Travel to Paris France

@Maureen, there are plenty of articles online about the proposed opening of France. The Points Guy explains it in this article posted a couple of days ago: https://thepointsguy.com/news/france-reopening-phases/ Part of this article reads:

According to the U.S. Department of State, “The president of France
has laid out a reopening plan that would allow ‘foreign tourists’ with
a health pass (tied to being fully vaccinated or having a negative
COVID-19 PCR test) to enter France beginning June 9, 2021, if
COVID-19 levels remain under control.” The U.S. Embassy doesn’t
have more information about what the “health pass” will be or how to
get it. Bookmark the website for the French Embassy in the United
States to check for additional intel.

What restrictions will be eased on June 9? U.S. visitors may visit
France for vacation purposes; The curfew will roll back from 9 to 11
p.m. and will be done away with completely on June 30; Indoor dining
at restaurants will commence at 50% capacity; and Shopkeepers are
looking toward June 30 as the date when limits on the number of
customers inside their venues drop completely.

So, there are a few factors: COVID numbers can't grow, they have to work out this "health card" thing: and do realize there will still be a curfew and limited access to many entities until June 30. Odds are that France will open - as it's hard to backtrack from all the public statements the French gov't has made - but fingers crossed there are no spikes in the next couple of weeks.

Yeah this digital pass is the huge problem. No one has a clue what it is or how it works.

I have been in touch with the French Embassy in DC. This was their reply on May 19:
The restrictions have not changed yet and we still do not have additional informations.
Regards,
Consulat général de France, Service des visas
4101 Reservoir Road, Washington DC, 20007

From the French Consulate in SF on May 19:
We still don't have any information. American citizen who are fully vaccinated should be authorized to enter in France starting June 9. We do not have more information to share at that time, about how the vaccination will be checked...
I recommend you to come back to us at the end of May, beginnng of June.
Cordialement,
Myriam LOURY
Chancellerie consulaire
Consulat général de France à San Francisco

I have done lots of research (as you all suggested) but the information is very conflicting so I was hoping that the French embassy could help. I will give it a few more days before canceling my flights.

Thanks!
Maureen

The testing requirements are the same as those implemented in August 2020. There is no conflicting information. As someone who has flown back and forth and will fly again soon, I am familiar with the requirements and can answer your question, the very same way the Embassy and Consulat did: no changes so far.

You are incorrect about needing a test and result within 72 hours of ENTERING France; it is 72 hours before CHECK IN for your Seattle flight.

If and when the entry requirements change, you'll see it posted on this Forum loud and clear. It will also be on the French Consulate and Embassy website. There are many of us waiting to see if our vaccinations will suffice.

I read the Points Guy this morning; it was a bit of fluff. As for the health pass, many French people have only paper certificates, too. The app used to track cases inside the country will have the ability to upload the paper.

To be honest, the government has a lot more to deal with, so I don't think North American requirements are a pressing priority. They just passed the health passport legislation, they are dealing with implementing it, they have Gen Xers going crazy with the opening of the cafe and restaurant terraces, they are trying to get as many people vaccinated as possible now that they have enough Pfizer and Moderna, and they are watching the variants. We aren't at the top of the government list.

Be prepared to test, but be relieved if the requirements change before your take off.

The health pass: it will be needed if you want to go to a rock concert, sports events or cultural, large theaters, festivals, trade fairs. If you aren't going to any of these, you don't need to be too concerned about Le Pass Sanitaire.

The requirement is still a test. They have talked about changing the rules , but as of today it is still a PCR test taken 72 hours before departure, plus signing an attestation that you haven’t had symptoms or been around a Covid-infected person for a certain amount of time.

Here is the official French government guidance (in English) with the forms you need for traveling from the US to France (different from rules if you are coming from another European country, or from India/Brazil etc or from Australia/NZ etc):

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel

Ok, as I read what was posted here, “The president of France
has laid out a reopening plan that would allow ‘foreign tourists’ with
a health pass (tied to being fully vaccinated or having a negative
COVID-19 PCR test) to enter France beginning June 9, 2021, if
COVID-19 levels remain under control.”

If you have had both Covid shots (we have) we would not need a PCR test. Correct?

Looks like someone best get their butt in gear and figure out how this health pass will work. And how long it will take people that are vaccinated to get it prior to travel. Our trip is in late October so we should be fine. What about people that are leaving as soon as France opens?

Between Bets and Kim’s front line responses, you should have all the information you need. Give it more time before canceling a flight that might not need cancelling.
I’m headed to France but not till July 11 to give time for the dust to settle.
Good luck Maureen.

When you have questions on entry requirements into a foreign country go to: travel.state.gov. Here’s what it says for France: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/France.html. Furthermore, you need to enroll in STEP which you can also access from this link if you scroll down and look on the right.

Sandra or others: I am planning to travel from the US to France in mid July. I have hesitated due to the current restrictions, but I see that you may have already purchased a ticket. The airline website posts, "You must obtain authorization online for all travel to, from, or through the United States." At the current time, as a US citizen I don't think I can do that. If you have purchased a ticket, have you just skipped this step for the time being?

