Covid-19 - Restrictions to enter the French territory for travellers and transporters

In the face of the sanitary crisis caused by the Coronavirus, the French government has set up inspection measures at the national borders (terrestrial, aerial, maritime) for travellers and carriers entering the French territory.

These restrictions have been provided for depending on the provenance of the travellers or transporters.

In effect, countries have been classified according to sanitary indicators. Three colour-coded lists have been created (“green”, “orange”, « red »). They now determine the conditions of entry of travellers and transporters coming to France.

This classification may be modified depending on the evolution of each country’s sanitary situation.

Moreover, specific entry formalities have been set up for vaccinated travellers. In order to benefit from them, travellers must have received one of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA): Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. 

In addition, proof of vaccination will only be accepted if travellers provide a justificative showing that the entire vaccination strategy has been completed, which means:

• 14 days after the second injection for vaccines with two injections (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca).
• 28 days after injection for vaccines with a single dose.
• 14 days after the only injection required for people who had already contracted the Covid-19.

Restrictions for countries of the green list 

Countries placed in the green list present a limited circulation of the virus and have not detected any preoccupying variants.

Consequently, travellers and transporters coming from one of the following countries are exempted from certain obligations:

• One of the EU’s member States
• Albania
• Andorra
• Australia
• Bosnia
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Israel
• Japan
• Kosovo
• Lebanon
• Liechtenstein
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• New Zealand
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Serbia
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United States
• Vanuatu
• Vatican

In this way, in order to enter the French territory, travellers and transporters will need to fulfil the formalities defined for the following cases, regardless of the type of transportation (air, land or sea):

If the traveller has been vaccinated:

• To present a fully completed certificate of vaccination. 
• To present a sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.

If the traveller has not been vaccinated: 

• To present when boarding a PCR test or an antigenic test performed less than 72 hours before departure to the transport company.
• To present a sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.

Furthermore, travellers and seconded workers in France who intend to leave the French territory to visit a country from the “green” list are expected to check the entry conditions of the country of destination.

Restrictions for countries of the amber list 

Countries placed in the amber list are countries in which the virus is spreading actively but in limited proportions, and where variants of the Covid-19 are not spreading at a preoccupying rate. 

They are the countries not included in the “green” and “red” lists.

In order to obtain a travel authorisation, seconded workers or transporters coming from countries of the “amber” list will be obliged to present when boarding a PCR test or an antigenic test performed less than 72 hours before departure to the transport company; or an antigenic test performed within 48 hours of departure.

In addition, they will need to fulfil the formalities defined for the following cases:

If the traveller has been vaccinated: 

• To present a fully completed certificate of vaccination. 
• To present a sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.

If the traveller has not been vaccinated: 

• To provide evidence for one of the compelling reasons for travel  listed on the certificate of international travel required to enter mainland France. 
• To present a sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.
• To provide a solemn undertaking that they will perform a screening test upon arrival on the national territory.
• To provide a solemn undertaking that they will stay in isolation for seven days upon arrival to France, and then to do another PCR test at the end of this period.

On the other hand, travellers and seconded workers in France who intend to leave the French territory to visit a country from the “amber” list are expected to check the entry conditions of the country of destination.

Restrictions for countries of the red list 

The countries placed in the red list are countries in which the virus is spreading very actively, or where some of the variants of the SARS-CoV-2 are spreading. 

Consequently, the countries listed below are classified as “red” and their citizens cannot enter France freely:

• Afghanistan
• Argentina
• Bahrein
• Bangladesh
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• India
• Maldives
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Paraguay
• Russia
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Suriname
• Uruguay

All travellers or transporters coming from one of the countries listed above will have the obligation to fulfil one of the compelling reasons for travel  listed on the certificate of international travel required to enter mainland France.

Moreover, they will need to present when boarding the negative results of an antigenic or PCR test performed within 48 hours of departure to the transport company and to the control authorities at the border.

They will also need to fulfil the formalities defined for the following cases:

If the traveller has been vaccinated: 

• To present a fully completed certificate of vaccination. 
• To present a sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.
• To provide a solemn undertaking that they will stay in isolation for seven days upon arrival to France, and then to do another PCR test at the end of this period.

If the traveller has not been vaccinated:

Travellers will need to be quarantined for ten days and will be subjected to restrictions regarding the time periods during which they will be allowed to go out (except those in transit in the international space).

Furthermore, they will also need to carry: 

• A sworn statement declaring that they do not display any symptoms of the Covid-19, and that, as far as they are aware, they have not been in contact with a person diagnosed positive to the Covid-19 within the fourteen days preceding the travel.
• A solemn undertaking that they will perform a screening test upon arrival on the national territory.
• A justificative showing the address of their accommodation, unless they are quarantined in an accommodation prepared by the French administration or in the case of transit in the international space.

On the other hand, travellers and seconded workers in France who intend to leave the French territory to visit a country from the “red” list are expected to check the entry conditions of the country of destination.

Restrictions to enter the French overseas territories

In the French overseas territories, the admission of foreigners is subject to one of the following compelling reasons for travel:

• A private compelling reason,
• An urgent health-related compelling reason,
• A work-related matter that cannot be postponed.

People fulfilling one of the reasons listed above will have to provide a certificate for travel to the French overseas territories (in French and English) , as well as the documents required to prove their reason for travel.

In addition, travellers will need to present negative results to a COVID-19 RT-PCR test performed less than 72 hours before departure, regardless of the country they are coming from. 

Finally, depending on the local epidemiological situation, more restrictions may be implemented depending on each territory’s prefectorial orders.  
 

Useful links: 

• Certificate of travel from and to the French Overseas territories (paper version, in French and English)
• Certificate of international travel (paper version, in English)
• European certificate and sworn statement for workers in the international transport sector (paper version, in French and English)
• List of compelling reasons for countries of the amber list (paper version, in French and English)
• List of compelling reasons for countries of the red list (paper version, in French and English)
• Summary chart for the rules in application for international travels to and from France (paper version, in French only)