of operators said arriving in Calais and driving straight to another country would be permitted. Unfortunately we have not been able to receive your details. You will be responsible for the cost of any treatment provided by a private doctor or hospital. All passengers aged five or over must also provide one of the following: Children under five do not need to provide proof of their vaccination or test status. Our understanding is that we can fly through France and stay airside as it counts as a compelling reason for travel. A French government document says travellers in transit for less than 24 hours in international zones at airports are allowed into France (Voyageur en transit de moins de 24 heures en zone internationale dans les aroports). It may well be that Brittany ferries will allow you to switch to the Bilbao or Santander voyage on payment of the appropriate supplement. Thanks Angelique. Is returning to the UK if I am UK resident considered essential travel? Check with your travel company or. There remain some migrants around Calais, who may seek to enter the UK illegally. We are so nervous now we havent packed a thing, any thoughts on the situation with our trip. Foreign travel is now easier for people in the UK than at any time since the beginning of the pandemic. No travel is risk-free during COVID-19. You need to wear a mask on aeroplanes, trains, buses and at airports, train stations and bus stations wherever you are in the US. A: It is not yet clear whether Air France passengers (which I assume you are) will be allowed to transit UK-Paris-EU, which involves going through passport control at Charles de Gaulle Airport. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110322330', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Spain requires 48 hours. If you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 during your stay in Spain, you are not required to self-isolate but you should inform direct contacts and take the following extra precautionary measures for 10 days from diagnosis or from when symptoms began: Hotels and other accommodation providers may have their own COVID-19 protocols in place. You only need to follow extra steps if you are over 18 and not fully vaccinated, and have been in another country in the 10 days before travelling from Ireland to the UK. In any event, you may qualify if you can convince officials that your main residence is in Luxembourg and if you can prove a sufficiently close relationship with your girlfriend, she may be allowed to travel with you. France is banning UK holidaymakers from Saturday 18 December, as the country tightens border restrictions in response to the explosive growth of the Omicron variant in Britain. not sure what to do now as we planned to spend a night near the french/spanish border to break the journey but with the test situation - not sure how that woulld work. partial lockdowns; limiting the capacity and opening hours of retail, hospitality establishments and public events, COVID passports). Children aged 11 years old or younger do not need to present a negative test result to travel to France, although a "sworn statement" must be completed for them. Re: Driving from France to spain - do i need a covid test? Before you travel, check the Entry requirements section for Frances current entry restrictions and requirements. The French Government appears to have confirmed that you can transit through France on your way to another country, as long as you spend less than 24 hours in the country. Do Frances new rules apply to me? Please check the latest advice with operators before travelling, avoid demonstrations and follow the advice of local authorities. For more information from the Spanish authorities, see the Spanish Ministry of Health website or their official Twitter channel. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. We have been doing daily LFDs and all negative so far. If you are over 18 and one month, and your last dose was more than nine months ago, you will NOT be considered fully vaccinated unless you have also received a booster dose. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We will treat your data with respect - you can find full details in our privacy notice. Eurotunnel operator issues warning to UK nationals after update to Covid travel rules by French government. We leave the US on June 29 to fly into (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Q: I have booked the overnight ferry Portsmouth to Saint-Malo and have always planned to drive straight through France and enter Spain at the Irun entry. Store and save your information, including passport details, vehicles, pets and payment methods and add it to your bookings automatically. Social distancing of 1m (3ft) must be observed, and large gatherings should be avoided. 