France 'reopened' for international travel on Wednesday this week (June 9th) using a green-amber-red travel system to categorise countries and set the travel rules related to them.

The UK and the US have been classified as amber, meaning that fully vaccinated people there can travel to France for any reason including leisure if they can show on boarding their transport the results of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours if it is PCR and 48 hours if it is a rapid antigen test. They are also not required to self-isolate after coming to France.

Non-fully vaccinated people can only come if they have a compelling reason and are still asked to undertake a week of voluntary self-isolation. They have the same test requirements on boarding and may be asked to take an antigen test on arrival.

Countries such as Australia, New Zealand and all the EU member states are green, meaning fully vaccinated people can come without the need of a Covid-19 test. Non fully vaccinated people can come without an essential reason being required but will need a negative Covid-19 test to board, though they will not be asked to self-isolate.

Proof of vaccination is acceptable for any of the four vaccines accepted by the European Medicines Agency: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Proving your Vaccination Status:

The Consulate General of France in London states that you can prove your vaccination status to travel to France by using the mobile application NHS App.

This application is different from the track and trace NHS Covid-19 application.

It should be noted that in order to use NHS App you must be over 13 and registered at a GP surgery in England.

If you were vaccinated against Covid-19 in England and you do not wish to use the application, you can get your vaccination certificate directly from the NHS website at this link. You need to register so as to access your status online. You can then download and print a PDF document.

If you do not wish to or cannot use the website or the app, you can phone 119 and ask for a letter confirming your vaccination status, which will be sent to you by post.

It is possible, via this page, to access a document in different languages, that can help officials in destination countries (including France) understand a British vaccination certificate if they ask for proof at the border (as they are entitled to do). For the French version, click on Français at the top right, click on the French title of the document provided and then click 'Print this page'.

The rules that apply to adults also apply to children: therefore you can travel with your children if you have been fully vaccinated, as they swill be treated as if they also have been vaccinated.

Blog submitted by: Sharon Evans - Co-Founder of Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

For those of you already living in France, or planning to do so at some point in the future, you might find this series of ‘Europe Chats’ of interest.

In each episode, Jim Cloos, TEPSA Secretary-General, will be answering your questions about Europe and the EU, how it works, and what effects its policies have on your day-to-day life, as an EU citizen.

Take a look and feel free to 'Like' and subscribe and or leave a comment.

We hope you find them interesting.

Episode 3 - The EU's Response to the COVID Crisis.

Premiered on 27 May 2021

Episode 2 - What is the European Interest?

Premiered on 29 April 2021

Episode 1 - What is the EU?

Premiered on 25 March 2021

Blog submitted by: David Evans - Co-Founder of Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

For those of you already living in France, or planning to do so at some point in the future, you might find this series of ‘Europe Chats’ of interest.

In each episode, Jim Cloos, TEPSA Secretary-General, will be answering your questions about Europe and the EU, how it works, and what effects its policies have on your day-to-day life, as an EU citizen.

Take a look and feel free to 'Like' and subscribe and or leave a comment.

We hope you find them interesting.

Episode 3 - The EU's Response to the COVID Crisis.

Premiered on 27 May 2021

Episode 2 - What is the European Interest?

Premiered on 29 April 2021

Episode 1 - What is the EU?

Premiered on 25 March 2021

Blog submitted by: David Evans - Co-Founder of Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

It is possible to travel to and from France from the UK [and many other countries] at the moment, but to read the newspapers and watch the TV news you would not think so.

We see many a frustrated email from our clients that want to go and view properties but they think they are not allowed to travel, this is simply not the case.

You are allowed to travel, to quote the UK Governments travel advisory page it says "to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a residential property".

It is however, as you may have thought, not as easy as it used to be, let me explain:

- 1. Permitted reasons for international travel

Read here on the UK Government website the "Reasonable excuses for travel abroad"

It is noted as follows:

Other permitted reasons

There are further reasonable excuses, for example:

- to fulfil legal obligations
- to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a residential property
- travel in order to exercise custody rights recognised by a court decision
- order to present oneself to a judicial or administrative authority

Recommended evidence: proof of contract, court decision and proof of place of residence, order to present oneself to a judicial or administrative authority, expiring residence permit, dismissal notice, letter or appointment details from estate agent [which we can provide], relevant contract or letters detailing sales, or other appropriate documentation or other appropriate documentation.

This will remain the case after the 29th March when the current stay at home guidance ends: you will still need a travel declaration form:

- 2. Legislation – the legal requirement to carry the travel declaration form

You will need to complete the travel declaration form to leave the UK

- 3. On 11 March, the French government announced it was easing restrictions on travel from the UK. From 12 March, arrivals no longer need to justify an essential reason to enter France. This applies to all air, car, ferry and train passengers.

- 4. Arrivals from the UK will need to complete a ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight. This can be found on the French government’s website.

- 5. All travellers from the UK, including children aged 11 and above, will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure. Only PCR tests are accepted for passengers
- 6. Passengers arriving in France from the UK will also be required to self-isolate for seven days on arrival, before taking another PCR test. Exit from this self-isolation period is subject to a negative test result. Please find more information on how to obtain a PCR test in France here.

- 7. UK nationals returning home from France must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 3 days before departure.

- 8. You have to self quarantine for 10 days on arrival back in the UK

Blog submitted by: Sharon Evans - Founder of Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Are Travel Restrictions Halting your plans?

No Problem...

Our Property Inspection Service is Back!

So several countries are back in a 'Lockdown' situation again, I hope you and your family are in good health and good spirits despite the difficult times we are all living through.

During the first Lockdown we introduced a solution to buy your property without first visiting it, ie. to buy it ‘unseen’. We actually sold more houses in March, April and May this year than in 2019, which even surprised us.

Buying 'unseen' proved very popular but for a more cautious approach, we prefer and can again offer, the service of a ‘Property Inspection’ carried out by our property surveyor, Nick Warner.

Plus due to the high demand we received, Nick now has another surveyor helping him so we can accommodate more remote property inspections for our clients.

Nick can visit up to 4 properties a day on your shortlist and inspect the properties for you against your criteria and advise on a number of important aspects so you can make a more informed decision before making an offer on your chosen house.

The fees for an inspection visit and the short report with photos by email will depend on the size and complexity of the properties selected and will be individually negotiated for each client.

If you feel that this may be a good option for you, please feel free to contact Nick Warner for further details.

In the meantime Stay Well and stay in touch!

Visit the website to contact Nick Warner direct.

Kind regards,
Sharon Evans
Founder of Clé France.