Our latest guide to French Covid rules for UK families explains travel to France from 14 January 2022. Find everything you need to know for you and your kids here – including how to use the French TousAntiCovid app.
New French Covid rules from 14 January 2022
Travel restrictions put in place by the French government in December 2021 to help slow the spread of Omicron have now been lifted and fully vaccinated UK travellers no longer need a ‘compelling reason’ to visit France.
As of 14 January 2022, all visitors aged 12 and over, can enter France as long as they have a negative Covid-19 test (either PCR or antigen) taken 24-hours before travel – for children under the age of 12, the vaccine status of their parents applies.
All travellers must also fill out a ‘sworn statement’ confirming they aren’t experiencing Covid-19 symptoms and have not been knowingly in contact with any positive cases in the past 14 days.
At present, the French government continue to require unvaccinated travellers to present a ‘compelling reason’ to visit France.
Travel to France at a glance
- Fully vaccinated UK visitors aged 12 and over can visit France.
- All UK visitors aged 12 and over must have a negative Covid-19 test taken 24-hours before travel.
- Both PCR and antigen tests are accepted.
- All UK travellers over the age of 12 must complete a ‘sworn statement’.
- The vaccine status of parents applies to children under the age of 12.
- Non vaccinated travellers still require a ‘compelling reason’ to visit France.
What you need to know about French Covid rules in France
Facemasks are currently compulsory in most indoor spaces in France, including museums, galleries, shops and supermarkets, restaurants, bars and public transport. In certain places additional facemask regulations may be in place depending on the local prefecture, these will be clearly signposted. But to be on the safe side, we suggest you carry facemasks for you and your children at all times.
Everyone in France, aged 12 and over, must present a ‘pass sanitaire’ (health pass with your vaccine status, name and date of birth) for access to restaurants, bars, cinemas, theatres or for long-distance travel by air, rail or coach. Although not compulsory, the pass sanitaire is also asked for by many French hotels and other holiday accommodation, so check when you book.
A paper health pass can be used. But now the French government TousAntiCovid app allows UK travellers who are double vaccinated to scan in their NHS QR code. Just about everywhere in France now has digital scanners which simply read your phone. Again, to be on the safe side, carry paper copies of your own and your kids’ health passes as back-up.
If you’re aged between 18 and 64 and more than 7 months has passed since your second vaccination, you will need proof of a booster vaccination for your pass sanitaire to be valid in France.
Covid rules in France at a glance
- No curfews are currently in place in France.
- You currently are not required to wear facemasks outdoors in France.
- Facemasks are compulsory on public transport and in restaurants, bars and most indoor spaces including shops, shopping malls and supermarkets.
- Everyone aged 12 and over must present a pass sanitaire (health pass) for access to restaurants, bars, cinemas, theatres or for long distance travel.
- NHS QR codes can now be scanned into the French TousAntiCovid app.
- For a pass sanitaire to be valid in France, anyone aged between 18 and 64 must have proof of a booster vaccination no more than 7 months after the date of their second vaccination.
- In some French cities and certain regions, the local prefecture may have additional Covid regulations in place.
Useful information for returning to the UK from France
Fully vaccinated travellers can now return to the UK from France without taking a pre-departure Covid test. And instead of a mandatory PCR test within two days of arrival back in the UK, double vaccinated travellers are able to take the less expensive lateral-flow test, again within two days of their return. If you test positive for Covid, you must follow the Government self-isolation rules for your area of the UK.