Community
Wiki Posts
Search

France - Entry Requirements

 
Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 18, 2021, 4:59 pm
  #211  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,556
Originally Posted by orbitmic
Emphasis mine but I think you mean EU nationals here? or British nationals who are close family members of a French or EU national, or British nationals who are French residents?

Outside of those cases, British nationals are not allowed to fly into France unless they meet the transit or "a few others" exceptions that you mention (and are notably not allowed to fly to France for tourism or non-urgent business reasons).
Apologies for the delay in replying due to time difference.

Different sources might be contradicting, but I was referring to the official text posted by BP908 in French and dated 16 December (posted 17th):
https://www.gouvernement.fr/sites/de...16.12.2021.pdf

The same text now appears in English:
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/co...united-kingdom

Of course, this applies to vaccinated people.
It could be that I misunderstand the paragraph on British nationals. It could be that France Diplomacy and the Interior ministry have different interpretations.

Last edited by brunos; Dec 18, 2021 at 5:47 pm
brunos is offline  
Old Dec 18, 2021, 5:05 pm
  #212  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,526
Originally Posted by brunos
It could be that I misunderstand the paragraph on British nationals.
I think you are missing the bit that says: "enjoying the provisions of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community." This is specifically referring to those British nationals who settled in France before the Brexit date and are benefitting from the right to remain in the country as part of the withdrawal agreement, and not to British nationals in general (in other words, it is another variation on residence).
NickB likes this.
orbitmic is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 2:56 am
  #213  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
Originally Posted by orbitmic
I think you are missing the bit that says: "enjoying the provisions of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community." This is specifically referring to those British nationals who settled in France before the Brexit date and are benefitting from the right to remain in the country as part of the withdrawal agreement, and not to British nationals in general (in other words, it is another variation on residence).
Indeed. The British nationals concerned are either resident in the EU or frontier workers otherwise they would not qualify under the Withdrawal Agreement. The drafting is somewhat weird, to be honest in that it includes Brits covered by the Withdrawal Agreement who reside in another EU Member State without the same restrictions/caveats as other EU nationals or residents but we are still talking about a very small minority of British nationals.
orbitmic likes this.
NickB is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 6:57 am
  #214  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,556
Originally Posted by NickB
Indeed. The British nationals concerned are either resident in the EU or frontier workers otherwise they would not qualify under the Withdrawal Agreement. The drafting is somewhat weird, to be honest in that it includes Brits covered by the Withdrawal Agreement who reside in another EU Member State without the same restrictions/caveats as other EU nationals or residents but we are still talking about a very small minority of British nationals.
Many thanks for the clarification.
NickB likes this.
brunos is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 8:28 am
  #215  
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,175
Originally Posted by gojko88
There is no border agent on a flight from Madrid to Nice, since it's an intra-Schengen flight.
You are correct in principal but wrong in actuality - Schengen or not everyone goes to border control and everyone has to show their vaccination pass. France has been checking all arrivals by air for months - indeed years.
gojko88 likes this.
PUCCI GALORE is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 9:11 am
  #216  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,724
Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE
You are correct in principal but wrong in actuality - Schengen or not everyone goes to border control and everyone has to show their vaccination pass. France has been checking all arrivals by air for months - indeed years.
Originally Posted by orbitmic
That's not necessarily correct at all. For many months now, many Schengen destinations have been subject to passport and covid documents control upon arrival at NCE and elsewhere in France.
Originally Posted by NickB
As orbitmic points out, there are random checks on intra-Schengen flights in France.
Apologies for the misinformation, as France is obviously a special case that I was unaware of. Thanks for the corrections.
gojko88 is online now  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 10:18 am
  #217  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW London
Programs: BAEC Silver; Hilton Diamond;a miscellany of other hotel non-statuses
Posts: 3,607
The French rules use an at times confusing 3 layer model,. It can be too easy to read one block and thing they are "OR" rather than "AND".From Certificate of international travel / L'actu du Ministère / Actualités - Ministère de l'Intérieur (interieur.gouv.fr):
... three different regulations which all apply
  • The mobility rules;
  • The health control measures.
  • The usual rules govern the right to stay
So Schengen covers some but not all requirements.

Last edited by EsherFlyer; Dec 19, 2021 at 10:27 am
EsherFlyer is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 10:46 am
  #218  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW London
Programs: BAEC Silver; Hilton Diamond;a miscellany of other hotel non-statuses
Posts: 3,607
For those looking to streamline their journey departing France to UK, I was asked for my "Compelling Reason" departure form today. I had it ready as I'd heard that others without it were being asked to fill one in before proceeding.

