Can my family and I go to France?

[tidyupandeatyourgreens]

I'm due to collect my French passport tomorrow but I'm not clear whether this will be enough in terms of documentation to be able to go to France to see my family over Christmas as planned? The UK government guidelines state that French nationals are exempt from needing a compelling reason to travel but am I considered a French national (or 'resortissant français' to use the French wording)? I booked my flight with easyJet using my British passport in my married name (and have always resided in the UK) but my new French passport is likely to be in my maiden name. I'm also unsure if this affects anything. I would be travelling with my husband and 2 children who only have British passports. I'm so confused by all the rules but desperate to see my family and so devastated about the last minute changes... I've also spent £302 on tests which now may all be money down the drain :(

I think your DH and children definitely wouldn't be able to travel, as they would be UK citizens travelling for a visit. I think that as you are non-resident, you wouldn't be able to travel either.

Oh lord I feel for you. There are a few Facebook groups that can probably help: www.facebook.com/groups/1227195621045626 and there is a private one called "Travel between UK and France". That's probably the best place to ask.

You should be able to travel. Check the French government website or ambafrance.

@Lougle

I think your DH and children definitely wouldn't be able to travel, as they would be UK citizens travelling for a visit. I think that as you are non-resident, you wouldn't be able to travel either.

This is incorrect. French citizen are able to enter France as well as their close family (husband/partner + children). If not married you have to be able to prove that you live together.

(I’m French, travelled today from London to Paris and have been following very closely all updates since yesterday)

It needs proper research

You may need to change your British passport to your Maiden name, as you cannot have passports in different names (if one of the passports is British), I am not a lawyer. Just a European, like you, with British citizenship, I got my British nationality AFTER my European one, and had to change my British name back to my maiden name (as European passport stipulates women must use maiden name), you need to check this out properly

Aside from that, it seems unlikely your H and kids have a compelling reason, abd even if they do, they are not French citizens so would be treated like British tourists. But again, you need to really scour the countries’ government websites

Although the text actually says "Foreign national returning to their country. French national, as well as his spouse (married, civil union and cohabiting) and his children."

So I guess if you have a French passport you are a 'French national'. You might get away with it but I would think that you shouldn't be travelling because you are actually a tourist to the country, just like everyone else who can't go.

We got the ferry over today, very busy.

From ambafrance:
Being French is a compelling reason to return to France. French people’s partners (spouses, PACS partners or cohabiting partners (on presentation of proof of cohabitation)) and their children will still be able to travel to France.

uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918#t1-Travelling-from-the-UK-to-France

It's too late to do anything like changing names on official documentation... It just happens that I finally managed to get my French passport sorted out (after years of only having a British passport) and have been clinging onto this as the last hope of being able to see my family this Christmas. I've been trying to scour all guidelines and websites but it just seems to throw up more questions and I seem to get conflicting information all the time. Realistically I don't think we'll be able to go... Such a disappointment. I've hardly seem my parents for 3 years now...

Lougle - I'm not a tourist, I want to go to see family I've hardly seen for 3 years now

I think you fall exactly in the category that does have permission to travel... you are a French Citizen and your husband and children can travel with you.

I don't profess to understand the justification behind the rules but as far a box ticking goes, you do tick those boxes. I think I would carry things like my birth certificate and marriage certificate to explain the passport / ticket issues.

I hope you get to see your family. From previous travel restrictions, as long as you have completed all of the required documentation, I saw very little evidence of checking the details of whether your compelling reason was adequate.

Thank you ChateauxMargaux

I think you can go. You aren't going to be a tourist you are a French citizen, have family over there you are going to visit and your immediate family are allowed to accompany you.

The British Embassy in Paris facebook site has posted clarification.... I think your travel will be fine. www.facebook.com/ukinfrance

i am french with french passport and live in uk. my 3 kids only have a UK passport. Can I travel to france with them for christmas 9 days?

Agree with ChateauxMargaux and others who say travel should be OK.

According to all the documentation/instruction on places such as the French Consulate in London’s website I’ve seen French citizens, and also their “conjoint” plus children can enter France; it’s actually the first box to tick on the relevant Attestation de Deplacement ….

www.interieur.gouv.fr/content/download/130195/1036674/file/16-12-2021-attestation-de-deplacement-vers-la-france-metropolitaine-uk.pdf

@tidyupandeatyourgreens

Lougle - I'm not a tourist, I want to go to see family I've hardly seen for 3 years now

I appreciate that and I think you will be able to go. I don't see (in the spirit of the regulations rather than the letter of them) how it is different for someone who has always lived in the UK, with a British Passport until now, to be able to travel under the fact that they've finally got a French Passport, than someone who is a UK citizen, living in the UK, who wants to go and see their family who live in France, though. My DMIL was in floods of tears because she and DFIL live in France and my DBIL and his wife were due to visit them and now can't.

As I say, I'm glad you can travel if you can but I still see you as someone who wouldn't ordinarily be in France, travelling to France, which is what the regulations is trying to stop.

@Lougle but that’s how it has been across the world. You can’t prevent a citizen of a particular country from entering that country, that’s one of the benefits guaranteed to an individual with citizenship of that country. Fair play to the OP for taking advantage of dual nationality. You would too if you had it. It’s clear you are bitter as you feel your family should get able to travel to France. We had similar situations here in the US. Travel from Europe was banned except for citizens, LPRs and their immediate family. So people here in the US on work visas (who pay taxes, contribute to the economy, etc) couldn’t leave because they wouldn’t be able to return. But US citizens who don’t live here, or may never have lived here, could stroll in and out at leisure.

I understand your situation. It was galling for me to see the Beckhams holidaying in Florida during the ban and my mother couldn’t come to see me even though I’m a US citizen (there was an exemption for parents of US citizens - which is probably the exemption the Beckhams used as Harper is a US citizen - but the US citizen had to be unmarried and under 21 and I’m very much over 21 and very much married).

@papa74

i am french with french passport and live in uk. my 3 kids only have a UK passport. Can I travel to france with them for christmas 9 days?

@papa74 You should be fine as well because you’re a French citizen and your children, if under 18, are dependents.