# France lifting travel ban



## groyne (Jan 13, 2022)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59977978

B*gger, just sent off for new Passports. Hopefully we'll be off by the end of February.


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## jagmanx (Jan 13, 2022)

You may be pleasantly surprised about how quickly your passports get done. Then maybe a week for the return of the old ones.
LOADSATIME !


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## groyne (Jan 13, 2022)

I've given you a like, you'd better be right.


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## alcam (Jan 13, 2022)

No details on test prior to travel ?


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## witzend (Jan 13, 2022)

groyne said:


> B*gger, just sent off for new Passports. Hopefully we'll be off by the end of February.


We applied for ours on line and they took a month so you should be OK


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## witzend (Jan 13, 2022)

alcam said:


> No details on test prior to travel ?


I read some where today 24 hrs before travel which is good least ways you know who ever is on the ferry or plane with you has had one as well


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## alcam (Jan 13, 2022)

witzend said:


> I read some where today 24 hrs before travel which is good least ways you know who ever is on the ferry or plane with you has had one as well


Yes I was more referring to the mechanics of the test . Is it a case of booking test with one of the companies that provide this service ? Similar to what we did coming back to the uk in November ?


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## Drover (Jan 13, 2022)

Just the day after we book a holiday with a flight involved.
I thought that would happen
So now we will go at end of January to Portugal/Spain. (We have a dog and dont like ferries) instead of December. (Cant find one anyway without 2 trips on the water)
Just have to take a look at the Indian Ocean first...hard work this retirement


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## Derekoak (Jan 13, 2022)

You did have to get a negative lateral flow or pcr test 24 hours before travel before Friday so I guess they keep that the same. If so you need to order a private probably lateral flow test. They can be cheap. Once you have it do the test on the way to the channel, you take a picture of the flow test result and your passport, email it off and the response is quick. So 24 hours should be doable.


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## QFour (Jan 13, 2022)

Derekoak said:


> You did have to get a negative lateral flow or pcr test 24 hours before travel before Friday so I guess they keep that the same. If so you need to order a private probably lateral flow test. They can be cheap. Once you have it do the test on the way to the channel, you take a picture of the flow test result and your passport, email it off and the response is quick. So 24 hours should be doable.


Who did you use for future reference ..


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## Derekoak (Jan 13, 2022)

QFour said:


> Who did you use for future reference ..


I think the one I had in mind was called Zava I am not sure that is right we have used them but maybe for home pcr.   Trouble is we look again each time as the criteria keep changing. Once we went to the expense of lateral tests to enter France only to be told when we offered the negative certificates at Dover " from this morning we don't need to see those" Rushing around packing we had not noticed the last minute news.


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## alcam (Jan 13, 2022)

Derekoak said:


> I think the one I had in mind was called Zava I am not sure that is right we have used them but maybe for home pcr.   Trouble is we look again each time as the criteria keep changing. Once we went to the expense of lateral tests to enter France only to be told when we offered the negative certificates at Dover " from this morning we don't need to see those" Rushing around packing we had not noticed the last minute news.


I used Testing for All , cost £19


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## Derekoak (Jan 13, 2022)

Money saving expert has a list starting from 13 pounds


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## groyne (Jan 25, 2022)

New Passports arrived today (hurrah), they only took 2 weeks.
I'm still testing positive for Covid (boo).
Hopefully will be Europe bound mid February (hurrah).
Cost of tunnel fares seem to have shot up (boo) since 2019.


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## REC (Jan 26, 2022)

QFour said:


> Who did you use for future reference ..


We got lateral flow tests from NXhealthcare £11.99 each, posted to home address. Remember to order separately as the certificates come back in name of purchaser. Got two extra for entry back into France if needed.


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## REC (Jan 26, 2022)

Just heard that the EU are lifting restrictions and will no longer want covid test to enter the countries for those who are double vaccinated. From 1st Feb.....we leave tomorrow! But good for those leaving later than us. The websites don't seem to have been updated yet to reflect this....found on Schengen visa website.  









						Official: EU to Introduce New Individual-Based Travel Restrictions From February 1 - SchengenVisaInfo.com
					

Starting from February 1, the European Union Member States are advised to remove the current restrictions, which are based on the COVID-19 situation on the traveller’s country of departure and replace them with restrictions based on the traveller’s situation. On Tuesday, January 25, the EU...



					www.schengenvisainfo.com


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## TJBi (Jan 26, 2022)

REC said:


> Just heard that the EU are lifting restrictions and will no longer want covid test to enter the countries for those who are double vaccinated. From 1st Feb.....we leave tomorrow! But good for those leaving later than us. The websites don't seem to have been updated yet to reflect this....found on Schengen visa website.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Inter alia, that page states:
"According to today’s decision of the Council, all restrictions to free movement should be lifted for travellers holding an EU digital COVID certificate that proves the same has been vaccinated with at least two COVID-19 vaccines in the last 270 days, a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 issued in the last 180 days, or a negative result of a test taken in the last 72 hours if it is PCR or the last 24 hours if it is a rapid antigen test."