Charles brings up an excellent point that I left out of my initial response - which is, that at the moment, none of the testing regimes really matter unless you meet a certain category of person who is actually allowed to enter into France — which at this point is NOT American tourists.

That is the first and most fundamental thing that has to change.

There had been the previous announcement about this perhaps happening on June 9, but as Bets mentioned — nothing has actually been passed/decided yet.

Bets and I talking about the testing requirements is a little bit of a different thing, as we are allowed to enter France — she as a French citizen, me as a French resident. And I can STILL only enter (at the current time) if I can prove I have an “imperative reason” for having left and returning. I.e. when i try to go back next Saturday, French authorities could still turn me away, even though I have a ten-year residence card, and have a job and an apartment (that we own) and a husband in Paris !

So, the bottom line is: stay hopeful that the requirements will change as of June 9, but know that as of today, they have not.

trblee You are reading wrong.

The health pass has nothing to do with you from the United States. Read Kim's post and believe it.

If you aren't going to any of these, you don't need to be too concerned about Le Pass Sanitaire.

Le pass sanitaire is not being developed uniquely for the situations described above. While group gatherings are part of the purpose, its design was also intended to control access at the borders: Il sera également utile pour faciliter les passages aux frontières,

I remember Macon being specific about opening boarders to foreigners on June 9th, it was for those with a pass sanitaire. Vaccination was key to obtaining the pass sanitaire. The US rejected the idea of national vaccination passports, so proving one is actually vaccinated, in a way acceptable to the EU and in a way that precludes rampant fraud, may not be easy.

Is there any indication that Schengen borders will open to those from the US specifically on June 9th? Eventually yes, but I certainly do not see it by then. But you can always enter France via the UK.

But you can always enter France via the UK.

Not right now you can't.

France is Amber. Germany is Amber. But France won't permit unless for one of the specific exceptions. Germany won't permit unless for one of even fewer exceptions and a mandatory monitored 14 day quarantine

Thanks to everyone who tried to help. I will just wait and see and hope for additional information to come from the French Embassy. I think that is my best bet for accurate information.

Sounds like a good plan Maureen. It evolves every day and a lot can happen between now and June 10th.

Not right now you can't.

Nigel, maybe you can't go to France, but Maureen can because she would be transiting through the UK, not originating from the UK. As a transiting passenger, she is not subject to the UK color rules. The French entry rules are based singularly upon the country from which arrival into France has been made, not one's country of origination.

Americans can enter into France transiting through a third country such as Ireland, England, or Croatia. Many have traveled through Iceland which is also a Schengen zone country that allows entry for those from the US.

I have no idea what is in the minds of the French administers who write these rules. Maybe they are looking for simplicity of enforcement, I cannot say, but all Maureen would need to reach CDG via LHR is a negative PCR test and 7 days of self-isolation in France upon arrival.

I have a flight scheduled on June 11 (SEA - LAX - CDG)

Why the discussion/comments about entering via UK?

Because there is no announcement or current policy by the French government allowing those from the US direct entry into France.

Update: we received a message from the office of the Député who represents French citizens living in North America. He said that the health certificate hasn't even been voted on in the Assemblée Nationale. It has not been approved yet. He reassured us that they are working to find a solution for those of us who have been vaccinated outside of France.

He also implied what Tocard wrote that the opening date for non-Schengen visitors has not been set.

We too have our flights to CDG for June 12th. We have faith that the France will be opened to US citizens by June 9th.

Per the nightly news on France 2 television this evening May 25th: The vote on the Health Certificate/Le Pass Sanitaire will take place on Thursday in the French government. The news report said they plan to put it into effect June 9th inside France and for travel within Europe from July 1st.

It will be added onto the Covid tracking application TousAntiCovid. The QR codes will be essential whether electronic or on paper. No mention was made of how those who have been vaccinated outside the EU will fit into this system.

As 70% of France's tourism originates from EU tourists, having the pass sanitaire ready for the July 1 start of the German holiday season was understandably a priority for the French government.

One assumes that the next priority will be guarantying entry for those from the UK which makes up about 15% of all French tourism. That of course leaves the details of those from North American to sort out. Whether that can be accomplished in the two weeks leading up to June 9th remains to be seen.

It has just been annouced that people entering France from the UK will be required to do quarrantine. The length hasn't been annouced yet, but it will probably be 10 days.

Note that it's people arriving from the UK - not originating.

Wow....all these thoughts, assumptions, speculations, beliefs, on this thread and others. The crystal balls are running wild.

We know what the rules are today. They may change by tomorrow. And then they may change again. And again. No one knows. (Where have we heard that before?)

Here's a crazy idea......why not just wait until the official information is released? Then everyone will know what to do. And then people won't have to run around like decapitated chickens.

As of today, just as it has been for some time, those arriving from the UK, regardless of nationality/origin, must self-quarantine for 7 days.

me soumettre à un examen biologique de dépistage virologique à l’issue de cette période d’isolement de 7 jours.

This is explained on the Attestation de déplacement