Travelling to France - what has changed since Brexit?
With recent changes to France’s covid rules, vaccinated people from the UK are once again able to visit France without an essential reason, provided they can show a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of travel. Quarantine is no longer required.
However, with Brexit there are some changes to the rules that you should know about when you visit. British citizens travelling to France will now be treated the same as other non-EU citizens such as Americans and Australians. The enforcement of these new rules currently varies, but they will likely become more common.
Your passport could be stamped
British citizens who want to stay in France longer than 90 days out of 180 days will now need to apply for a visa (see more information about this here).
To keep track of your visit, your passport may now be stamped at french Passport Control. This isn’t the case for British citizens resident in France, but they will need to show proof of residency. Your passport now also needs to be valid for at least six months and be less than 10 years old to enter France.
Food restrictions
Due to EU regulation, you are now forbidden from bringing some food products into France from the UK. This includes meat, dairy products, fruit, vegetables and plant products. The full list can be found on the European commission website.
Animal health certificates for pets
Pet passports are no longer valid for bringing animals into France from the UK. Pets will now need a certificate which will be valid for 4 months so your pet can reenter the UK after your visit. Your pet must also be microchipped. The certificate must be issued by your vet no more than 10 days before travel. See more information from the UK Government here.
Duty on some imports
If you are bringing items into France worth more than 300 Euros you may now need to pay import duty. The limit varies depending on your method of travel. You will need to declare the value of your items when you enter the country.
People moving to France are exempt but will need to provide proof of their relocation at customs. More information can be found here from the Connexion.
Proof of accommodation
Although rarely enforced, you could now be asked to provide your travel itinerary and proof of accommodation for your stay in France. If you are coming to stay with family or friends you will need to complete an ‘Attestation d'accueil’. More information from the French Government can be found here.
