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