france reopening to tourists
Paris - France

France is Open For Tourism And Plans no Further Restrictions for EU Travelers

France is open to tourists from most countries. Different rules apply to green, orange, and red-listed nations.

Fully vaccinated travelers from EU or “green” countries can enter without submitting a negative Covid-19 PCR test or going into quarantine.

Check out: Best Hostels in Paris if you’re are traveling on the budget

France Travel Restrictions – Latest Updates

Arc de Triomphe, Paris France

December 21 – France to permit fully vaccinated EU citizens to enter without further restrictions

The French President has confirmed that fully vaccinated visitors from European Union Member States will be able to enter France without pre-departure testing or any other additional requirements.

“Faced with variants of the virus, we must continue to act like Europeans. People who have been vaccinated will not have to take any tests to travel between member countries of the European Union,” Macron wrote on his official Twitter account Thursday.

However, France has restricted all travel from the U.K. due to the high Omicron activity in its territory.

Read our full post: France Promises No Additional Travel Restrictions for EU Citizens

France - travel restrictions

Color-code classification to enter France

France Entry Requirements
France – Entry requirements

Green countries

Residents from the E.U., and the Schengen area, plus other non-European nations are allowed entry for any reason including tourism. (Updated – December 21).

  1. Argentina
  2. Australia
  3. Bahrain
  4. Canada
  5. Comoros
  6. Hong Kong
  7. Japan, Jordan
  8. Kuwait
  9. Lebanon
  10. New Zealand
  11. Qatar
  12. Rwanda
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. Senegal
  15. South Korea
  16. Taiwan
  17. United Arab Emirates
  18. Uruguay
  19. Vanuatu

Red countries

Only travel for essential reasons is allowed. A negative PCR test and a 14-day quarantine are mandatory.

  1. Afghanistan
  2. Belarus
  3. Brazil
  4. Costa Rica
  5. Cuba
  6. Georgia
  7. Mauritius
  8. Moldova
  9. Montenegro
  10. Pakistan
  11. Russia
  12. Serbia
  13. Suriname
  14. Turkey
  15. Ukraine

“Scarlet red” countries/territories – New category

Countries where the circulation of the virus is particularly active and/or a variant is likely to present a risk of increased transmissibility or immune escape.

  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Orange countries

Countries that do not appear on the green or orange lists belong on the orange one. 

Source: French Government

Are there any specific rules for French Overseas Territories?

France travel restrictions

The specific rules for overseas territories are available at the following websites:

How can non-EU visitors assess if their travel is essential? 

For individuals needing to travel to France but whose passport belongs to one of the restricted countries, there is the possibility to be admitted under one of these categories.

  • Foreign students with a long-stay visa.
  • Academics who have been invited by -or work for- a higher education institution.
  • Crew members engaged in transporting goods or people, or manning fishing vessels.
  • Family reunification for children, spouse, or parents of a French citizen.
  • Essential Workers such as diplomats and healthcare professionals.

Are there additional requirements for foreign nationals coming from a restricted country?

Check for restrictions and additional requirements here.

COVID-19 cases in France

As of December 20, the country has reported 8,640,924 confirmed COVID cases and 121,717 deaths.

Is it safe to visit France now?

France has been placed as a “Level 4: Very High Level of COVID-19” by the CDC.gov due to its high infectious rate and it is not safe to visit at the moment.