What is stopping people going to France and then driving across Europe?

[vaccinelover]

France is letting double vaccinated people in without quarantine. So surely one could get into the continent that way and just drive around to other countries if one so wishes ?

www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Air-Travel/EU-to-open-borders-to-vaccinated-travellers
The EU have announced they are opening all borders for people who have received an approved vaccine, so you will be able to travel legally across most of Europe if you've been double vaccinated.

Good luck trying that with the Guardia Civil in Spain or the police in Italy.

Yeah the police in Italy will not let you through. It’s practically a rubber glove exercise right now. Paper form and digital form (even though it’s the same thing), yellow vaccine booklet, PCR and a partridge in a pear tree.

We were stopped and there were Carabinieri, Guarda di Finanza, Polizia Locale, Polizia Stradale and the Dogana guys. It was crazy.

Hmmm.

UK passport, UK address, NHS app to show vaccine status and a UK registered car might be a bit of a giveaway at the borders?

There aren't borders in Schengen. I know someone who did this last week. No issue.

@newnortherner111

Good luck trying that with the Guardia Civil in Spain or the police in Italy.

From 24 May, entry restrictions and testing requirements for arrivals from the UK to Spain no longer apply.

@vaccinelover

There aren't borders in Schengen. I know someone who did this last week. No issue.

This is true but what happens when you got stopped or your hotelier in Italy dobs you in? Your passport is now stamped at point of entry i.e France.

Possibly the fact that borders have been opening and closing as covid surges in different places. Schengen has effectively been suspended since Covid arrived.

Plus common sense. Or consideration for other people. Britain has a high rate of the Delta variant at the moment.

@Bluethrough are UK passports stamped now ? Good job that's not what I have then.

[quote vaccinelover]@Bluethrough are UK passports stamped now ? Good job that's not what I have then. [/quote]
Yes, 3rd country now, 90 days out of 180 rolling.
EU police forces will be far more likely to pull you over in future.

Lucky you!

I'm not really doing it anyway ! But the people I know that did it, have both passports and used EU one I think. They also didn't use a UK car. Long story. Anywya. It's possible.

@vaccinelover

There aren't borders in Schengen. I know someone who did this last week. No issue.

🤣🤣🤣 but that no longer includes British document holders you numpty.

[quote vaccinelover]@Bluethrough are UK passports stamped now ? Good job that's not what I have then. [/quote]
DD went to Portugal just before it turned amber. Her passport was stamped at the airport. First time I have known it for a country in Europe.

All passports were stamped before Schengen came into force, and though the UK was never part of Schengen travel, no UK ppts were stamped until the beginning of this year
Now, you get a stamp again.
I'm not sure about other countries but in Italy you have to hand your ppt in (even if you're Italian and the hotel is 10 minutes from your home) when you check in, for police registration, so no, no Brits are going to be sneakily driving around Europe without anyone knowing.

@Geamhradh hahaha 😝 no but in Schengen, there are no official borders anywhere. So when driving between countries, you don't need to show any documents. British, Chinese or Mongolian. Once you're in Schengen, you're in and can go between countries without showing documents. At least that's what I've done my whole life. Ie : drive from France to Germany with no passport.

@Geamhradh

All passports were stamped before Schengen came into force, and though the UK was never part of Schengen travel, no UK ppts were stamped until the beginning of this year Now, you get a stamp again. I'm not sure about other countries but in Italy you have to hand your ppt in (even if you're Italian and the hotel is 10 minutes from your home) when you check in, for police registration, so no, no Brits are going to be sneakily driving around Europe without anyone knowing.

so no, no Brits are going to be sneakily driving around Europe without anyone knowing.

Not everyone stays in a hotel. Many people go over to Europe in a campervan or motorhome, on the ferry. I know several people who are in Europe right now and their UK passports weren't stamped or scanned.

[quote vaccinelover]@Geamhradh hahaha 😝 no but in Schengen, there are no official borders anywhere. So when driving between countries, you don't need to show any documents. British, Chinese or Mongolian. Once you're in Schengen, you're in and can go between countries without showing documents. At least that's what I've done my whole life. Ie : drive from France to Germany with no passport. [/quote]
No you can't.
I'm also in a Schengen country.

The borders are now manned again

@Lightswitchesoffatnight, let's hope they aren't stopped at border control on exit then.
@vaccinelover- that may be the case where you are, but France/Germany is not the whole of Europe.

And in any case, I thought the premise of your OP was about people getting into Europe from the UK. My apologies if you were talking only about EU ppt holders.

Conscience.

The borders are now manned again

All of them?

Yes you can get to France if you are double vaccinated and kids are exempt (as it currently stands). But for onward travel you have to then check entry requirements for the next country you are travelling to. For example, if you currently want to enter Switzerland next you would have to have stayed in France for 10 days first to avoid quarantine and if you break the law you could get a fine of chf10,000. So yes, possible but check onward restrictions. Most of Europe opening up to each other for vaccinated persons. But U.K. treated like South Africa due to combo of variant plus Brexit (despite us having one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe). There is clearly also retaliation going on as you cannot enter U.K. from European countries without forking out for multiple tests plus quarantine. The U.K. government want us to stay put and spend our money here this summer.

If you drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel between France and Italy or vice versa there are border guards! There are border guards between France and Spain. They are usually not manned because we have free movement but at the moment they’re checking everyone.

Well from my experience, even during the pandemic, there have been no border guards ( since June 2020 ) between France / Germany / Belgium / Netherlands / Luxembourg. You just drive straight through, as always. But it's good that people think it's very difficult to do, as it will put people off actually doing it. But in reality it's not difficult for a double vaccinated European to go from the UK to France and then onto other European countries. But good ! Let's make it look difficult, so no one does it.