LATEST: Everything you need to know about travel between the USA and France
Tests, quarantine, green lists, white lists - travel between France and the USA is a complicated business that depends on where you live and your vaccine status. Here's how it all works.
Travel from the USA to France
The USA is currently on France's orange list, having changed from green on September 12th. The orange list differentiates between vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.
Vaccinated travellers - can travel to France for any reason and do not need a Covid test. Vaccination can be proved at the border with a CDC vaccination certificate, and travellers also need to present a declaration stating that they do not have Covid symptoms and have not been in contact with any Covid patients - you can find that HERE.
Unvaccinated travellers - can only travel if they meet the criteria for ‘essential travel’ – this includes French citizens and residents returning home, students beginning academic studies in France and essential work trips, but does not include tourism, family visits or visits to second homes.
You can read the full list of permitted ‘essential reasons’ HERE.
Unvaccinated travellers who qualify under the essential reasons rules must also present a negative Covid test less than 72 hours old at the border, as well as the declaration mentioned above. They are required to quarantine for seven days on arrival. The quarantine can be done at a private home or a hotel and is not the subject of police checks.
To count as fully vaccinated, travellers must
- Have received a vaccine that is approved by the European Medicines Agency – Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson (known as Janssen in France). The Indian-produced Covishield vaccine is now accepted by France
- Be at least two weeks after the second injection for double-dose vaccines or for two weeks after a single dose for those people who had previously had Covid-19
- Be at least four weeks after the injection for people who had the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine
In France
Once in France, a health passport is required for access to venues including bars, cafés, tourist sites and long-distance train travel.
For this the CDC vaccine card is not accepted, so a French QR code is required – here’s how people from the US can access that.
Feedback from readers of The Local suggests that the online procedure to swap an American vaccination certificate for a French-compatible code can take up to two weeks, so we would advise applying for this before you travel.
From France to the USA
After a lopsided summer in which Americans could holiday in France, but French people could not holiday in the USA, the USA has announced that it's borders will be reopening from the beginning of November - no exact date was given.
The US announced on Monday that it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers, provided they undergo testing and contact tracing.
Further details are expected in the next few days.
The US government also advises its own citizens against visiting France - this is advice not a ban, but can affect travel insurance, so check your policy before travelling.
Americans living in France
The various changes in French and American rules do not affect US citizens living in France who had planned a trip home to see friends or family.
The US allows its own citizens to enter, and France allows people with permanent residency to enter, even if they are not vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated you will need to present at the French border both a negative Covid test and proof of your residency in France (eg a visa or carte de séjour).
If you are fully vaccinated you can return to France with the presentation only of your proof of vaccination.
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Travel from the USA to France
The USA is currently on France's orange list, having changed from green on September 12th. The orange list differentiates between vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.
Vaccinated travellers - can travel to France for any reason and do not need a Covid test. Vaccination can be proved at the border with a CDC vaccination certificate, and travellers also need to present a declaration stating that they do not have Covid symptoms and have not been in contact with any Covid patients - you can find that HERE.
Unvaccinated travellers - can only travel if they meet the criteria for ‘essential travel’ – this includes French citizens and residents returning home, students beginning academic studies in France and essential work trips, but does not include tourism, family visits or visits to second homes.
You can read the full list of permitted ‘essential reasons’ HERE.
Unvaccinated travellers who qualify under the essential reasons rules must also present a negative Covid test less than 72 hours old at the border, as well as the declaration mentioned above. They are required to quarantine for seven days on arrival. The quarantine can be done at a private home or a hotel and is not the subject of police checks.
To count as fully vaccinated, travellers must
- Have received a vaccine that is approved by the European Medicines Agency – Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson (known as Janssen in France). The Indian-produced Covishield vaccine is now accepted by France
- Be at least two weeks after the second injection for double-dose vaccines or for two weeks after a single dose for those people who had previously had Covid-19
- Be at least four weeks after the injection for people who had the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine
In France
Once in France, a health passport is required for access to venues including bars, cafés, tourist sites and long-distance train travel.
For this the CDC vaccine card is not accepted, so a French QR code is required – here’s how people from the US can access that.
Feedback from readers of The Local suggests that the online procedure to swap an American vaccination certificate for a French-compatible code can take up to two weeks, so we would advise applying for this before you travel.
From France to the USA
After a lopsided summer in which Americans could holiday in France, but French people could not holiday in the USA, the USA has announced that it's borders will be reopening from the beginning of November - no exact date was given.
The US announced on Monday that it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers, provided they undergo testing and contact tracing.
Further details are expected in the next few days.
The US government also advises its own citizens against visiting France - this is advice not a ban, but can affect travel insurance, so check your policy before travelling.
Americans living in France
The various changes in French and American rules do not affect US citizens living in France who had planned a trip home to see friends or family.
The US allows its own citizens to enter, and France allows people with permanent residency to enter, even if they are not vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated you will need to present at the French border both a negative Covid test and proof of your residency in France (eg a visa or carte de séjour).
If you are fully vaccinated you can return to France with the presentation only of your proof of vaccination.
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