Travel advice for France and Belgium please - especially if you've recently travelled or are about to go! (1 Viewer)

[Revolvor]

This may be a bit complicated, but I would appreciate any advice!!

Edit: Ive just seen a thread started by Bessi but it doesnt answer all my questions.

For my 70th Birthday, early last year, my children clubbed together and bought tickets for my eldest son and I to go to the 2020 F1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

When it was cancelled due to Covid, we deferred our tickets to this year. I never imagined that so many restrictions would still be in place!

I am really struggling to interpret the rules/regulations and would appreciate any help. An added complication is that my son has just started a new job in Dubai, and flew there yesterday. He is coming back for the race weekend, arriving the day before we take “le shuttle” in my MH.

We have both been double vaccinated for more than four weeks.

Are the following assumptions correct?

le shuttle requirements

1) Complete API
2) Complete an Outbound Health Declaration

Entry to France

As far as I can tell we need:

1) Proof of Vaccinations
Can I use my NHS phone App, or is a printed “letter” essential?
2) A Sworn Statement (declaration sur l’honneur) certifying that we are free from Covid.
Please can anyone post a link to this document, in English and applicable to those that are fully vaccinated. I can only find one for “Unvaccinated people”
3) I don’t think we need a PCR Test – is this correct?

Entry to Belgium

There is conflicting information about entry to Belgium, as we are on their Red List, but I found this FAQ on a Belgian Government Website.

I believe we need:

1) Completed Belgium Travel Locator form
2) Proof of Vaccinations - it seems the NHS App may be OK
Again, can I use my NHS phone App, or is a printed “letter” essential?

3) A PCR Test taken less than 72 hours before entry
Is this required, as we are entering Belgium from another EU Country (France)?

Entry to the Race Circuit

This too is ambiguous …

They want Proof of Vaccination (NHS Phone App is OK)
I’m not sure about PCR tests, but if required, then PCR Testing is available at the Circuit.

Return to UK

1) Complete le shuttle Health Declaration
2) Complete a Passenger Locator Form, up to 48 hours before travel
3) Take PCR Test up to 3 days before travel
4) Book a Day-2 Covid Test, to arrive at home the day I get back.

What have I missed, or got wrong? !!

(Thanks to anyone who has got this far!!)

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

I'm trying to navigate the rules for France and Belgium too - but for different reasons. We might try to get the dogs EU passports in Belgium. I have been trying to look at rules for entry to Belgium from France and agree its not clear. We won't need a PLF as it will be less that 48 hours but I can't work out if we need to have been in France for 14 days first as the UK is red. However, large areas of France are red too and if you are double jabbed, there are no entry restrictions.

I will watch this thread with interest and just have one comment at the mo -

Point 3 - return to UK test can be antigen or PCR. Some other threads discussing this at the moment - you can order antigen tests in the UK to take with you or find a French (Belgian) testing site before return.

Travel to England from another country – COVID-19 rules

Check if there are any COVID-19 rules in place for travel to England from abroad.

www.gov.uk

 

[orridge]

This may be a bit complicated, but I would appreciate any advice!!

Edit: Ive just seen a thread started by Bessi but it doesnt answer all my questions.

For my 70th Birthday, early last year, my children clubbed together and bought tickets for my eldest son and I to go to the 2020 F1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

When it was cancelled due to Covid, we deferred our tickets to this year. I never imagined that so many restrictions would still be in place!

I am really struggling to interpret the rules/regulations and would appreciate any help. An added complication is that my son has just started a new job in Dubai, and flew there yesterday. He is coming back for the race weekend, arriving the day before we take “le shuttle” in my MH.

We have both been double vaccinated for more than four weeks.

Are the following assumptions correct?

le shuttle requirements

1) Complete API
2) Complete an Outbound Health Declaration

Entry to France

As far as I can tell we need:

1) Proof of Vaccinations
Can I use my NHS phone App, or is a printed “letter” essential?
2) A Sworn Statement (declaration sur l’honneur) certifying that we are free from Covid.
Please can anyone post a link to this document, in English and applicable to those that are fully vaccinated. I can only find one for “Unvaccinated people”
3) I don’t think we need a PCR Test – is this correct?

Entry to Belgium

There is conflicting information about entry to Belgium, as we are on their Red List, but I found this FAQ on a Belgian Government Website.

