Question: We’re in the USA and haven’t been able to travel to our second home in southern France for almost a year now. But my wife and I have both had our second dose of the Covid vaccine – so is there an exemption in the travel rules for us?

Travel into France has been heavily restricted for some time, with most travellers from the USA barred since March 2020. While restrictions for travellers from seven non-EU countries (including the UK, Australia and New Zealand) were relaxed in March, this unfortunately does not cover travellers from the UK.

Many countries, including the UK and Australia, have also largely banned their own citizens from leaving the country for holiday purposes. 

All of which means that many second home owners have not seen their properties for many months, while family members have also been unable to visit relatives in France.

So does being fully vaccinated – having received both injections – give you a travel exemption?

Unfortunately no, or not yet anyway.

France, along with several other countries, has been discussing the idea of ‘vaccine passports’ or allowing access to certain services such as travel for those who are fully vaccinated and the idea is also being discussed at an EU level, but at present there are no concrete plans to introduce this.

France’s vaccine rollout is in its early stages, with only people aged over 50, with serious health conditions or health and emergency workers offered the vaccine so far.

READ ALSO When will you be eligible for the Covid vaccine in France?

If a vaccine passport scheme is agreed, it seems likely this will only be put in place once the general population start to be offered the vaccine – currently scheduled for late spring/early summer.

To find the latest on the travel rules into France from non EU countries, click HERE.

And for travel from within the EU and Schengen zone, click HERE.

We will update our Travelling to France section as soon as anything changes.