Travel between France and the UK
As of 4am on Saturday 15th August, a 14 day quarantine will apply to all travellers entering the UK from France. This measure is compulsory and subject to checks. Anyone found to be in breach of the measure is liable to fines ranging from £1,000 to £3,200!
Paperwork
If you are travelling to the UK, 48 hours before your arrival, you need to complete the online form, providing journey details and contact details for the 14 day self-isolation period.
Once completed, you will receive a confirmation email that you can either print off and carry with you on your journey, or show on request from your phone. The QR code on this confirmation document will allow border control to check that the form is correctly filled in without risking contamination from touching paperwork or screens.
Many travellers are reporting that no-one has requested to see/scan the QR code but the form is nevertheless obligatory. Failure to produce the QR code could result in delays to entering the UK and may lead to refusal of entry and up to £100 fines.
The form is pretty straight-forward and self-explanatory. Make sure you have the following information before you get started:
- your passport details
- the name of the airline, train or ferry company you’re travelling with
- the name of the company organising your tour group – if you’re travelling as part of a tour group
- your booking reference
- the name of the airport, port or station you’ll be arriving into
- the date you’ll be arriving
- your flight, train, bus or ferry number
- the address you’ll be staying at for your first 14 days in the UK
- details of someone who can be contacted if you get ill while you’re in the UK
*If you are travelling by Eurostar or Eurotunnel, simply write this for the question ‘What is the flight number, train service or ship name that you will arrive on?’. You should also provide your scheduled time of departure
Quarantine
Covid 19 tests are not compulsory for travel between France and the UK because the quarantine period is applied to all visitors (except a very small minority of exceptions).
If in the 14 days previous to your arrival in the UK you have passed through any of the countries or territories NOT on the exemption list, then you will need to self-isolate.
France was removed from the “travel corridor” on Saturday 15th August, along with Malta, Monaco and the Netherlands, among others. Austria and Croatia will be removed from the exemption list as of Saturday 22nd August.
If the place that you have elected to self-isolate (hotels or accommodation with family or friends etc.) does not meet the necessary requirements, you will be required to self-isolate in facilities arranged by the British Government.
You should use personal transport, such as a car, to travel to your accommodation where possible.
During the 14-day period of self-isolation, you must not:
- go to work
- go to school
- use public transport or taxis
- have visitors, including friends and family, unless they are providing essential support
- go out to buy food or other essentials where you can rely on others
If you are visiting the UK for less than 14 days, you must remain in self-isolation throughout your stay. You may then leave, without using public transport, to reach the airport or station of departure.
Random checks will be carried out to ensure compliance with self-isolation requirements.
Again, a small minority of people will be exempt from self-isolation, as per the link above.
| If you have any difficulties with the form or require further information on quarantine rules, the government helpline is available Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm (UK time) 0800 678 1767 |
Returning to France
Although Emmanuel Macron spoke of reciprocal measures, with rumours and gossip circulating wildly in the press and on social media, official government information, at the time of publication, requests people arriving from the UK to voluntarily undertake a 14 day quarantine period.
Because this is a voluntary measure, there are currently no sanctions or fines in place for non-compliance. Obviously rules and regulations can change rapidly, so keep an eye on the French government’s travel website for up to date information.
If you are travelling into France from the UK, you will need to complete a sworn statement, certifying that you do not have symptoms of Covid 19. This form must be printed off and carried with you on your journey. If you do not have a printer, you can copy it out by hand.
Again, travellers are reporting that border forces are not checking forms but better to be safe than sorry in our opinion!
| If you have travelled between France and the UK since the 15th August and would like to share your experience, email us at laura@anglophone-direct.com |
