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LATEST: British people can still move to France during Covid-19 travel ban, French government confirms

British people who need to move to France before the Brexit deadline of December 31st can still do so despite the current travel ban, the French government has confirmed.

Published: 26 December 2020 11:11 CET
LATEST: British people can still move to France during Covid-19 travel ban, French government confirms
Photo: AFP

Since December 21st most types of travel from the UK to France have been banned after the British government announced that a new strain of the Covid-19 virus, which they said was highly contagious, had been discovered.

For 48 hours France closed its UK border completely, and then on December 23rd reopened the border to certain groups of travellers only – French or EU citizens, permanent residents of France or another EU country, or those travelling for essential purposes such as hauliers.

However people moving to France were not on the list and this posed a major problem for British citizens – who need to be resident in France by December 31st in order to take advantage of the provisions of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

READ ALSO 'Everything is uncertain' – why UK travel ban could scupper last-minute moves to France

However the French government has now updated its travel advice and added to the categories of those who are allowed to travel – including those who are moving to France.

The full list of people who are allowed to travel from the UK to France is;

  • French citizens or citizens of another EU country
  • Non-French citizens who are permanent residents of France or another EU country
  • People spending less than 24 hours in France in transit to another country
  • Members of an official mission or diplomatic staff and their families
  • Health professionals engaged in Covid-related care
  • People engaged in the international transport of merchandise (such as lorry drivers)
  • Transport workers or fishing crew
  • International students
  • Professors or researchers in a French educational establishment
  • Non-EU citizens travelling on a 'talent visa'
  • Anyone who has a pass issued by the Interior Ministry 
  • People moving to take up residence in France or another EU member state before December 31st
  • People travelling to France for healthcare
  • People travelling to exercise custody rights recognised by a court decision
  • Humanitarian workers or international volunteers
  • Cross border workers or posted workers who commute regularly to France
  • Seasonal workers
  • Journalists travelling for work-related reasons

However it's not all plain sailing as you need extra paperwork before you can travel.

Anyone travelling from the UK needs;

A negative Covid-19 test – this must be taken within 72 hours of travel – the test should be a PCR nasal swab test, although certain types of the rapid-result antigen tests are permitted, but only those listed by the French health ministry below. Children under 11 are the only group exempt from the test requirement

 

A sworn statement – declaring that you have not had any Covid symptoms during the 14 days before your journey

An international travel certificate – as was required during lockdown, an attestation de déplacement international (international travel certificate) is again required for trips from the UK. You can find the form HERE to download and there is a version in English. You need to fill in your personal details and then tick your reason for travel from the list provided.

You will need to have this paperwork ready before departing the UK and it will be requested by your travel provider before boarding your plane/ferry/train.

Any British person who is resident in France or another EU country before December 31st falls under the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement, which gives more generous terms for settling in the country.

People who want to move after the Brexit deadline face a much more stringent regime requiring visas for any stay longer than 90 days.

READ ALSO France unveils its post-Brexit visa requirements 

Member comments

  1. This is really good news but with so little time and availability of tests (until the New Year in a lot of cases) does anyone expect a further short period of grace and extension of rules specifically for those desperately trying to get across to finalise moves and begin their new lives? ?

  2. Can’t seem to find the details of this (relaxation of rules) on the official French Gov; embassy or travel website including the relevant annex? Do we know where you can find further details and how long rules might last? Thank you everyone?

  3. I have the same question as LD Bailey. Thanks Emma for this helpful article, and please could you give us the source for this information? The Matignon press release of 24 December doesn’t seem to make any reference to ‘People moving to take up residence in France or another EU member state before December 31st’ (https://www.gouvernement.fr/partage/11980-reprise-limitee-des-flux-de-personnes-du-royaume-uni-vers-la-france-sous-condition-sanitaire-de) and I can’t find anything on the British Embassy in Paris’s website either.

  4. Thank you for your comments (C Brewer) and just searched again (official government sites etc) and including France-to-admit-some-travellers-from-UK-following suspension
    https://uk.ambafrance.org/ but still no reference? Have managed to book tests etc for Tuesday but held off booking travel etc for now. Due to sign on house imminently and in by end of January but for now remain at hotel and in limbo?Good luck to everyone making (or trying to make) the same move?

  5. Seems Government website literally just updated ? Thank you to The Local being one step ahead? and good luck to everyone

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EU

How would a ‘youth mobility scheme’ between the UK and EU really work?

The EU and the UK could enter into a 'youth mobility' scheme allowing young people to move countries to work, study and live. Here's what we know about the proposal.

Published: 18 April 2024 17:09 CEST
How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30. 

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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