If that Europe tour is still on your travel agenda after being put off for more than two years, now might be a good time to pack your bags. France has just made it easier for Indian travellers to visit the country without having to go through the hassles of getting COVID test right before travel. In a fresh mandate, the Consulate General of France, Bangalore, announced that a COVID test won't be necessary upon arrival in France.
But there's a catch. The COVID test exemption is for those who are vaccinated. "No test on your arrival to France for vaccinated travellers from countries classified 'orange'," the Consulate said. India is classified "orange," exempting the rule of COVID test for its nationals planning a trip to France. Defining the orange classification, the official France Ministry of Interior said, it is for "countries or territories experiencing active circulation of the virus, in the absence of an emerging variant of concern and showing no vaccine or immune escape."
The other classification is green, which includes "countries or territories with negligible or moderate circulation of the virus, in the absence of an emerging variant of concern."
The move coincided, the statement said, with "the new phase of the pandemic characterised in most countries by the predominance of the Omicron variant and higher vaccination rates".
"Proof of vaccination will be sufficient to come to France whatever country you are coming from, just as it was before the spread of the Omicron variant", a government statement said.
No test on your arrival to ?? France for vaccinated travellers from countries classified "orange".
— Consulate General of France, Bangalore ?? ?? (@BangaloreFrance) February 14, 2022
Visit the website of the French Interior Ministry for more information. https://t.co/AwtxYDoVf5
What about unvaccinated travellers from India?
The COVID test rule is exempted for fully vaccinated Indian travellers, whereas unvaccinated individuals will be subjected to random test on arrival.
"When unvaccinated travellers come from a country on the "orange" list, they must continue to present a compelling reason justifying the need for them to come to mainland France and may still be subject to a random test on arrival. Travellers who test positive will have to isolate themselves, in accordance with the recommendations of the Health Insurance," the government explained.