View attachment 525976

I believe we need:

1) Completed Belgium Travel Locator form
2) Proof of Vaccinations - it seems the NHS App may be OK
Again, can I use my NHS phone App, or is a printed “letter” essential?

3) A PCR Test taken less than 72 hours before entry
Is this required, as we are entering Belgium from another EU Country (France)?

Entry to the Race Circuit

This too is ambiguous …

They want Proof of Vaccination (NHS Phone App is OK)
I’m not sure about PCR tests, but if required, then PCR Testing is available at the Circuit.

Return to UK

1) Complete le shuttle Health Declaration
2) Complete a Passenger Locator Form, up to 48 hours before travel
3) Take PCR Test up to 3 days before travel
4) Book a Day-2 Covid Test, to arrive at home the day I get back.

What have I missed, or got wrong? !!

(Thanks to anyone who has got this far!!)

Regarding Belgium you are mainly on the correct track and hopefully shortly you will be able to travel to Belgium, the problem is currently UK/BE have not agreed to accept each others Vaccine Certificate so the NHS certificate is not currently accepted to enter Belgium.

Belgium takes steps to accept UK's NHS vaccine certificate

The aim is to accept UK vaccination records "as soon as possible."

www.brusselstimes.com

The link below is the best advice direct from the Belgian Government and the section you want to review is

• I am not a national of the EU, nor of a country that is part of the Schengen Area, and my primary residence is in a third country marked as "red" on this list (https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/colour-codes-by-country/) , however, it is not a very high-risk country. May I travel to Belgium?

FPS Public Health

www.info-coronavirus.be

You do not need testing in Belgium once the vaccination certificate is accepted nor should quarantine apply refer to the sections on testing and quarantine on the link above.

There are murmurs this will be sorted out shortly for UK visitors wanting to attend SPA.

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[orridge]

It is also worth signing up for the UK Gov alerts for Belgium & France, there is a link on each country page and you can get updates instantly as things evolve.

Get emails from GOV.UK - GOV.UK

www.gov.uk

Get emails from GOV.UK - GOV.UK

www.gov.uk

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

I am going to add our NHS vaccination certificates to the TousAntiCovid app for France. Would this generate a QR code that is recognised in Belgium?

 

[Spriddler]

Just to be pedantic and prevent any misunderstanding the actual wording is: '....any time in [i.e. within] the 48 hours....', which is not the same as '....up to 48 hours....' which could be taken as meaning perhaps a week or more before travel.

Extract from our Gov't website............

Fill in your passenger locator form​

You must complete a passenger locator form online before you arrive in the UK.
It’s free to submit the form.
You can submit the form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK.
You’ll need to show your form when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry to the UK.

Travel to England from another country – COVID-19 rules

Check if there are any COVID-19 rules in place for travel to England from abroad.

www.gov.uk

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[Spriddler]

Quite.
The U.KGov't website says that before departure to U.K. you must...........:

Take a non-NHS PCR test or an approved non-NHS lateral flow test less than 72hrs before travelling.  You will be required to present a certificate proving the negative test. NHS tests will not be accepted & boarding will be denied.

Travel to England from another country – COVID-19 rules

Check if there are any COVID-19 rules in place for travel to England from abroad.

www.gov.uk

 

[Revolvor]

Do you mean between France and Belgium?

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

Discussed on a previous thread and I think Landy Andy has used the C19 testing successfully. Certificates provided via an email or an app. The links below are from the MoneySavingExpert website. Also useful links to Day 2 cheap tests although the cheapest appears to be Expert Medical (thanks again to Landy Andy).

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/t...mpaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=23#prearrivalrapid

Tests are £28 & £29 - seems easy enough. We intend to do NHS lateral flow regularly while away and before return and if negative we will do the official one.

Covid-19 Testing Kits

Chronomics

www.chronomics.com

C19 Testing | C19 Testing

Coronavirus test kits and simple, clear advice on testing for consumers and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic

www.c19testing.co.uk

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[OwnedbyCollies]

Thanks royw

Apparently get dreadful reviews but complies with requirements and still cheaper than the cheapest listed on Martin Lewis Day 2 tests

 

[orridge]

There are no manned border crossings into Belgium apart from at the Airports or Eurostar terminal in Brussels occasionally there may be some temporary roadside checks but not usually.