If that is correct (and bear in mind that schengenvisainfo.com has no official status), it could be a problem for many. My second jab was last April and booster October, so if that wording is correct, by 1 Feb 2022 my second jab would no longer count and I would still need a negative test.


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## Drover (Jan 27, 2022)

Why do we travel????? Grrr
So we cant go to france and book a week in the Maldives as we are fed up.
Told 72 pcr needed, £56 each. Get to airport told not good enough need 48 hr, night in hotel £56.... next day test done £119 each.
Get to Maldives told we need test to go back even though not needed for uk $100 u/s each...
Refunded as Dubai change rules....get to Dubai to find they give free pcr and free days at expo2020
Walk straight through Birmingham airport   no checks,,,,,nothing...
You could just not make things up.
Hope France goes better on  1st February ... just need AHC for dog on Friday. And another test for us ,or not as they have no idea what the hell is going on.


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## mariesnowgoose (Jan 27, 2022)

Drover said:


> Why do we travel????? Grrr
> So we cant go to france and book a week in the Maldives as we are fed up.
> Told 72 pcr needed, £56 each. Get to airport told not good enough need 48 hr, night in hotel £56.... next day test done £119 each.
> Get to Maldives told we need test to go back even though not needed for uk $100 u/s each...
> ...



Maybe just accept that it is not straightforward to travel at the minute and be grateful that you are lucky enough to have both the time and money to be able to travel anyway, despite the chaos and confusion?


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## alcam (Jan 27, 2022)

Drover said:


> Why do we travel????? Grrr
> So we cant go to france and book a week in the Maldives as we are fed up.
> Told 72 pcr needed, £56 each. Get to airport told not good enough need 48 hr, night in hotel £56.... next day test done £119 each.
> Get to Maldives told we need test to go back even though not needed for uk $100 u/s each...
> ...


Don't think there are any more restrictions travelling to France now as there were when I went (with dog) in October .
All very easy and straightforward


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## wildebus (Jan 27, 2022)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Maybe just accept that it is not straightforward to travel at the minute and be grateful that you are lucky enough to have both the time and money to be able to travel anyway, despite the chaos and confusion?


And plenty to visit in the UK.  Why the obsession to go abroad constantly?


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## 2cv (Jan 27, 2022)

I have spent my life living abroad and travelling abroad and consider the UK to be by far my favourite place.


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## groyne (Jan 27, 2022)

wildebus said:


> And plenty to visit in the UK. Why the obsession to go abroad constantly?



I like beans on toast, but I also like to mix it up sometimes and have Spaghetti hoops instead. It broadens your horizons.


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## wildebus (Jan 27, 2022)

groyne said:


> I like beans on toast, but I also like to mix it up sometimes and have Spaghetti hoops instead. It broadens your horizons.


and to get the spaghetti hoops you have to jump through countless hoops of your own?   there are loads of British items on the menu that I bet you haven't bothered to try?  The frogs legs will still be there in two years time.


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## groyne (Jan 27, 2022)

I've criscrossed the british isles (apart from Ireland) and to carry on the analogy, tasted some fine fare.
 It is 2 years since I had to gallop back from Portugal, I want some winter sun and to finish the holiday that I started back in January 2020. Jumping through hoops is all just part of life's rich tapas stry,

So let's just agree to differ, (and before Trev and Co start with the aweful puns) and get the thread back on track.


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## TJBi (Jan 27, 2022)

wildebus said:


> And plenty to visit in the UK.  Why the obsession to go abroad constantly?


Because it's there. And if going south, usually better weather. To say nothing of the much more welcoming attitude towards motorhomes.


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## wildebus (Jan 27, 2022)

because it's there.   everything is "there".  because "because it's there" is the answer to everything, it is the answer to nothing.


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## Wully (Jan 27, 2022)

The weather would be my main reason. I love my country with a passion but I’ll take sunshine and beaches right now. After working outside on roofs my whole life that passion wares thin when your in your 50s on top of a roof on a cold damp January day. I’d be somewhere warm in a heartbeat if I had half the chance.


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## rugbyken (Jan 27, 2022)

Wully said:


> The weather would be my main reason. I love my country with a passion but I’ll take sunshine and beaches right now. After working outside on roofs my whole life that passion wares thin when your in your 50s on top of a roof on a cold damp January day. I’d be somewhere warm in a heartbeat if I had half the chance.


wot he said


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## rugbyken (Jan 27, 2022)

i think those lifted restrictions are between countries in the shengen  still have to jump through the hoops to get into the zone , but got van down out of storage and started loading whoop whoop i’m going as for why i’m going this was the beach at punta umbria feb 12th 2018


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## trevskoda (Jan 27, 2022)

Wully said:


> The weather would be my main reason. I love my country with a passion but I’ll take sunshine and beaches right now. After working outside on roofs my whole life that passion wares thin when your in your 50s on top of a roof on a cold damp January day. I’d be somewhere warm in a heartbeat if I had half the chance.


