Covid-19: New travel restrictions after the emergence of the Omicron variant

As a follow-up to our news in July regarding the French border opening for vaccinated people, we would like to bring you the latest revisions to the countries' classifications and their associated restrictions following the emergence of the new Omicron variant.

As a reminder, since June 9th, regulations have varied according to the health status of each country and the traveler's vaccination status. The French government revised those regulations on December 4th. But please keep in mind that the lists of countries may be updated further as the epidemic situation evolves.

 “Green list” countries:

Countries or territories in which no active circulation of the virus is observed and no variant of concern is identified. These are the countries of the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Bahrein, Canada, Hong-Kong, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, New Zealand, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Taïwan, Union of Comoros, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Vanuatu.

No compelling reason is required when entering metropolitan France from a green list country.

Regarding health control measures:

• If you are vaccinated, you must present proof of vaccination status and a statement on your honor attesting to an absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19. A negative PCR or antigen test less than 48 hours old is required, except for arrivals from a member state of the European Union, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Holy See or Switzerland.
• If you are not vaccinated, you must present to the transportation company and border control authorities a certificate of recovery dated more than eleven days and less than six months or a negative PCR or antigenic test dated less than 48 hours or less than 24 hours before departure, depending on your country of origin (departure of the first flight in the case of travel with a connection)

For travelers coming from a country in the European Union (member state of the European Union, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Holy See or Switzerland) a negative PCR or antigenic test less than 24 hours old is required.

All travelers arriving from a green country must complete a statement stating that they agree that a virological screening test or biological examination for SARS-CoV-2 may be performed upon arrival. Children under the age of twelve are exempt from testing. You must also submit a sworn statement attesting to the absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19.

“Amber list” countries

Countries in which there is active circulation of the virus in controlled proportions, without the spread of variants of concern. These are all countries not included in the lists of "green" and "red" countries.

• If you are vaccinated, there are no restrictions on entering the country.
• If you are not vaccinated, you must provide a compelling reason to enter the country.

Regarding health control measures:

• If you are vaccinated, you must present proof of vaccination status, a declaration on your honor attesting to the absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19, as well as the result of a virological (PCR) or antigenic biological screening test performed less than 48 hours before departure that does not conclude to covid-19 contamination to enter metropolitan territory.
• If you are not vaccinated, you must present to the transport company and to the border control authorities the result of a virological (PCR) or antigenic screening test performed less than 48 hours before departure that does not conclude that you are infected with covid-19 in order to enter the metropolitan territory.

If you are coming from the United Kingdom and are not vaccinated, you must present a PCR or antigenic test less than 24 hours old. The departure of the first flight is taken into account in case of travel with a connection. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing.

Depending on your country of origin, you may be subject to screening upon arrival. To facilitate the administrative process, you are asked to fill out the a passenger form.

You will also have to present:

• A declaration on your honor attesting to the absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19;
• A commitment on your honor to undergo the antigenic test or biological examination that will be performed upon arrival in metropolitan France;
• A commitment on honor to isolate yourself for seven days and a commitment on honor to undergo a biological examination for virological screening (PCR) at the end of the isolation period.

“Red list” countries:

Countries in which active circulation of the virus is observed with the presence of variants of concern. These are the following countries: Afghanistan, Belarus, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Georgia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

• If you are vaccinated, you are not subject to the compelling reasons regime to enter the metropolitan territory.
• If you are not vaccinated, you are subject to the compelling reasons regime.

Regarding health control measures:

• If you are vaccinated, you must present proof of vaccination status and a statement on your honor attesting to an absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19. You must present to the transportation company and border control authorities a negative PCR or antigen test dated less than 48 hours before departure (departure of the first flight in case of connecting travel).
• If you are not vaccinated, you must present the transportation company and border control authorities with a negative PCR or antigen test dated within 48 hours of departure (first flight departure for connecting flights). Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing.

Depending on your country of origin, you may be subject to screening upon arrival. To facilitate the administrative process, you are asked to fill out a passenger form.

You will be systematically subjected to a quarantine or isolation measure which will be pronounced by prefectural order upon your arrival in metropolitan France for a period of ten days, which will be accompanied by restrictions on the time you can leave the isolation area (except in the case of transit in an international zone).

You will also have to present:

• A declaration on your honor attesting to the absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19;
• A commitment on your honor to undergo the antigenic test or the biological examination that will be performed upon arrival in metropolitan France;
• proof of the address of the home or of a suitable accommodation (hotel or similar), specifying, if necessary, the access conditions allowing the control agents to verify compliance with the quarantine or isolation measure, except in the case of isolation in a place of accommodation made available by the administration (territorial isolation and support units have been set up to assist persons placed in isolation) or of transit in an international zone

“Scarlet Red list” countries:

Countries in which there is particularly active circulation of the virus and the discovery of a variant that may present a risk of increased transmissibility. These are the following countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Mauritius, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Whether you are vaccinated or not, you are subject to the compelling reasons regime.

Regarding health control measures:

Whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, you must present the transportation company and border control authorities with a negative PCR test less than 48 hours old or a negative antigen test less than 24 hours old prior to departure (departure of the first flight in the case of connecting travel). Children under 12 years of age are exempt from testing.

You will be systematically screened upon arrival. In order to facilitate administrative procedures, you are asked to fill out a passenger form.

You will be systematically subjected to a quarantine or isolation measure which will be pronounced by prefectural order upon your arrival in metropolitan France for a period of ten days, which will be accompanied by restrictions on the time you can leave the isolation area (except in the case of transit in an international zone).

You will also have to present:

• A declaration on your honor attesting to the absence of symptoms of covid-19 infection and contact with a confirmed case of covid-19 ;
• A commitment on your honor to undergo the antigenic test or the biological examination that will be performed upon arrival in metropolitan France;
• Proof of the address of the home or of a suitable accommodation (hotel or similar), specifying, if necessary, the access conditions allowing the control agents to verify compliance with the quarantine or isolation measure, except in the case of isolation in a place of accommodation made available by the administration (territorial isolation and support units have been set up to assist persons placed in isolation) or of transit in an international zone

The list of the compelling reasons indicated in the certificates can be downloaded here.

The certificates provide an indicative list of compelling motives to justify travels to France.

Professional motives imply an essential mission necessary to the pursuit of an economic activity and an employer statement to that effect.

Converting a foreign vaccination certificate into a French Covid pass (Passe Sanitaire)

From now it is possible to convert a foreign vaccination certificate into a French sanitary pass.

This procedure is only open to non-European foreigners who meet the following conditions:

• You are not from one of the following countries Member States of the European Union, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland or the United Kingdom (England and Wales only) *;
• You are at least 12 years and 2 months old.
• You have been vaccinated in a non-European country, with a vaccine accepted by the European Medicines Agency (l’Agence européenne des médicaments) or equivalent since :
  • More than 4 weeks after the injection for one-dose vaccines (Johnson&Johnson) ;
  • More than 7 days after the second injection for two-dose vaccines (e.g. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca);
  • More than 7 days after the injection if you have recovered from Covid-19 (in this case, only one injection is required);
• You are already in France or you plan to go there in the next few days.

The conversion request is done:

• Online for foreign students
• At a French pharmacy. Passport and vaccination certificate (paper version) will be required for conversion