France to ease its Covid-19 border restrictions for the UK

11 March 2021, 14:05 | Updated: 11 March 2021, 17:39

A tourist visits Paris wearing a protective face covering.
A tourist visits Paris wearing a protective face covering. Picture: PA

By Harriet Whitehead

France will reduce its Covid-19 border restrictions for several countries, including the UK, but all travellers will still need to have a negative test before arriving in the country.

The foreign ministry says the rules have changed for those coming to or from a number of counties outside of the European Union.

The UK is among several places which will see restrictions ease, meaning travellers will no longer need to have an essential reason for travel.

Those flying to or from Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore are also having restrictions eased.

Nonetheless, all countries on this list will still be subject to all other restrictions, specifically the requirement for a negative test less than 72 hours before travel.

The foreign ministry has said a decree was due to be published on March 12.

French Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said the easing was due to the improving health situation in those countries.

Travel ban 'justified' if vaccine passport is introduced

France announced they would be restricting travel from the UK from 20 December. Travel restrictions apply to all air, car, ferry and train passengers.

It also tightened border restrictions on all but essential travel for people from outside the EU at the end of January.

READ MORE: Spain 'looking at vaccine passports' and Greece 'aiming to open borders' by mid-May

READ MORE: Life almost back to normal by 21 June in Boris Johnson's 'roadmap' to freedom

Under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, UK travel restrictions will be eased no earlier than 17 May.

Boris Johnson has announced his "roadmap", which aims to remove all legal limits on social contact by June 21st at the earliest.

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