UK travellers heading to France and Portugal must meet enhanced testing requirements as the countries battle the spread of Omicron.
Updates to the Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice pages for each country clarify the testing requirements for British travellers heading to the destinations, who must show proof of a negatve PCR or antigen test before departure.
The advice for France says: “Test results must be certified by a laboratory to be accepted. The self-administered NHS tests are not considered valid for the purpose of travel.”
The French embassy’s website confirms: “Tests whose results are not certified by a laboratory (such as the self-administered tests provided free of charge by the NHS) are not considered valid for travel.”
For Portugal, the FCDO advice is: “If you have an antigen test, make sure it meets the standards set out in the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Tests. Self-administered tests are not accepted.
“You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test.”
The Independent reported that “hundreds of holidaymakers have been fined by the Portuguese authorities” for breaching the new testing rules, which stipulate they must take a “laboratorial rapid antigen test: in other words, professionally administered”.
The report said: “Many UK travellers take self-administered tests, which do not qualify – although some airlines have mistakenly accepted them ahead of flights to Portugal.”
Meanwhile, the Telegraph said France is considering imposing tougher travel restrictions on Britons “as part of its attempts to counter a rise in the Omicron variant”.
It said: “The expectation is that France will adopt a reciprocal approach to mirror the testing regime that French travellers face on coming to the UK.
This would mean Britons travelling to France would have to complete a PCR or lateral flow test within 48 hours of departure for France, followed by a PCR test on arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. “It is likely it would cover anyone aged over 12,” the Telegrpah said.
Picture by anyaivanova/Shutterstock
*This article was updated to clarify that self-administered tests are allowed for entry into France, but must go through the laboratory process