The French government is instituting new restrictions for those travelling from the UK into France from Saturday, 18 December, and for an undetermined amount of time. Here are the headlines:

• Both non-vaccinated and vaccinated people will be required to have a “compelling reason” (motif impérieux) to travel to or from the UK.
  • Anyone with a visa will normally be permitted to enter France. 
  • It is our understanding that studies constitute a “compelling reason” to enter France so long as they are able to demonstrate that they have been accepted onto a course in France. 
• On departure, vaccinated people will have to present a negative PCR or lateral flow test less than 24 hours old. This cannot be an NHS test. You will need to book a test that will provide you with a “fit to fly/travel” certificate. Your travel provider will most likely be able to provide a list of test providers.

• Before travelling, anyone coming from the UK will be required to register on a digital platform (in a similar format to the current UK passenger locator form) allowing them, among other things, to state the address for their stay in France. https://passager.serveureos.org/  
  This platform will generate prefectural orders requiring all non-vaccinated and vaccinated travellers to isolate in their chosen place. This requirement to isolate can be lifted after 48 hours, on condition of a negative test result. 
  
  • This requirement suggests that anyone entering France from the UK will be required to book accommodation prior to arrival for up to 10 days. As we are still learning more about the requirements and how they will be applied, we recommend that anyone making a booking straight away book something that is cancellable/refundable. You may also wish to wait to book something until January when the situation becomes clearer. 

• Anyone entering France will also have to complete, sign and bring with them 2 documents that can be found here: www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel 

-The first details your reason for coming to France (Travel Certificate to Metropolitan France).

-The second is a Sworn Statement (“Engagemnet sur l’honneur”) that you do not have Covid symptoms, have not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive, you will take a lateral flow test on arrival to France, and you will quarantine on arrival. The French government have stated that checks will be organized to ensure these measures are properly implemented.

Despite these stricter measures, we would like to reassure you that a similar situation took place at this time last year. All students registered on our programmes with a term in Paris were suddenly faced with the same requirement of demonstrating a compelling reason to be in France, and each of them was able to safely cross the border upon presentation of the requisite documents. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and update you when we return from the Christmas break. By that point, we are likely to have more information on requirements and also how the various requirements will be applied. 

Students who have not applied for a visa for the upcoming semester should expect to receive a status letter from the Kent Paris office on Monday, 10 January attesting to their future studies with us in Paris. In these instances, the more recent the status letter, the better. For that reason, we will not be issuing status letters prior to the 10th. With that said, Kent staff will be back in the office on Tuesday, 4th January, and you are welcome to get in touch with any questions.

Photograph: Getty Images

All information up to date as of 4 January 2022:

You do not have to be registered in the French healthcare system to receive a Covid-19 vaccine but you must prove that you legally reside in France e.g. a Visa, a Carte de Séjour, or proof of address (electricity bill etc.).

This guide is about how to access an additional Covid-19 vaccination injection (a booster shot) after the completion of your original vaccination scheme. In France, you must meet official vaccination requirements to be provided with a Covid health pass called a Pass Sanitaire, allowing you to enter restaurants, museums, cinemas etc. Read our guide to the Pass Sanitaire here.

This booster vaccination guide is relevant if you completed your original vaccination scheme with a vaccine authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) – Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), or AstraZeneca (Covishield).

If you compelted your original vaccination scheme with a vaccine not authorized by the EMA, you must isolate for 7 days on arrival in France and get a booster shot of an EMA authorised vaccine as soon as possible to be considered “fully vaccinated” in France and receive a Pass Sanitaire.

What the government currently says:

Booster shot/ 3^rd vaccine dose

The booster shot is open to everyone aged 18 and over, 3 months after their last injection (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca), or 4 weeks after their last injection (Johnson & Johnson), or 3 months after their last positive test.

“Pass Sanitaire”

• People aged 65 and over and people vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson are eligible to receive a booster shot from 27 November 2021 and must have proof of a booster shot by 15 December 2021 in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
• People aged 18 to 64, who had their 2^nd vaccine injection before 17 June 2021 are eligible to receive their booster shot from 27 November 2021 and must have received it by 15 January 2022 in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
• People aged 18 to 64, who received their 2^nd vaccine injection after 17 June 2021, are eligible to receive their vaccine 3 months after the date of the 2^nd injection, and must receive the boost shot within 7 months of the 2^nd injection in order to keep their pass sanitaire activated.
• After your booster shot, you will receive a new QR code which will become valid 7 days after the injection. This QR code will renew your Pass Sanitaire.
• From 29 November 2021, PCR tests and lateral flow tests must be dated within the last 24 hours to be used as a valid Pass Sanitaire.
• At this time, we do not know what will happen if your Pass Sanitaire is disactivated, or how to reactivate it.