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Would a lateral flow test be the same as a TAG antigen test? Check the latest local guidance and follow the advice of local authorities. However, there are still regulations about who can enter most countries, restrictions on what you can do when you get there, and rules to follow when you return home. France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines. But Beaunes remarks caused alarm among French tour operators, who accused the government of sowing confusion. Countries may further restrict travel or bring in new rules at short notice, for example due to a new COVID-19 variant. You can obtain one by testing negative with a rapid Covid test available from local pharmacies and test centres. The pass is also required to travel on most public transport between regions. A: I am glad to hear you have been taking tests regularly in your position I would rate the biggest risk as testing positive in the UK before departure. The emergency phone number in France is 112. The French embassy website has details of the proof that is required. Return journey arriving Calais 13 January overnighting in Luxembourg returning to our home in Switzerland on 14 January. This applies to all passengers, irrespective of nationality or vaccination status. Adults can complete the form for under-18s travelling with them. Q: Will I still be able to transit through Heathrow from the US to France? The test provider will print the test results and email you a code. Q: We are currently in Spain for Christmas, if countries change their policies on UK tourists would they expect us to depart back to the UK or could we finish our holiday? Instead, they must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. Find out more from the NHS website about EHIC and GHIC healthcare cover abroad. We are American citizens who are vaccinated. If you arrived before the ban, nothing changes for you though of course you must observe all national and local regulations. This is a very helpful website which I presume is updated regularly: https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/. Everyone aged 16 and over now needs a "pass vaccinal" to attend large events and for entry to a wide range of venues including bars, restaurants, museums, or to use some types of public transport including planes and long-distance trains. I always recommend having a professionally administered test immediately on arrival at the airport this has maximum public health benefit, and minimises the amount of time you need to spend self isolating. A: Even though you will be going through French passport control at London St Pancras, and your train stops in Lille, I believe that you will be allowed through. Local and regional restrictions may be introduced at short notice. But the Eurotunnel statement said the ban did not apply to British people living in France, or people from the UK that also hold an EU passport through dual nationality. We have only had our first vaccine (my husband and I) our 12 year old son has had no vaccine as of yet. Well send you a link to a feedback form. A: No. Only those who can prove that they have an essential reason for travel will be allowed to enter France, regardless of vaccination status. View Health for further details on healthcare in Spain. These may change with little warning. +34 928 301012 for Gran Canaria province or +34 922 470012 for Santa Cruz de Tenerife province. You also need to wear a mask in some outdoor public spaces, such as queues, markets, or stadiums. All telephone numbers are available 24/7. Best Spanish beach resorts for families?Open to suggestions. If you test positive for COVID-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. You have rejected additional cookies. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. A negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours or an LFT/antigen test result taken within 48 hours if aged 12 years and over. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in. Throughout the crisis I have not heard of any country that has ejected citizens because of their nationality. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Report inappropriate content loulou2010009 London, United. Learn more: Advice for Foreign Nationals in France Info Coronavirus (in French) Information for travellers (in French) _____ Do you think the travel ban for UK tourists will be lifted by the summer? In any event I urge you to cancel the hotel and avoid any potential loss. You may also need to seek treatment there. France (like all EU countries) accepts as proof the NHS Covid Pass, Scotland's NHS Covid Status Pass or Northern Ireland's COVIDCert NI app - these can be presented either in digital form on a phone, or printed (as long as it's dated after 1 November 2021). This is because Ireland is - along with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man - part of the UK's Common Travel Area. Proof of vaccination and ID are required to enter public spaces such as shops, restaurants (indoor and outdoor) and museums. Spain also loosened rules on travel from outside the European Union on Monday and began letting in fully-vaccinated travellers from all countries except Brazil, South Africa and India, where COVID . 2023 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. But by mid-January, much is likely to change in the next three weeks-plus. More details can be found on the, you must also take a PCR or LFT/antigen test no more than a day before flying to the US. Does anyone have experience crossing the French border from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Best Place For Family/Kids Holiday on July, August? That's the current regulation, not sure what it will be in July. Alternatively, you may use. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? But check with Air France, and if the journey is in doubt ask the carrier to rebook you through its sister airline KLM via Amsterdam. For all other children under six, quarantine ends automatically five days after arrival. What personal identification should I carry in Spain? There is a general threat from terrorism. We will be doing just that on July 5th. Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. It just makes travelling so costly! VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. A: If travel to our nearest Continental neighbour is still banned seven months from now, heaven help us all. Gabriel Attal, a French government spokesman, said that even more drastic measures were needed to protect against Omicron entering from the UK. I see on the French requirements it is . Greece (like all EU countries) accepts the NHS Covid Pass as proof of vaccination and/or recovery from Covid, along with Scotland's NHS Covid Status Pass or Northern Ireland's COVIDCert NI app. Face masks are required in all enclosed public spaces. Is it likely that Spain will impose similar restrictions to France? Industrial action may start the evening before the strike day and run for several days. However, the guidance says that you are permitted to travel though France if you are an EU resident travelling to your home address in another EU country. Hence, the discrepancy between 48 and 72 hours. For information on financial support you can access whilst abroad, visit our financial assistance guidance. Ferry alternatives that do not serve France include: Stena Line from Harwich to Hook of Holland; P&O Ferries from Hull to Rotterdam; DFDS from Newcastle to Amsterdam; and Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Bilbao or Santander. COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in France. If you are not fully vaccinated, you must also: - notify the local health authority in the area where you are staying. If you are fully vaccinated or can demonstrate you have recovered from Covid in the past year, you no longer need to take a pre-departure Covid test. If you have not been fully vaccinated, you may only enter Germany from the UK if: You will have to self-isolate for 10 days in these circumstances, although the option to "test and release" is available after five days. But keep being careful and you should be in line for a lovely holiday. Flying from Bordeaux via Heathrow and straight to Malaga in the next few days without crossing UK border. Everything involving tourism or business trips for people who are not French or European will be limited., An explainer on the French government website says: The fact of being French constitutes a compelling reason for returning to France. Thank you for submitting your details and signing up to our newsletter and latest offers. On 19 June 2021 the threat level in France was lowered to heightened. The NHS Covid Pass and other UK equivalents are accepted. Travellers aged six or over entering Germany from abroad must provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from Covid or a negative LFT/antigen or PCR test result taken within the previous 48 hours prior to arrival. France currently allows . There have been instances of migrants seeking to slow down traffic on approach roads to ports, including by placing obstacles on the Calais Port approach road. Q: The current legislation for entering France from 20 December states a PCR test or TAG (antigen) test needs to be carried out. According to French officials, British citizens who have a residence in another EU country, such as Belgium, Germany, Spain or Italy, will be required to show proof of their residence, such as a. A: Yes, there are very few countries which restrict their own citizens from coming in Australia is the prime example. We are the #1 way to travel with your pet. You must use a private provider for this, there is no need to self-isolate in the US, but you are recommended to take another Covid test 3-5 days after arrival, take a PCR or LFT/antigen test no more than one day before travel, or else present proof of having recovered from Covid-19 in the past three months, self-quarantine for seven days after arrival in the US, take another test within 3-5 days after arrival in the US, become fully vaccinated if you are staying 60 days or longer, unless you have a medical condition or are too young to be vaccinated, show proof of a negative Covid-19 test, taken in the two days before you travel to the UK, proof you are fully vaccinated. Germany has now done the same. Q: Like many people who are due to travel imminently, we are supposed to be transiting through France en route to Switzerland. The Independent has contacted Air France for clarification. You may be asked to take a rapid Covid test on arrival in Greece, and quarantine in a hotel for at least five days if positive. Proof of a negative test or recovery from Covid is not accepted. Here are some key things to know about travelling to popular destinations. This will generate a QR code which needs to be presented (either digitally or as a hard copy) at the Spanish border. A: Sadly, you are correct. Will she be able to? But you can drive from a non-French gateway. Our tests will meet the final destination requirement (72 hours PCR) but they have been done more than 24 hours before our planned arrival and transit through France. Does anything change for us? Either you close the border or you say nothing, he said. See the FCDOs guidance on foreign travel insurance. If, however, you have simply had your first two jabs, your pass will only be valid for 180 days after your second dose. If you have not been fully vaccinated, you can only enter Spain if your journey is classed as "essential" by the Spanish Ministry of Health. For more details about travelling in Spain, go to the UK Foreign Office travel advice for Spain. Q: Since France blocks UK tourists now, does that mean nobody can drive through France for Italy or Spain? France warned its nationals Thursday against travelling to Spain or Portugal on holiday because of a spike in Covid-19 cases caused by the highly contagious Delta variant.