Note: Last update of this article occurred on December 16th.
1. Important Notice: Curfew
Since December 15, a nightly curfew is in force in metropolitan France. Between 8PM and 6AM you may only leave your residence for the following reasons and with an exemption certificate:
- Commuting to and from work, school or training place; carrying out essential business trips that cannot be postponed;
- Medical appointments that cannot be carried out remotely or postponed;
- Essential family reasons, assisting vulnerable persons, persons in a precarious situation or taking care of children;
- Persons with a disability and their accompanying person;
- Judicial or administrative summons;
- Participating in a mission of general interest upon request from an administrative authority;
- Air or rail transit related to long distance journeys;
- Walking a pet outdoors within 1km of one’s place of residence and for a brief amount of time.
An electronic version of the certificate is available here in French only,and may be presented to authorities on your smartphone. The exemption certificate in English can be downloaded here.
All those who do not respect the curfew will be fined €135. More information is available here.
Important:
- Shops and services, including public libraries, are now open.
- Bars, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, museums and gyms remain closed.
- Public services remain open.
- Places of worship may open.
- You must wear a mask in all venues.
2. Entering France: Countries with no restrictions
There are no restrictions for travel (e.g. both essential and non-essential travel is permitted) to Metropolitan France from the following countries:
- 🇪🇺 European Union Member States
- 🇦🇩 Andorra
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇻🇦 Vatican
- 🇮🇸 Iceland
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
- 🇲🇨 Monaco
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇷🇼 Rwanda
- 🇸🇲 San Marino
- 🇰🇷 South Korea
- 🇸🇬 Singapore
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇹🇭 Thailand
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
3. Restrictions to travel to France
If you are arriving from a country not listed above, you can enter France if you meet one of the following criteria:
- If you are a French national (you may be accompanied by your spouse and children);
- If you are a European Union citizen or a national of Andorra, the Holy See, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, and your main residence is in France or you are crossing France to reach your country of nationality or residence (you may be accompanied by your spouse and children);
- If you hold a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa and your main residence is in France or you are crossing France to reach your residence in the European space;
- If you are transiting for less than 24 hours in an international zone;
- If you are a member of a delegation on official travel, or of a diplomatic or consular mission, or of an international organization headquartered or having an office in France (you may be accompanied by your spouse and children);
- If you are a foreign health professional helping to fight COVID-19;
- If you are a member of crew or personnel operating passenger or cargo flights, or travelling as a passenger to reach your departure base;
- If you are carrying out international goods transport;
- If you are a passenger coach or train driver or crew member;
- If you are a member of crew or personnel operating a merchant or fishing vessel;
- If you are a student with a long-stay visa or short-stay visa (VCS) for study or placements or coming for less than 90 days from a country exempted from VCS requirements, and you can prove you have accommodation in France;
- If you are a professor or researcher employed or invited by a French higher education establishment or research laboratory and you are travelling for study and teaching purposes;
For your arrival in France, you need to fill in and carry two documents in addition to required travel documents:
- An exempted international movement certificate for travel to metropolitan France. You must present this certificate to travel companies before using your travel ticket, as well as to border control authorities (for travel by air, sea and land, including by rail);
- A sworn declaration that you do not have COVID-19 symptoms. These documents can be downloaded in French and English from the Ministry of the Interior’s website.
In addition, for travellers over 11 years of age:
A. If you are arriving from a country on the list below, even if you are in transit, or if you have been there in the last 30 days you must present a negative test result carried out less than 72 hours before boarding. You will not be allowed to board without this document.
- 🇩🇿 Algeria
- 🇧🇭 Bahrain
- 🇨🇳 China
- 🇨🇬 Democratic Republic of Congo
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador
- 🇮🇶 Iraq
- 🇮🇷 Iran
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇱🇧 Lebanon
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
- 🇵🇦 Panama
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- 🇹🇷 Turkey
- 🇺🇦Ukraine
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
- 🇺🇸 United States of America
- 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
B. If you are coming from another country, you are strongly recommended to present a negative test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure, upon your arrival in France. If you do not have this result, you will have to take a test at your airport of arrival.
In all cases, the usual travel restrictions apply (visas, duration of stay, etc.). Other rules apply to travel to and from French overseas territories, see here.
Most recent information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be found here.
