Is France allowing UK tourists to visit now or only from June 9?
French rules on foreign visitors are expected to change on June 9, but they are already flexible towards those from the UK
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UPDATE, May 26: People travelling from the UK to France will only be able to do so from Monday, May 31, 2021 if they have an “essential” reason and will then be required to self-isolate for seven days upon arrival at a residence of their choice. This was announced by the French government on May 26. Please read our article here for more information: France: UK arrivals must quarantine and have essential reason to visit
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The Connexion reported about how UK residents could now travel abroad for holidays again, but does France permit them to come?
British tourists and second home owners may already visit France without any ‘urgent’ reason, under French rules.
Despite the fact the UK does not yet appear on an EU-wide green list of countries deemed safe for their nationals to visit the EU, France has allowed visitors from the UK since March 12, linked to its declining Covid rates.
It is one of the few non-EU countries to be included in this, the others being Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore.
Otherwise, leisure visits to France have not been allowed from non-EU countries since January 31.
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Even so, those coming in from the permitted non-EU countries, such as the UK, are still asked to show a negative Covid test on arrival, and to undertake a voluntary seven-day self-isolation period.
President Macron has spoken of ‘welcoming back foreign tourists’ from June 9 linked to their health status, such as being fully vaccinated against Covid.
It is hoped that those able to show they do not pose a health risk will be exempt from the self-isolation requirement, however this has yet to be clarified, as has the way in this will be combined with France’s own ‘traffic light’ scheme for foreign travel, which is said to be imminent.
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The changes in June could also see visitors from more countries allowed, bearing in mind their health status.
However this is not expected to change anything with regard to the – existing – French rule that UK visitors do not need an urgent reason to come.
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