What do I need to do to go to France now?

cruickgl

Hi All, apologies for my numptiness. I know there is a lot of information available but it's a hell of a lot to plough through. Last night I booked a holiday to France via the ferry for our family of four (Me, the Mrs, and a 12yo and 8yo). Would some kind person explain to me exactly what we need to do to travel so that I am clear as it is making my head hurt!! We go two weeks today. As far as I can see me and the wife (fully vaccinated) and my 12yo daughter (obviously unvaccinated) will be required to have 3 PCR tests?? One each within 72 hours of leaving the UK. One each around 72 hours before we return home and then a final one the day after we get home or is it two days after we get home? 
Also, am I right we need to download NHS App each? Also there is a French App we need to download to enable us to access bars/pubs restaurants/etc in France ?
Am I getting there........?? Will my 8yo need to have anything done?? And what is deemed to be the cheapest way to have the tests all done?? I know I am asking a lot but it appears to be a minefield. 

isplumm

Hi

For advice on what you need to enter France - look here - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france

For entering back into UK, you will need to complete the UK Passenger Locator Form - https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk

You will need to take a test upto 72 hours before coming back into the UK - see https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control for more info.

For those of you who are double vaccinated you will need to book a day 2 test - I used - https://www.zavamed.com/uk/covid-19-travel-testing.html - about £66 each - there is a good reference guide you can read.

Hope this helps?

Thanks Mark

onashoestring

Before you arrive back  in England, you must book a PCR test that takes place on or before day 2 after your arrival. (The day you arrive is day 0.) so you can take it on day 0, day 1 or day 2 at the latest.) 

This is all of you (Children aged 4 and under do not need to take this test.) 

This must be from a provider on the Government’s list.

https://www.find-travel-test-provider.service.gov.uk/test-type/green#standards

The booking reference of these tests will need to go on your Passenger Locator form which you need to complete for all of you before you return back to UK . 

isplumm

isplumm said:

Hi


For those of you who are double vaccinated you will need to book a day 2 test - I used - https://www.zavamed.com/uk/covid-19-travel-testing.html - about £66 each - there is a good reference guide you can read.


Thanks Mark

Just wanted to highlight that Zava were pretty good - ordered the kit on Monday, arrived Tuesday - then did test day 2 & posted back same day - Royal Mail Track & Trace - test results emailed to me day 4.

Mark

cruickgl

Thanks for all the tips.......as I understand it my two children who are unvaccinated and over 4 but under 18 will need a Day 2 test done. Does anyone have any tips on who offers the cheapest prices for this situation as from what I can see the providers mentioned are charging double for people in their situation with which their age and vaccine status is no fault of their own.

onashoestring

What do you mean charging double ?

The test price is the same whether you are a child or  adult .

All travellers from Amber and Green countries need the Day 2 test from the Government list of suppliers.

Ben1989

The test is the same? I don't understand your point.

All of you will need Day 2 PCR tests (booked before departure for the UK)

All over 10s will need a pre-departure PCR or antigen test up to three days before departing for the UK.

You also need to look at France's requirements. There may be quarantine requirements for any unvaccinated visitors. I am also a little bit sure your 12 year old will need a negative test 24 hours before arriving in France.

I don't know what's about to change or not but aren't there 'compelling reasons' required to travel there? I could be wrong.

gingercordial

As it stands, the UK is on France's amber list equivalent.  This could change any time.  Check again yourself before you go, don't rely on someone on the internet.

Getting in:

If you are fully vaccinated you do not need an "essential reason" for travel.  But you will need to show proof of your vaccination status using the document available on the NHS app.  You will also need to complete and present the sworn "statement of honour" which is found at the bottom of this page:

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel

Children 12 and over who are not vaccinated need to have proof of a negative test, but still do not need an "essential reason" for travel.  Under 12s don't need a test.  As far as I can see they all still need the statement of honour.

There is a good flow chart here from the French Embassy in the UK.

https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918

In France:

When you are in France you are going to need to be able to show your vaccination status to go into restaurants etc (does not apply to children over 12 until 30 September).  There is an official French app which is used for this, called "Tous Anti Covid" if you are searching on the app store - it is the one with the blue and red QR code logo.  When you've got it, you can set it to English.  It needs to have access to your location and phone camera for code scanning.

I was able to load my UK vaccination status into this by first downloading, emailing to myself and printing off my UK vaccination document (the one which has 2 QR codes, one for each jab) from the NHS app.  I then scanned each of my jab QR codes into the French app, and said yes to "save to wallet".  Make sure you do both codes, one at a time as each loads separately.  The second one then becomes an EU-compliant digital Covid certificate in the French app which has a button to show a QR code on screen for entry to venues,.

Note I have not tested in France yet, but I work for a French company and my parents have a house there, so I wanted to get it set up before either I have to go to our Paris office or they ask me for advice, and it seems to work.