France has moved the United States from its amber travel list to its red travel list. The change means that the United States is now considered a high COVID-19 risk by the country. As such, passengers wishing to travel to France from the United States will face stricter regulations that are based on the individual’s vaccination status.
Travel rules and restrictions continue to vary around the world. One primary reason for changes as of late is the Omicron variant. Strict rules were initially brought in to contain it, though countries are starting to back down as it becomes the established variant.
France has now added the United States to its red list, meaning that travel is much more restricted between the two. This will make travel much harder for the unvaccinated. According to the French government website, unvaccinated travelers will only be allowed to enter and leave France with a “compelling reason” from a pre-determined list. Such reasons include the death of a direct family member and Individuals traveling to their country of residence.
Of course, there are also additional health control rules for passengers from an international red list country. According to France, fully vaccinated (with a recognized vaccine) individuals need to provide proof of vaccination status, a negative COVID-19 test less than 48 hours old, and a sworn declaration.
Things are more challenging for unvaccinated individuals. Along with a compelling reason to enter France (tourism and business are not included), they must present proof of a negative test less than 48 hours old and may be subject to testing on arrival. Such individuals will also need to provide evidence of where they will quarantine for ten days on arrival in the country.
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Across the board, it seems as though countries are starting to loosen restrictions brought in after the discovery of the Omicron variant. According to multiple sources, the United Kingdom is tipped to be scrapping some of its testing rules brought in to slow the spread of Omicron.
Unfortunately, this didn’t work as intended, and the UK quickly became a hotspot for the variant. This led to the UK being added to Germany’s variant area list, and France created a new category of travel restrictions just for its neighbor. Since then, Omicron has become the dominant variant in both France and Germany. While France has yet to announce a rule change, Germany will take the UK off its variant area list from tomorrow.
What do you think of France red listing the United States? Will it affect your travel plans? Let us know in the comments below!
Content Manager – Degree educated in Aerospace Technology, this certified pilot is a passionate specialist in European aviation. Working closely with British Airways, Lufthansa and others, Tom provides commentary on topical issues for outlets including the BBC. Based in Frankfurt, Germany.

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