The French government has announced new travel restrictions that will enter into force on Saturday (December 4, 2021).
Alongside France’s green-orange-red classification scheme for countries according to their coronavirus epidemiological situation, the government also introduced a new list marked by “scarlet red” that includes ten southern African countries.
Only travel for compelling reasons will be allowed between countries classified “scarlet red” and France.
The 10 countries in this list are currently South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Malawi and Zambia.
Strict compelling reasons
Whether the passenger is vaccinated or not, travel as a tourist or student is no longer permitted.
The list of authorized compelling reasons :
To a country classified as “scarlet red”
- Foreign nationals joining their country
- Death of a direct family member (grandparents, parents, children and siblings)
- Visit to a person whose prognosis is vital, for family members in the direct line (grandparents, parents, children and brothers and sisters).
- Travel in France in the context of the exercise of a right of custody recognized by a court decision
- Transportation professionals
- Summons by a judicial or administrative authority.
- Legal or economic impossibility of remaining in the territory where the person is located / execution of a deportation order
- Health or research professional involved in the fight against Covid 19 or participating in cooperative operations of major interest in the health field.
- Vital medical emergency (for the person as well as an accompanying person if his/her presence is indispensable).
- One-time missions related to the exercise of public authority (including diplomatic missions and missions essential to the continued execution of operational contracts of the armed forces or military corps) that cannot be deferred or postponed.
From a country classified as “scarlet red”
- French citizen, as well as his/her spouse (married, civil union or common-law) and children.
- European Union national or a person of equivalent status, as well as his or her spouse (married, civil union or cohabiting partner) and children, who has his or her main residence in France or who joins, in transit through France, his or her main residence in a European Union country or a country of equivalent status.
- Third-country nationals who hold a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa and whose main residence is in France.
- Third-country nationals holding a long-stay visa issued for family reunification or family reunification of refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless persons.
- Travelers in transit for less than 24 hours in an international zone.
- Foreign nationals working for a diplomatic or consular mission, or an international organization with headquarters or an office in France, as well as their spouse and children.
- Worker in the land, sea and air transport sector or provider of transport services (including drivers of any vehicle transporting goods for use in the territory as well as those who are only in transit, or travelling as a passenger to their base of departure)
Reinforced tests
Vaccinated or non vaccinated travellers from a “scarlet red” country have to :
- carry the travel certificate that corresponds to their situation and includes the various compelling reasons applicable to their country of origin;
- carry a sworn statement attesting that they have no symptoms of Covid-19 infection and that they are not aware of any contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the 14 days prior to travel ;
- provide a negative PCR test of less than 48 hours or antigenic test for Covid-19 carried out within 24 hours before departure;
- do the antigenic test on arrival (for travelers aged 11 or over)
Isolation measures
A new health protocol on arrival :
These travelers will all be tested on arrival, in addition to the mandatory test on departure.
If the test is negative, they will then be subject to a prefectoral order of compulsory isolation, in the place of their choice, for 10 days.
If the test is positive, they will be subject to a prefectoral order of isolation in a designated hotel for 10 days.
And in both cases, the isolation will be “monitored by internal security forces”, with the risk of a fine of 1000 to 1500 euros for those who do not respect it.
We remain available to provide any further information on the subject.
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