In a live interview with CBS News on Sunday, 18 April 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron gave encouraging prospects for a return to travel between France and the US as early as the beginning of May.
In the English-language interview on the show “Face the Nation”, Macron stated that restrictions will be gradually lifted from the beginning of May for Americans who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or can show proof a negative PCR test. He said that this was already in discussion between Paris and Washington, whose officials are finalising the details of what would be a sort of digital health travel pass. He outlined that this is possible due to France’s increased level of vaccination.
The interview, which you can view above, also touched on joint efforts between the US and Europe to help the vaccination effort in developing countries, meeting the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement, the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and racism and social inequality in France and the US.
Further details about the travel pass and a timeline will hopefully be announced shortly. Since the outbreak of the pandemic travel for holders of a student visa has been maintained. Therefore, students who pursue one of our Master’s Programmes in Paris have been allowed to travel to France and stay for the validity of their visa.
In the first months of the pandemic, the French government automatically extended long-stay student visas by six months to ensure that students were not stranded without a valid residence permit. This proactive measure would likely be repeated if a similar situation were to arise in the future, a move which should help prospective students feel more confident about making plans to study in Paris. Further information about how we’ve adapted in regards to Covid safety and regulations at our Paris School has been outlined in this Spring term teaching update.
Despite the facility of student visas, the opening of the borders is still welcome news for those wishing to have fluid travel to and from the US (and other countries to be announced) as well as those hoping to visit their family members or friends studying in Paris, safely and within the official Covid regulations.