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France opens borders to the US, other EU nations

Travellers from India must provide an essential reason for visit

FRANCE-MONUMENT Eiffel Tower during a light show celebrating the 130th anniversary of its construction, in Paris | AFP

After “a very bad year,” Paris tour operator Marc Vernhet sees a ray of light with the promised return of tourists from the United States and elsewhere who are welcome in France as of Wednesday if they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Starting Wednesday, French citizens will also be allowed to visit restaurants and bars. The night-time curfew, which began at 11 pm, will be lifted on June 30.

Vernhet hailed the reopening of France's borders for vaccinated tourists as “excellent news” but said it is going to take a few more weeks for business to pick up and that “I'm not expecting to work correctly before mid-July”.

 “We've been waiting for this for months and months,” he said.

 And for 16 countries deemed high-risk, because they are battling coronavirus surges and worrisome variants, France remains off-limits as a tourist destination, even for would-be travellers who are vaccinated.

There won't be travel restrictions for tourists from ‘green’ countries, which include the rest of EU nations, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. Travellers, must, however, provide proof of vaccination and, if unvaccinated, present a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours before travelling.

These so-called ‘red’ countries include India and some of its neighbours, Brazil and some of its neighbours, as well as Chili, Bahrain, South Africa and Turkey. Travellers from these nations, regardless of being vaccinated, should present an essential reason to visit, apart from testing negative for the virus 48 hours before travelling.

For travellers from ‘amber’ countries, which includes the US and UK and most of Asia and Africa; travellers must be either fully inoculated and if unvaccinated, present a negative PCR or antigen test taken 72 hours before travel.

Cultural venues like museums, cinemas and theatres can host up to 5,000 people. Any event with 1,000 people or more, like fairs or concerts, would need participants to show health passes or proof of vaccination. Places of worship can allow entry to people at 50 per cent capacity.

Funerals can be attended by 75 people. 

--With PTI inputs

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