FORUM

The facebook page of the British Embassy in Paris has weekly Q&A's and there has been a lot of recent interest in the “attestation d'accueil”. Here is the most recent reply to one of the many questions:

Q Pete Ramsdale
For British citizens visiting France and staying with friends/family can you confirm if we need the “attestation d'accueil (cerfa 10798)” from the Mairie, or “show proof of your accommodation, for example … invitation from your host” as noted on the gov uk website?


A British Embassy Paris
Hi Pete, yes, we can now confirm that you do need this. Your friends/family resident in France will need to go to the mairie to complete the requirement for you. We will be updating our Travel Advice shortly.

We own a home in PV but are not resident. From time to time, family and friends use it. I am interested to know whether we shall have to go to the mairie to complete the requirement for them. Any thoughts?

I have posted this on the facebook page as well

The link below is a very clear and helpful explanation of the attestation d'accueil I have just come across

https://youtu.be/teXzszEulns

As non-resident home owners in France, I think we and our visitors will have to be capable of demonstrating that there is the prescribed amount of money in bank accounts to cover the stay - 120 euros per person, per day! Quite a lot for a 10 or 14 day stay

Here is where the 120 Euros per day comes from

https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... 21?lang=en

Back in the day (the early 70s) one could wander around Europe virtually unmolested by bureaucracy as many of us Brit Inter-railers discovered.

I personally hitch hiked from Athens to UK with just £1 in my pocket at the start of the journey. Apart from a stamp at each border noone bothered at all with all the cr*p that we’re now talking about.

I and my friends travelled all round Europe, met and partied with other young Europeans, learned their languages and slipped, albeit briefly, into their friendships and way of life.

If you camped at a registered campsite then, yes, they’d register your stay with the local police as a formality.

But now all this. Endless piles of paperwork and cost, a spiralling paranoia of everything not EU. Not the slightest iota of flexibility and reasonableness. Outright hostility to all ‘others’. An utter inability to distinguish between friend and foe. This is about as far as it’s possible to get from free, enlightened society.

Is this really the great vision of Monet and his ilk? As far as I’m concerned the sooner the EU and Brussels collapse into the dust under the weight of their own contradictions - the better.

Under their diseased interpretation of reality one can only be European if you submit to the imperial will of the EU.

GOV.UK has now made changes to its France Travel Advice referring now to the ‘attestation d’acceuil’
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advic ... quirements. Here is an extract of the relevant bits:

"At French border control your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. You should also be prepared to:queue in separate lanes from EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.show proof of your accommodation, for example, a hotel booking confirmation, proof of address if visiting your own property (e.g. second home), or an invitation from your host if staying with a third party, friends or family. As detailed by the French Ministry of Interior here, you may be requested to provide an “attestation d’accueil”. French residents will need to acquire the “attestation d’accueil” and pass it on to you before you enter France.show proof of insurance for your trip. Please check the guidance on travel insurance here.you should also be able to prove that you have enough money for your stay. The minimum amount required depends on your accommodation".

Hello

Article in today's Guardian on this subject:
'Brexit: UK travellers to France and Spain may be asked for proof of accommodation.
People in France hosting non-EU nationals need to submit £26 form to their town hall as part of post-Brexit changes'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... it-changes

No surprise. UK voted to not be part of Europe ... now it's not.

Yours
Ted & Jemima
http://findinglanguedoc.com/

I assume these restrictions are part of a Covid containment plan. The UK has strict confinement rules for those returning from abroad with massive fines for non compliance. I find the comment by GrahamC insulting. If you really don't like the concept of the EU why bother to take an interest in a country at the heart of a united Europe. For centuries Euopean countries have fought wars with their neighbours. Ultimately to no end other than the sacrifice of millions of lives and centuries of hardship for the masses.

Gus

It´s nothing to do with covid.

That's correct. It's nothing to do with Covid. It has become an issue because the UK is no longer in the EU

This has been posted today:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- ... -d-accueil

I am trying to get some 'official' confirmation

Take a look at the British Embassy facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/ukinfrance/

There are numerous questions about the Ad'A. The Embassy states it will give replies to questions by 6.00 pm on Friday.

Alan,

I had the following response from the French Consulate in London:

Dear Sir/Madam,

All third country nationals – including British nationals since 01/01/2021 – should be able, if requested, to produce to the immigration officer when entering France the following documents in addition to a valid passport :

1. Evidence of accomodation in France:

· for tourism: hotel reservation (in the absence of a hotel reservation, the traveler will have to prove that he possesses at least 120€ per day, see point 2), rental agreement, property title, package tour confirmation ;

· for a professional visit: letter from the employer, invitation from a French firm or organisation ;

· for a private visit if accommodated by friends or family: Certificate of Board and Lodging “attestation d'accueil” issued by the “Mairie” in France ;

2. Evidence of financial means of support : cash, travellers cheques, valid international credit card, bank statement,…(65 € per day in France or 33 € if you have a certificate of Board and Lodging).

3. Travel insurance covering all medical, hospital and funeral expenses which may occur during the entire period of your stay in France, including repatriation costs on medical grounds ;

4. Guarantees of return: return ticket...

If you own/rent a home in France, you are not required to apply for a Certificate of Board and Lodging but will have to produce if requested any official documents evidencing this (property title, taxe d’habitation, taxe foncière, quittance de loyer, recent bills etc…).

If you are inviting friends/family to stay at your home in France but reside in the UK and are therefore unable to obtain the certificate from the Mairie, you may instead give your family members an invitation letter together with a copy of your passport as well as copies of any documents proving you reside in the UK and documents evidencing the ownership in France.

For more information on the requirements related to arrival in France https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/ ... -in-france

Regards,

NLR
Consulat Général de France à Londres/ French Consulate General, London
21 Cromwell Road
LONDON – SW7 2EN
www.ambafrance-uk.org