 

[orridge]

Unconfirmed reports Belgium will recognise NHS Certificates from tomorrow.

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[bellabee]

I'm watching this thread because we want to go for our damp check in Belgium on 6th Sept. We only need to be in the country for a max of 4 hours or so

 

[orridge]

The Belgian covid app covidscan.be now recognises the NHS QR codes (as does Italy's app) so it should be a matter of time this week before an announcement to that effect. You can download from Apple or Google stores.

 

[Bucket]

I returned to the UK a few weeks ago via Belgium and the Netherlands. I checked the rules carefully on .gov and this confirmed that the time I had spent in France meant I was not needing any special forms or systems, Schengen Rules OK.
I entered Belgium on the autoroute towards Mons. It is operating exactly as before, no controls or visible patrols. I even struggled to spot any CCTV.
Since I had 10 days to spare I hang around Belgium for a few days. I'm not sure I saw any obvious police, security or other officials that might be interested in me or my GB number plate. Same in Holland. My take is that you would be very unlucky if you had to justify your status to anyone.

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[Revolvor]

I entered Belgium on the autoroute towards Mons. It is operating exactly as before, no controls or visible patrols. I even struggled to spot any CCTV.

Did you have to fill in a Passenger Locator form?

 

[Bucket]

Did you have to fill in a Passenger Locator form?

No, Zilch. I had my vac passport and did a LFT just before entering in case I was stopped. Obviously I had to do the PLF and get a neg. test before boarding the ferry back.

 

[orridge]

Belgium is re-open and UK is classified as a Red Country so need a test upon arrival/quaratine for day 1 or 2 until the test along with a PLF but the essential reason and ETC form no longer required.

Belgium in the United Kingdom

Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

unitedkingdom.diplomatie.belgium.be

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[Landy Andy]

Couldn’t see if any comment was made about transiting the country, which is what some members on here wanted to do.

 

[Neil S]

Belgium is re-open and UK is classified as a Red Country so need a test upon arrival/quaratine for day 1 or 2 until the test along with a PLF but the essential reason and ETC form no longer required.

Belgium in the United Kingdom

Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

unitedkingdom.diplomatie.belgium.be

Just read the link
It looks like if you have the Covid certification from England or Wales your allowed to enter Belgium fill in a PLF and take a test on day 1 or 2 if negative your good to go

If your Covid certificate is issued by Scotland or N.Ireland they don’t accept it
and you have to Quarantine for 10 days after taking a PCR test and then a further test on day 7 .

so we up here are discriminated if the SG had decided to use the same COVID vaccination certification app as the rest of the country we wouldn't be at disadvantage but as usual they had to be different .

 

[orridge]

Couldn’t see if any comment was made about transiting the country, which is what some members on here wanted to do.

You need to fill-in a PLF form but you are required to get tested on day 1 or 2 upon arrival since you are transiting you would not be in Belgium for the required time and no border control anyway so unlikely to get stopped.

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[Landy Andy]

You need to fill-in a PLF form but you are required to get tested on day 1 or 2 upon arrival since you are transiting you would not be in Belgium for the required time and no border control anyway so unlikely to get stopped.

So fill out a form out, never show it and just drive through? Nothing else required

 

[Bucket]

You need to fill-in a PLF form but you are required to get tested on day 1 or 2 upon arrival since you are transiting you would not be in Belgium for the required time and no border control anyway so unlikely to get stopped.

Yes, that's my take. Given my experience (above #20), if you are just transiting it is just personal choice if you even bother with the PLF. I didn't but accept others may feel they should.

 

[Revolvor]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread - it has been very helpful, and good to hear of people's experiences.

I think we are now ready for our trip to Spa.

I've got Lateral Flow test kits to take with us, Day-2 kits ordered for our return, NHS App on our phones, and all Passenger Location forms ready to complete and submit at the appropriate time.

Also the Belgian Covid Scan App confirms that we may enter Belgium, and proves we have a "Covid-Safe Ticket for the F1 Grand Prix

I'm looking forward to my first trip on le shuttle!

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[cyberyacht]

I've overnighted at the carpark at Petit Coo. Just 5 miles south of the circuit. Nice spot. The restaurant "Le Baron" on the corner did a reasonably priced meal.