Who could have ever thought that Paris, and the rest of France, would feel like a ghost town? The country and its capital city are some of the most well-visited places on earth, welcoming millions of tourists each year. However, as the Covid-19 global pandemic put the world at a standstill, all of France went into lockdown. It didn't help that at some point in 2020, Europe became the epicenter of the pandemic. Now, in 2021, after vaccines became available, a plan has been set on reopening France and getting things back to normal. Here are the latest updates on the country's travel restrictions.
Latest Updates for Summer 2021
Travelers coming from the US and Canada can now rejoice. According to
The Connexion, France has now put both North American countries under its 'Green' category. This means that those coming from said countries can now enter France with little to no travel restrictions. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the country's travel minister, even shared this news on Twitter, posting, '
American friends, welcome and enjoy your stay in France.' Since millions of Americans have commonly traveled to France over the years, it's clear that this move aims to improve the country's tourism situation post-pandemic.
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For now, according to
Forbes.com, France remains closed to most of the world. It currently has a relaxed border to only a handful of countries, places that they deem have low enough infection rates to grant entry into the country. These countries include Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore. France has had a relaxed border on travelers coming from said countries since March 12, 2021, as long as they show proof of vaccination. The same article also noted that the country plans to fully reopen its borders to non-essential travel by June 9, 2021.
Notably, the UK used to be part of the list of countries that France has a relaxed border on. But the latest reports from the
BBC states that the country has re-imposed its travel restrictions due to the Indian variant. Announced just last May 31, 2021, the French government has banned non-essential travel from the UK until further notice. Only those who have essential work in the country will be permitted entry but still required to undergo a week of self-isolation for quarantine upon arrival. This comes after the past week saw the UK recorded 3,424 cases of the B.1.617.2 variant. It's safe to say, travelers from this country, as well as from India, won't be welcome by June 9, 2021.
The intended reopening on June 9, 2021, is actually the third phase of
France's four-phase plan on lifting quarantine and travel restrictions post-pandemic. It started back in May 3, 2021, wherein the country allowed in-person classes in schools and universities to commence. May 19, 2021, on the other hand, saw the start of the second phase, wherein various establishments ranging from restaurants and museums to movie theaters and the like were granted permission to reopen and operate at limited capacities. And if the third phase this June 9 goes off without a hitch, the fourth phase, starting on June 30, 2021, will see all restrictions lifted.
Despite the plan and everything announced so far, there are also the
EU's Digital Green Certificates to look forward to. Announced back in March, this is a new vaccine passport system that the Union plans to fully implement by either June or July 2021. It consists of electronic documents, via its own app, that stand as proof that the traveler has been vaccinated, tested negative, or has fully recovered from Covid-19. Borders will now require them to be granted entry into any Schengen country.
As 2021 rolls by, France is slowly getting things back to normal. With its four-phase plan now in full effect and thanks to various new developments within the EU, it won't be long until the country fully reopens and welcomes back tourists again!
When Paris is finally fully reopened, the first thing you ought to do is to reserve your next
luxury home here!