Sit on the chimney pot.


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## Drover (Jan 27, 2022)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Maybe just accept that it is not straightforward to travel at the minute and be grateful that you are lucky enough to have both the time and money to be able to travel anyway, despite the chaos and confusion?


It would be more straightforward if countries stopped changing rules every couple of days.
And yes I've robbed a few banks over nearly 70 years .plus I've plenty of time....
More rough news for us and our vets as they both have covid. So cant do the AHC so sent us to another but without paper rabies certs ,only electronic ones....
Bring on the 1st and let's see what happens. 

As for travel.....why not?


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## alcam (Jan 27, 2022)

Drover said:


> It would be more straightforward if countries stopped changing rules every couple of days.
> And yes I've robbed a few banks over nearly 70 years .plus I've plenty of time....
> More rough news for us and our vets as they both have covid. So cant do the AHC so sent us to another but without paper rabies certs ,only electronic ones....
> Bring on the 1st and let's see what happens.
> ...


Look for AHC deals from vets near dover etc . My vet charges £250 . Vet in Folkestone charges £98 . Process is very simple and efficient


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## mark61 (Jan 28, 2022)

Go where you want when you want, if you can. No need to explain anything to anyone.


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## rugbyken (Jan 28, 2022)

my mate is off on monday followed the thread earlier about the vet nr folkestone he has two dogs his vet wanted £210 for first £120 for second vet at folkestone charged i think £137 for both has been excellent kept in touch. through a covid cancellation etc he’s well pleased with them


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## Drover (Jan 28, 2022)

alcam said:


> Look for AHC deals from vets near dover etc . My vet charges £250 . Vet in Folkestone charges £98 . Process is very simple and efficient


Its abbywell vets £98 in folkestone. But we had to use one today in Chepstow @£125 (they did ask us first).... we now have the paperwork, just the lateral flow for us now on Monday morning in Gloucester..... then the tunnel


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## alcam (Jan 29, 2022)

Drover said:


> Its abbywell vets £98 in folkestone. But we had to use one today in Chepstow @£125 (they did ask us first).... we now have the paperwork, just the lateral flow for us now on Monday morning in Gloucester..... then the tunnel


Yes used abbeywell in October , pretty sure I got info on here 
£125 certainly better than £250 !
Enjoy your trip


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## groyne (Jan 29, 2022)

From the french decloration of Honour.

`I hereby declare on my honour that I have no knowledge of having been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 during the last fourteen days prior to departure.`

Does that include one's self, even if recovered?

Anyone been to france who's recovered from Covid in the 2 weeks previous to setting off?


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## Trotter (Jan 29, 2022)

groyne said:


> part of life's rich tapas stry,


Brilliant. Thank you


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## groyne (Feb 3, 2022)

I ordered a couple of tests from NX,  for me and Mrs G, then remembered this post.


REC said:


> We got lateral flow tests from NXhealthcare £11.99 each, posted to home address. Remember to order separately as the certificates come back in name of purchaser. Got two extra for entry back into France if needed.



So I Emailed them, here's the reply.

   Hi 

   One order number is will work for both of you.

     Sincerely,


     Sarah Chase

     Manager Customer Services


     NX Healthcare 


So all OK.


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## Colinc (Feb 3, 2022)

TJBi said:


> Inter alia, that page states:
> "According to today’s decision of the Council, all restrictions to free movement should be lifted for travellers holding an EU digital COVID certificate that proves the same has been vaccinated with at least two COVID-19 vaccines in the last 270 days, a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 issued in the last 180 days, or a negative result of a test taken in the last 72 hours if it is PCR or the last 24 hours if it is a rapid antigen test."
> 
> If that is correct (and bear in mind that schengenvisainfo.com has no official status), it could be a problem for many. My second jab was last April and booster October, so if that wording is correct, by 1 Feb 2022 my second jab would no longer count and I would still need a negative test.



It is not clear ... but I think that means "two jabs in the last 270 days OR a third booster".  So you have to have the third booster after no more than 270 days.   No talk yet of the third booster running out as fourth is not yet being pushed.


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## REC (Feb 3, 2022)

groyne said:


> I ordered a couple of tests from NX,  for me and Mrs G, then remembered this post.
> 
> 
> So I Emailed them, here's the reply.
> ...


I remembered this from the last lot of home tests we did, so thought it still applied. Glad you found out as saves time on the order.


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