It's on Certificate of international travel / L'actu du Ministère / Actualités - Ministère de l'Intérieur (interieur.gouv.fr) just below the coloured map in the UK tab (5th one) under "You wish to leave Metropolitan France" . For most FTers it'll be "Foreign resident returning home", which if you happen to be given the French version to fill in means ticking the first two boxes - "I have a reason" "+ "Foreign resident"
orbitmic likes this.

Last edited by EsherFlyer; Dec 19, 2021 at 10:54 am
EsherFlyer is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 10:58 am
  #219  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW London
Programs: BAEC Silver; Hilton Diamond;a miscellany of other hotel non-statuses
Posts: 3,607
Originally Posted by pianoamit
None of the French government information says anything about "where you've been in the last 10 days", or "where you are normally resident", etc.. At the moment, nothing stops a UK resident with UK or EU citizenship from travelling LHR-GVA-...
The intro blurb on the new "Compelling Reasons" form for UK says is applies where transit in another country has been under 14 days.
orbitmic likes this.
EsherFlyer is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 11:57 am
  #220  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,754
Originally Posted by EsherFlyer
The intro blurb on the new "Compelling Reasons" form for UK says is applies where transit in another country has been under 14 days.
Originally Posted by EsherFlyer
For those looking to streamline their journey departing France to UK, I was asked for my "Compelling Reason" departure form today. I had it ready as I'd heard that others without it were being asked to fill one in before proceeding.

It's on Certificate of international travel / L'actu du Ministère / Actualités - Ministère de l'Intérieur (interieur.gouv.fr) just below the coloured map in the UK tab (5th one) under "You wish to leave Metropolitan France" . For most FTers it'll be "Foreign resident returning home", which if you happen to be given the French version to fill in means ticking the first two boxes - "I have a reason" "+ "Foreign resident"
Just having a look at this - it seems you also need to fill it in if you are transiting thru France and staying airside, as I will be doing, non-Schengen to non-Schengen. Under the tab "Travel To/From UK" and then 'You wish to Enter Metropolitan France'.

The French love a form or two....
PAL62V is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 12:34 pm
  #221  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: LON (mostly)
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum Elite / BAEC Silver
Posts: 1,953
Originally Posted by EsherFlyer
The intro blurb on the new "Compelling Reasons" form for UK says is applies where transit in another country has been under 14 days.
Do you have a link to this? Because the document of ‘compelling reasons’ on the French diplomatie website doesn’t mention any of this…
pianoamit is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 12:58 pm
  #222  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,526
Originally Posted by EsherFlyer
For those looking to streamline their journey departing France to UK, I was asked for my "Compelling Reason" departure form today. I had it ready as I'd heard that others without it were being asked to fill one in before proceeding.

It's on Certificate of international travel / L'actu du Ministère / Actualités - Ministère de l'Intérieur (interieur.gouv.fr) just below the coloured map in the UK tab (5th one) under "You wish to leave Metropolitan France" . For most FTers it'll be "Foreign resident returning home", which if you happen to be given the French version to fill in means ticking the first two boxes - "I have a reason" "+ "Foreign resident"
Thankfully the form has taken care of the odd phrasing I was referring to earlier by stating: "French or foreign citizen residing etc".
orbitmic is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 2:24 pm
  #223  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW London
Programs: BAEC Silver; Hilton Diamond;a miscellany of other hotel non-statuses
Posts: 3,607
Originally Posted by pianoamit
Do you have a link to this? Because the document of ‘compelling reasons’ on the French diplomatie website doesn’t mention any of this…
Sure. Roughly same path as above, but under "You wish to enter Metropolitan France", currently leading to https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/conten...itaine-uk.docx. In the non-bolded font between box and bullets:
It applies to travellers arriving by a direct flight or after a transit of less than 14 days in another country.
There is no reason for the Compelling Reasons document to list that since it is an annex / schedule to other text which outlines when it applies.

EDIT: Looking back via Google at previous attestations for Orange, Red, etc in May the 14-day limit is in there as well, so not a UK special. I can't trace that back to any FR COVID legislation, but it could come from some historic act that is incorporated into current law - for example 1918 flu management.

Last edited by EsherFlyer; Dec 19, 2021 at 3:41 pm
EsherFlyer is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 3:36 pm
  #224  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW London
Programs: BAEC Silver; Hilton Diamond;a miscellany of other hotel non-statuses
Posts: 3,607
I think this is a bit too tangential to go in this thread, but might be relevant to some readers: France-UK travel: potential warning for "settled" EU citizens.

Last edited by EsherFlyer; Dec 19, 2021 at 4:36 pm
EsherFlyer is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2021, 8:47 pm
  #225  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 235
Sorry if this has been asked already.

I am transitting in CDG overnight on the 29th (less than 24 hours).

What is an international airport zone? Can I stay in an airport hotel or not?
seantheman is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.