To guarantee the health safety of French citizens at home and abroad, the French government has identified those countries that present an enormous risk of COVID-19 contamination. As a result, 28 countries are on France's red list. Some have been on the list since July 2020. Others have been added recently, with the spread of new variants of the coronavirus. What do you need to know about these health-threatening destinations in 2021?
Countries on the red list in 2021
In 2020, the French government included 16 countries on its red list to warn French citizens. The foreign territories on this famous list have been classified according to their level of contamination risk. Of last year's 16 nations, 12 are excluded from the 2021 ranking.
Three of the four nations maintained in this register are to be avoided as a matter of priority in these trying times. They are South Africa, Brazil and India. S'then add, 24 new countries to the new ranking made official on Monday July 19, 2021. Topping the list is Afghanistan, followed by Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Cuba. Rounding out the list are Guyana, Indonesia, the Maldives, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Finally, you'll find Russia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tunisia, Uruguay and Zambia.
Requirements for nationals of the countries concerned
Nationals of countries on the COVID-9 red list are allowed to enter France. However, there are a number of entry requirements. First of all, they are advised to be vaccinated, and to have a certificate of full vaccination. This document will be submitted to the competent authorities once on French territory.
If a traveler from a country on the red list has not been vaccinated in advance, he or she will need to provide a number of documents. These include a supporting document and a sworn declaration.
The supporting document
The supporting document must specify the reasons why the traveler was not vaccinated. The reasons may be family, health, personal or professional.
Declaration of honour
You must produce a signed declaration on your honor. In this text, you must agree to undergo screening when you are in France. You must also indicate the address where you will spend the 10 days in quarantine on arrival, in accordance with the procedure in force on French soil. All travelers arriving from an affected country will undergo an antigenic or PCR test on arrival.
Instructions for French nationals visiting the countries concerned
You can leave France to travel to a red-listed country. However, authorization will be granted if the reason for your trip is relevant enough. The reason must be a personal or family emergency. Permission cannot be granted for professional reasons.
After proving the urgency of your trip, you'll need to submit a PCR or antigen test that's less than 48 hours old. Your test result must be negative. Once this has been done, the Ministry of the Interior will issue you with a certificate allowing you to leave French territory. It is also advisable to find out in advance about the conditions of entry into your destination country.
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