A French tourism development agency has recently confirmed that from June 9, fully vaccinated UAE residents can fly to France – but only if they took jabs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson and Johnson.
Karim Mekachera, regional director of France’s tourism development agency Atout France Middle East, said that non-vaccinated travellers need to justify their purpose of travel and also undergo PCR tests
At present, the UAE is offering four types of vaccines – Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm, Sputnik V, and AstraZeneca for its residents. However, the EMA has not given recognition to Sinopharm and Sputnik V jabs.
This means that travellers who have taken them will not be allowed into France for tourism purposes, according to Mekachera. He added that non-vaccinated travellers must have a valid reason to travel to France and undergo seven days of self-isolation upon arrival in the country.
Fully vaccinated travellers including children below 18 years old will have to submit proof of their jabs and a negative result from a PCR test taken less than 72 hours prior to boarding or a negative antigen test taken less than 48 hours before the flight.
RELATED STORY: PH yet to craft COVID-19 vaccination verification system for OFWs, inbound travelers
Meanwhile, the French government stated that the proof of vaccination is only valid if it can attest to a complete vaccination schedule, which includes: Two weeks after the 2nd shot for dual-injection vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca); Four weeks after the jab for vaccines with a single injection (Johnson & Johnson); Two weeks after injecting vaccines for people with a previous history of contracting Covid-19 (only one injection required).
They will also have to submit a negative result from a PCR test taken less than 72 hours prior to boarding or a negative antigen test taken less than 48 hours before the flight.
Rules for non-vaccinated travelers include:
Travellers who have not been vaccinated must have a compelling reason* to enter France. They could be French citizens, citizens of the EU, citizens of a third country, who are holders of a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa, or healthcare professionals contributing towards Covid-19 research, among others.
The travelers must: present a negative PCR test taken less than fewer than 72 hours or a negative antigen test taken less than 48 hours before boarding; Undergo a random antigen test upon arrival in France; Complete a seven-day of self-isolation upon arrival in France.
The list of compelling reasons accepted by the French government include: French citizen, and their spouse and their children; Citizen of the European Union or equivalent, and their spouse and their children, whose primary residence is in France or who are returning, in transit through France, to their primary residence in a European Union country or equivalent or to a country whose nationality they hold; Citizen of a third country who is a holder of a valid French or European residence permit or long-stay visa, who has their main residence in France or who is returning, in transit through France, to their primary residence in a European Union country or equivalent is also eligible.
British citizens and members of their family; Citizen of a third country holding a long-stay visa issued for family reunion or reunification of refugee families, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless persons; Health or research professional contributing to the fight against COVID-19 as well as her/his spouse and her/his children; Foreign health or research professional recruited as an associate trainee;
READ ON: UAE eyes travel corridor deals with Europe and US
A third-country citizen with a ‘talent passport LSV, as well as her/his spouse and children; Students enrolled in French as a foreign language (FLE) courses before enrollment in higher education or admitted to the oral examinations in French higher education institutions or registered for the start of the 2021-2022 school year;
Researcher settling in France at the invitation of a research laboratory, for research activities which imperatively require a physical presence as well as spouse and children; Land, sea, and air transport sector workers or transport service providers, including drivers of vehicles carrying goods intended for use in the territory, as well as those who are only in transit or travelling as passengers returning to their home base or for training purposes;
Foreign citizen working for a diplomatic or consular mission, or an international organization with its headquarters or an office in France, as well as their spouse and their children or a foreign citizen of a third country staying in France for a compelling professional reason under a mission order issued by their country of origin; Traveller in transit in the international zone for less than 24 hours. (AW)
