With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, a number of destinations are slowly reopening for non-essential travel. One of the countries on the list? None other than France, home to the City of Lights. On 4 June 2021, the French government announced that borders would reopen to vaccinated tourists starting 9 June 2021 — travellers from the Philippines included.
Also read: South Korea Plans to Accept Fully Vaccinated Tourists Starting July 2021
Requirements for vaccinated Filipino tourists planning to visit France
In addition to non-essential travel, vaccinated Filipino tourists will also be able to enter France without the need to quarantine. Those hoping to visit France are now welcome to apply for a visa at the French embassy in the Philippines, so long as they are able to provide vaccination evidence. At the time of writing, the following vaccination certificates are valid for Schengen visa applications: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.
While quarantine will not be required, travellers will still have to take a PCR test at least 72 hours before arriving in France, or an antigen test at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
Also read: Drive-Through Testing for COVID-19 Is Now Available in PH Cities & Hospitals
How about unvaccinated travellers?
Unvaccinated travellers, however, are still required to present a “compelling purpose of entry.” In addition, they must also present a negative PCR test result taken 72 hours before arrival in France, or an antigen test taken 48 hours before arrival; alternatively, they may also be subject to an antigen test upon arriving in the country. Moreover, they will also be asked to self-isolate for seven days.
While not explicitly stated, it is likely that those who’ve received COVID-19 vaccines not mentioned above would have to go through the same requirements for the time being.
For more information, you may visit the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia’s official Facebook page.
Also read: Fearing Vaccination? Maybe These COVID-19 Food Promos Can Help
Have you completed your COVID-19 vaccination yet? Just like France, a number of countries are starting to open their borders to vaccinated tourists for leisure travel — another reason to grab the opportunity to get vaccinated, on top of being able to protect ourselves and those around us.
Of course, being fully vaccinated doesn’t mean we can put our guard down. Take this as a reminder to still take the utmost care, especially when you’re on the go. Safe travels!
Featured image credit: matthewleesdixon via Canva Pro
