PANDÉMIE DE COVID-19 : les flux de personnes entre la France et le Royaume-Uni sont soumis à des restrictions.


You are a British citizen


You are travelling in France. Travel conditions

Changes are coming on 1 January!

On 30 December 2020, the EU and UK signed a trade and cooperation agreement which will determine the rules that apply from 1 January 2021 to relations between the EU and the UK in a number of areas.

Since 1 January 2021, although an agreement has been reached, major changes must be taken into consideration.

From 1 January 2021, travellers coming from the UK will no longer benefit from the border crossing facilities available to citizens of EU Member States. They - and the goods they carry - will be subject to migration, customs, health and plant health controls. These formalities must be anticipated by travellers from now on.


You are concerned 1) if you are a British citizen who wishes to travel in France and if you wish to know whether you will need a visa to travel to France or the rest of the European Union.

If you did not find the answers to your questions on this page, you can contact us at the following address: contact-brexit@interieur.gouv.fr


  • Imprimer

Frequently

asked questions


  • How will British nationals be able to travel in France after the end of the transition period ?

  • From 1 January 2021, British nationals will be subject to more extensive checks. Travellers from the United Kingdom should carry a passport and arrive in good time at border posts for onward travel to the European Union. At border control they will have to take a separate lane from EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.

    1) British nationals not having resident status in an EU Member State and who wish to visit France for a short stay or who are in transit to another Member State or from the Schengen area will not need a visa after 31 December 2020.

    They will have to:

    • Show their passport, which will be stamped on entry and exit from the Schengen area. The maximum period for a short stay will be 90 days in any 180-day period.
    • Be able to prove that they have enough money for their stay. Normally, the minimum amount required for France will be 65 euros per day. [1]
    • Carry a certificate of insurance covering any expenses relating to medical/hospital treatment and death that might be incurred at any point during the stay in France, including medical repatriation costs.

    The supporting documents needed to verify fulfilment of entry conditions are listed in Annex I of the Schengen Borders Code, available here.

    2) British nationals wishing to settle in France after 31 December 2020 should contact the French Embassy or a French consular authority to apply for a long-stay visa before travelling to France. They will be asked for this visa upon arrival in France.

    3) British nationals living in France or another EU Member State before 31 December 2020 will be covered by the provisions of the withdrawal agreement signed by the United Kingdom and the European Union and will not need visas after 31 December 2020.

    They must be able to:

    • Show a residence permit bearing the words “Article 50 TUE” or confirmation of a residence permit application; the latter option will be available only until 1 October 2021 for persons living in France.
    • Show, if they have not yet applied for a residence permit in France or from the competent authorities of another Member State, documentary evidence of their resident status (proof of residence provided by a local authority, tenancy agreement, rent receipts, gas or electricity bills in their name dating from 2020).

    Travellers are reminded that in this situation checks may take some time, especially if documents are not translated into French or English. Thus even if the Member State in which a British national is living has not made residence permits mandatory, obtaining one will facilitate the checking of documents.

     

    [1] If a hotel booking is not produced as proof of accommodation, the minimum daily amount for staying in France will be 120 euros. If a hotel is booked for only part of a stay, the daily amount required will be 65 euros for the period covered by the booking and 120 euros for the remainder. For travellers with proof of private accommodation this sum will be 32.50 euros per day.


  • How will Non-British and non-EU nationals living in the United Kingdom be able to travel in France after the end of the transition period ?

  • Depending on their nationality, non-EU and non-British nationals living in the United Kingdom may require a visa to travel to Europe.

    Whatever their nationality, travellers from the United Kingdom should carry a passport and arrive in good time at border posts for onward travel to the European Union. At border control they will have to take a separate lane from EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.

    A visa or residence permit issued by the British authorities will no longer affect residence in France.

    To visit France for a short stay, a visa may be required. The official website for French visas lists the nationalities that will need one. These travellers’ passports will be stamped at the border and the validity of visas may be checked.

    Travellers will also have to:

    • Be able to prove that they have enough money for their stay. Normally, the minimum amount required for France will be 65 euros per day. [1]
    • Carry a certificate of insurance covering any expenses relating to medical/hospital treatment and death that might be incurred at any point during the stay in France, including medical repatriation costs.

    The supporting documents needed to verify fulfilment of entry conditions are listed in Annex I of the Schengen Borders Code, available here.

     

    [1] If a hotel booking is not produced as proof of accommodation, the minimum daily amount for staying in France will be 120 euros. If a hotel is booked for only part of a stay, the daily amount required will be 65 euros for the period covered by the booking and 120 euros for the remainder. For travellers with proof of private accommodation this sum will be 32.50 euros per day.


  • Which custom checks will travellers from the UK have to respect after the end of the transition period ?

  • Travellers from the United Kingdom will be subject to checks by the customs authority regarding compliance with duty-free allowances for purchases made in the United Kingdom, based on volume for alcohol and tobacco and on value for other goods. These allowances are specified on the website of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise

    Purchases made in France may be eligible for a VAT refund, subject to certain conditions. PABLO terminals, which automate these procedures, will be available to travellers at ports, airports and stations serving the United Kingdom.

     

    Volume-based alcohol and tobacco allowances per traveller

    Alcohol
    Tobacco
    - Spirits and other liquors over 22% ABV: 1 litre; alcoholic beverages up to 22% ABV: 2 litres.
    - Wine: 4 litres
    - Beer: 16 litres
    - Cigarettes: 200
    - Cigarillos: 100
    - Cigars: 50
    - Smoking tobacco: 250 g

  • Which animal and plant checks will travellers from the UK have to respect after the end of the transition period ?

  • Certain plants and plant products (flowers, fruit, vegetables, etc.) that may be vectors of disease will be subject to health checks when entering the European Union from the United Kingdom. A detailed list of the products concerned is provided in this guide (in French).

    Import of animal products by travellers from the United Kingdom will also be subject to restrictions. Travellers will not be able to carry meat, meat-based products, milk and milk-based products in their luggage, for example.


  • Will British citizens travelling to France on business need to apply for a visa at the end of the transition period ?

  • British citizens travelling to France on business at the end of the transition period (31 December 2020) will not be required to obtain a visa so long as their stay is fewer than 90 days. They will also not need a work permit so long as they are not performing any paid work in France (in other words, if you are paid in the UK and travel to France for a meeting, you will not need a visa).