Do I need a Covid test to travel from UK to France as French resident?
We explain how the country of departure is what matters, not the nationality or residence of the person
Anyone travelling from the UK to France will need to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test before departure as the UK is on France's amber travel listSeventyFour / Shutterstock
Reader question: We are permanent residents in France but are currently in the UK. We plan to return on July 3. We are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. EU citizens who are fully vaccinated can travel to France without the need for tests. As French residents, will we still need to take a Covid-19 test before flying to France?
Yes, you will. People in the UK can travel to France from today (June 9) if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or if they have an essential reason to do so.
In our reader’s case, they are both fully vaccinated and have an essential reason to travel to France as they are French resident (you are allowed to travel back to France if it is your country of residence under the rules).
They will, though, still need to take a Covid-19 test before entering France. This can either be a PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure or a rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours of departure.
This is because they are travelling from the UK, which is on France’s amber list.
The nationality or country of residence of the traveller does not matter in this instance, it is the country of departure that is important. A French national who is in the UK also has the right to travel to France but must also take a Covid-19 test because the UK is amber listed.
By contrast, a French national who is in Germany right now and is fully vaccinated will not need a Covid-19 test before travelling to France because Germany is on France’s green travel list.
