Updated France entry rules: No testing required for vaccinated travelers, but you still need a vaccine pass
Editor's Note
Quick summary
Just yesterday, I wrote about the ever-changing entry protocols for France, namely the dropping of the arrival testing requirement for travelers from certain countries, including America.
Since this is the first time (thus far) that France has actually made it easier for travelers to enter, I thought we would use this week's column to answer more questions about how this affects travel to the country.
1. What are the current France entry requirements for fully vaccinated travelers?
As of Feb. 12, fully vaccinated travelers coming from countries designated as "green" or "orange" (the United States is currently orange) no longer need to take a COVID-19 test before departing for France.
This is welcome news that means vaccinated and boosted travelers can enter France by showing proof of vaccination with an approved vaccine, specifically:
- Pfizer.
- Moderna.
- AstraZeneca.
- Johnson & Johnson.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs provides a list of countries by color here.
2. Is a booster required to be considered 'fully vaccinated'?
Yes. Travelers are only considered fully vaccinated if they have been boosted within nine months of their final dose of one of the four accepted COVID-19 vaccines.
Those who received their booster more than nine months after their second dose can begin entering France one week after their booster.
3. How does the timing of the booster affect the vaccine pass?
The "pass vaccinal" is still necessary to enter any public space requiring proof of vaccination and is available to people age 18 and older. Travelers are eligible for the pass if they have been boosted within four months of their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. (Vaccinated people ages 12-17 can obtain a pass without a booster and unvaccinated people ages 12-15 may procure a temporary, 24-hour health pass by submitting a negative PCR test).
"The 4 month time period for the booster only applies to people who have been recently vaccinated, per Atout France. "The idea is that if you received your second dose then you need a booster no more than 4 months after. The essential thing is that you need a booster to receive the Vaccine Pass."
You do not need to be boosted within three to four months of travel but must show proof of a booster if four months have elapsed since the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or two months after a single-dose vaccine.
4. Do vaccine passes expire?
For Johnson & Johnson recipients, vaccine passes expire after two months. Otherwise, the pass expires four months after a two-dose vaccine, meaning the only way to maintain an active vaccine pass is by submitting updated proof of a booster shot.
5. Are at-home COVID-19 tests acceptable to get into France?
If you are unvaccinated and approved to travel to France, note that self-tests are not permitted for entry into France.
Currently, the following test types are acceptable for entry into France:
- RT-PCR.
- PCR.
- qRT-PCR.
- RT-LAMP.
- LAMP.
- RNA detection.
- Antigen detecting protein N.
Have a question for next week? Email me at caroline.tanner@thepointsguy.com or tips@thepointsguy.com.