Return to EU for British expats after Christmas ..

Yes, I am very aware. But many of those families went on a 'sunny' holiday, not children alone going to visit family.

At our Boarding school, I used to host and look after some of our Boarders during school holidays as they could not return home

Well yes, International Schools and UK boarding schools do have a problem. The pupils have to go somewhere in the holidays and I guess no one would want to deprive them of seeing their parents. I'm guessing it would be nightmare to find schools offering them the same education to accommodate them in the short term in their own country and anyway the UK schools rely heavily on this income here.

Posts crossed, thank you.

Grandchildren go to to separate private international schools. Lots of their classmates flew off all over the world at half-term and returned with Covid. And same this time after Christmas.

Several of GDs friends returned after negative Covid tests to travel- and then tested positive a few days later... so they probably all flew with Covid in tightly crowded plane!!!

Some went to visit close relatives they had no seen for 2 years- but most just went on holiday, to Florida, Mexico, Rep. Domenican, etc- for a 'jolly' and I think that is so selfish. Grand-children are furious and disgusted, as their families are being very careful and not going anywhere- and now they see this pandemic is going to go on forever as people insist on having 'a holiday they so deserve' - and the find this so selfish. Big exam/decision year for grandson, and he is really annoyed.

Just saying in conversation kali2. Everyone is different and she did actually travel to be with family in a fairly inaccessible part of the UK.
I'm pleased you got back ok.

Josieann- I would NOT go near an airport or airplane at the moment! We chose the Tunnel in order to remain in our own car- bar 2 very carefully distanced pitstops.

For those, like many I know, who travelled to UK to be with families, by car and Tunnel- returning by plane is just NOT an option at this stage.

A friend flew back to Germany this week the day the quarantine restrictions were downgraded for UK returnees. She said LHR was a ghost town and that by mid day the flights for the next day were showing on the board already.
Easy checking of documents, no problems. Obviously the way to do it!

Friends of mine, also returning to Switzerland where they are residents, returned early in order to head off problems. Fortunately, the wife is an ex business woman so skilled in administration.

Well we made it back yesterday - but what a palaver. We just could not upload forms insisted on by the French Government- and had to re-do them at the Covid Office at the Tunnel on the day of departure. When we got to French Border Guards, OH could not find the uploads on his phone- so we were instructed to park up until we could!

As he could not, I went with all the documentation back to them, and said, look, we are just old biddies who need to get home and we will drive through in one go with just one pit stop - please! (in French of course) ... the 3 guards had a chat and smiled and said OK, Bon Voyage. Lots and lots of people were being turned away as tests just out of time, or any other reason. Two cars because they were returning to second home in France but did not have official residency papers!

the guardian.com

The Gardain 20h
France will allow people from the UK to drive through as they return to EU countries, suspending a ban on British people returning to their homes in the EU after spending the holidays in the UK.

The UK government clarified: “The French authorities confirmed on 30 December that UK nationals who are resident in other EU member states and who have travelled to the UK for the Christmas period will be able to transit France over the New Year period in order to return home to their country of residence.”

“Transit for less than 24 hours in the international zone of an airport is listed under ‘essential reasons’ to travel,” the UK government guidance added.

We are not talking about tourism - but British citizens returning to their main residence and jobs in the EU.

They were told before Christmas no tourism.

Kali2

Massively beyond 'tiresome' - some of my friends have been truly stressed and totally panicked by this, as they have to return to work and the kids to school by Monday.

Well I'm pleased for all those affected.
All this gesturing and then backtracking is so tiresome.

French government have suspended the transit ban for UK nationals with EU residence. Good news.

As the people most affected by this will be driving to Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland etc, I think it is likely that the majority will be people returning to work.

I suppose France is trying to limit the wave of Covid carriers. Nothing they can do about the Schengen reciprocity so they’ll limit where they can. A nuisance for those who weren’t flying back home.

* 30/12 Update on British nationals transiting France from The British Embassy in Paris*

The French government have indicated to us that UK nationals travelling from the UK who are not resident in France will not be permitted to transit France to return to their country of residence, unless they are travelling by air.

We are urgently seeking further clarification from the French government and, in the meantime, advise UK nationals returning to other European countries via France to check with their carrier before travelling.

Carriers like Eurostar will err on the side of caution because it will cost them money otherwise. I can see their dilemma.

“One Brit, Roland Moore, a British public affairs director based in Brussels, said he had been denied access to the Eurotunnel by French border police after being told being a resident in Belgium was no longer a compelling reason to transit through France.

He was allegedly handed out a piece of paper clarifying the new guidelines issued by the French government: “From now on, border guards should no longer consider as a compelling reason the fact, for a British national beneficiary of the [Brexit] withdrawal agreement residing in a Member State other than France, to transit through France to regain his domicile.”

Under Covid rules, air travellers can still transit through French airports on their way to a third country.

Mr Moore, after being denied entry into the tunnel, was allowed to board a Eurostar to Brussels.”

*

It would seem the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, in France. Exasperating for those affected?

Fair enough I think?

“French authorities have yet to clarify the guidelines despite multiple requests for comment from the Daily Telegraph. One source at the ministry of interior said they could not confirm nor deny the changes as discussions were currently taking place on the matter at the Prime Minister’s office.

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, which operates the railway between Folkestone and Calais via the Channel Tunnel, said late on Wednesday that French guidelines had changed, leaving Brits hoping to reach their homes in Europe for the holidays confused.

“Following a French Government decision, on 28/12/2021, unless they hold French residency, British citizens are now considered 3rd country citizens and can no longer transit France by road to reach their country of residence in the EU,” the company tweeted.”

Covid. Not Brexit.

Yes, cross post Mamie. Confusion.