UKC

Seems to be contradictory statements on 2 different French gov websites.  48 hours would make life a lot simpler so would be good if this was confirmed as the case.....

1.   https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of....   

48 Hours before departure according to section 2.2

2.  https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coming-to-france-your-co...

24 Hours before departure according to above specifically for travellers from UK.

Also, any experience of DIY tests vs travelling to a site where they test you - do France specify ?

Many thanks

In reply to tcashmore:

Can't offer an answer but I'll give the thread a bump as I'd be keen to know myself.

In reply to tcashmore:

We used Boots DIY tests. The service was excellent - we got official confirmation within about 15 minutes.  These were accepted no problem for travelling by eurotunnel to France. 

Agree that the information about the change to 48 hours rather than 24 is confusing. It was 24 hrs before travel when we travelled a couple of weeks ago. We've just been notified that it's changing to 48 hours but not clear when that comes into effect. 

Tbh the 24hr deadline wasn't as stressful as I'd expected, mostly because of the quick turn around by Boots. 

In reply to tcashmore:

Out of interest (I'm going in a few weeks) presumably you have to have a test done independantly and somehow 'verified' rather than do one yourself?

How do you demonstrate its validity? Do you get a certificate or something on your phone?

Thanks.

In reply to tcashmore:

Drove across today and used home test with c19testing.co.uk. All fine, uploaded the test results last night and got a certificate emailed within a few hours which I then uploaded to the Eurotunnel booking so they didn't need to see any docs when we crossed. 

In reply to yorkshireman:

Thanks for that. I’ll do the same. 

In reply to tcashmore:

There are various providers for lateral flow tests. We've successfully used Chronomics for testing before travelling & on return to UK (if doing this, make sure you order the correct one!!).

They send you a kit with instructions, you do the test and upload a photo when you report the results. The results certificate came through on their online system and email almost instantly.

Top tip for travelling: have a paper copy of your NHS Covid pass, or save it on your phone, so that you don't have to keep logging in to the NHS App every single time someone wants to see it.

In reply to tcashmore:

Update:  Looks like the French web sites have been  updated and now seem to give a consistent 48 hour message for an antigen test.

Follow-up question:  When I read through the 'sworn statement' for arrivals from 'orange' countries ms-word document, there is a statement saying 'i promise to take an antigen test on arrival in france'.

This seems to be an additional requirement - anyone had to do this or what this involves ?

Many thanks

     

In reply to heleno: did you buy the boots tests in store  and then upload pictures ? Or order online etc  ? 

In reply to tcashmore:

Arrived in France last Thursday via eurotunnel.. Never used the tunnel before and fully expected a cheery welcome from French passport control and the customs raiding any food we had.

Turns out you drive off the train and get straight on the autoroute passing through no checks at all, those having all been done uk side. Checks UK side only entailed two brief glances at UK passport control and French Passport control mind you, no vehicle checks or anything else.

We haven't been asked for anything covid or passport related since we left the French passport kiosk in the UK Eurotunnel terminal.

Mask wearing in shops etc seems to be 100 percent. The one and only lift queue last Saturday morning was a mixutre of masks, buffs or nothing.

I think your declaration / sworn statement is simply them getting it in writing that you agree to a lat flow (antigen test) if they challenge you. From what we have seen the chances are very low indeed. 

Have a good trip! 

In reply to tcashmore:

It is confusing isn't it - I ticked the box, understanding it to mean "if requested to do so" as I think the French authorities do reserve the right to request these at random. In any event - there was no requirement to do anything about it  

Cheers, Dom 

In reply to mike123:

Ordered online, they arrived within a couple of days. Then take the test within the required time before departure and upload photos of the completed test to their website 

In reply to heleno: ta 

In reply to tcashmore:

The thing is I don't think you have any choice about ticking the box - my understanding is that if you answer no to any of the questions then your sworn statement isn't valid.

When I uploaded the document to the Eurotunnel site before travel my printed version was double sided and I only had the option to upload one photo so it was just the front without the date or signature but it got accepted anyway.

I live here in France and this is about the 6th sworn statement I've had to present on arrival since the summer and I don't recall them ever being checked in person, either on Eurostar or on arrival at airport passport control.

In reply to Becky E:

This sounds ridiculous. Surely anyone suspecting they may have covid or not wanting to risk a false positive could simply fake the test? 

Based in Germany we have to go to a teststation for anything official. 

In reply to dominic o:

It's very confusing. I got back from a week in France on Saturday and I'm off again on Friday, and loads of stuff has changed in that time. There is now no requirement for a day 2 test on return to the UK. The fit to fly test is now 48 hours in advance instead of 24. And the French sworn statement now has some extra boxes to tick. Although last time I went no one looked at the sworn statement anyway.

In reply to MischaHY:

Yes, it would be completely trivial to fake the test. I suspect that a few people might consider that option when faced with the prospect of cancelling their holiday. Especially those sorts who don't believe in Covid anyway.

In reply to tcashmore:

looking  like test to enter France from UK may get dropped according to reports in French TV. No date announced yet though.

In reply to SiWood:

Today's report that I saw says that the change will be announced within a week. It may not come into force immediately though...

In reply to Hooo:

It also occurred to me that without supervision, the test is probably meaningless but in practice can you fake a negative?

If you just put a few drips of the test solution on the plastic thing without having dipped a swab in it that had been up your nose would it give a negative result or would it just give a line next to the T for a void result? Likewise if you used some other bodily fluid?

I've heard of kids faking positive results using coca cola in order to get out of school but not fake negatives.

In reply to pec:

I've not tried but I've heard that if you just do the test without putting the swab up your nose then you get a negative result. Which makes sense, the control line just checks for the reagent, it would have to be a lot more sophisticated to detect whether the swab had actually been used properly.

In reply to SiWood:

Seems to be official now as of midnight. No predeparture LFT or PCR needed for fully vaccinated travellers Uk to France. 

https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-...

Going to spend the money saved on croissants!

In reply to SiWood:

Has anyone come across any hint that Italy will finish with their test for entry requirement from the UK in the forseable future?

In reply to Hooo:

the reagent elutes the virus and prevents non-specific antigen binding so if you used even water instead of reagent you’d come up as positive