What to do:

• If you can receive a booster shot in your home country before you come to France, that may be the easiest path. Otherwise:
• Check the date of your last injection and calculate the date from which you are eligible to receive your booster.
• Book your vaccination appointment on Doctolib.fr or on the Doctolib app:
  • There is a step-by-step guide at the end of this post.
  • Don’t be discouraged if you are scrolling through pages saying they don’t have appointments available, there may be a slot on a later page.
  • Each day new appointments are added. If you don’t get one straight away, don’t panic.
• At your appointment you will be given a new QR code. Scan this code on the TousAntiCovid app to update your Pass Sanitaire

Doctolib Guide:

1. Go to fr or the Doctolib app
2. Select “me faire vacciner”

3. Add your location (you may have to travel to receive a vaccine on your desired date)

4. Select “reserver une dose de rappel” = reserve a booster shot

5. Select the vaccine you need

6. Select the date you are eligible to have your booster (See section “Pass Sanitaire” in this document)

7. Choose your appointment time and place

8. You will be asked a series of questions to check your eligibility e.g. aged over 12, completed an original Covid Vaccination scheme, no current Covid symptoms etc. If you meet these requirements, click “J’ai lu et j’accepte les consignes”

9. Now login or create an account to confirm the appointment

Image Sortir à Paris. Information from Service-Public.fr

Since 9 August 2021, a pass sanitaire (health pass) is required in France to enter many public places. The French government has made this easier to obtain for foreigners coming to the country. Below are instructions on how you can get your pass either in advance or after you arrive.

Where the Health Pass is Required

A health pass is required to enter the University of Kent’s Paris study centre (based at Reid Hall). You will also be asked to show your health pass at the following places (non-exhaustive list):

• Restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs
• Retirement homes, hospitals and medical providers (except in case of emergency)
• Long-distance transport (planes, trains, boats and buses)
• Cultural events and sites (museums, monuments, cinemas, and theatres)
• Sporting facilities (gyms and swimming pools)
• Festivals, amusement parks, zoos
• Most libraries

A health pass is NOT required for:

• Grocery stores and other food shops
• Small shops under 20,000 m2
• Outdoor free access parks and gardens
• Not required for religious services, but is required for cultural events held at churches
• To visit an internist or family doctor

Obtaining your Health Pass

If you have been vaccinated in the EU, you will already have the QR code proving your vaccination record. This acts as your “health pass” and you will not need to apply via the instructions included here. You can simply show the code in electronic (on your phone) or paper form at the sites which require a health pass.

UK nationals who have been vaccinated in the UK under the normal vaccination scheme should request their digital “NHS Covid pass”, which is accepted in France in the same fashion as an EU Health Pass. This is available through the NHS app.

For non-EU citizens or non-vaccinated EU citizens. The French pass is issued to people who have proof of a negative covid test or those who have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by the European Medicines Agency or one of the equivalents to these vaccines.

Here are the current conditions of being fully vaccinated – though please see the note below as these will change:

• 4 weeks after a one-dose injection (Johnson & Johnson)
• 7 days after the second injection for two-dose vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca)
• 7 days after the injection if you have recovered from COVID-19 (only one dose is necessary)

As of 27 November, France is rolling out its booster vaccination scheme. The booster shot is open to everyone aged 18 and over, 5 months after their second injection (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca), or 4 weeks after their single injection (Johnson & Johnson), or 5 months after their last positive test. The booster shot will become a requirement for the Health Pass in the next few months. Read more about it in our Booster Vaccination Guide.

You can get a Health Pass from a health professional in France, including pharmacies and vaccine centres (for free). Some pharmacies are now charging a 5-10 euro fee to create a health pass for foreigners. Find the government list and map of pharmacies providing this service here: https://www.sante.fr/recherche/trouver/health%20pass 

If you are currently abroad, you can also apply for one via a new online system in advance.  https://www.demarches-simplifiees.fr/commencer/passe-sanitaire-etudiants

We recommend applying for your Health Pass as soon as possible. Prepare the following documents, in electronic format (jpg/pdf):

1. Your vaccination certificate, stating the type of vaccine used
2. A scan/image of your passport
3. Your travel ticket (return ticket)
4. Your student visa 
5. Your University of Kent status letter

Once you log in, please follow the prompts.

Image from Europe 1. Information sourced from www.diplomatie.gouv.fr