Guidance

Voisins Voices: December 2023

Updated 19 December 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voisins-voices-a-newsletter-for-the-british-community-in-france/voisins-voices-december-2023

1. Welcome

Welcome to Voisins Voices!

This edition includes a few words from our Ambassador, updates on school trips, upcoming changes at the border, residency, healthcare and more.

Please do forward this to anyone you think would find it useful.

You can also sign up to our distribution list by filling in the form with your email address and name. As always, our online Living in France guide has the most up to date information, whether you have lived in France for many years, or recently arrived. You can also register on this page to be notified of updates.

2. What we’ve been up to

2.1 A message from Ambassador Menna Rawlings

Hello and welcome to this edition of Voisins Voices, which I hope you will find useful reading. In this issue, we’ll be covering an update on the UK’s new ‘votes for life’ policy, news about French school trips to the UK, information for people coming to France as seasonal workers and more!

There’s never a quiet year in the UK Government’s France Network, but I have to admit this year feels like it has been particularly jam-packed. Since the UK-France Summit in Spring, we have been working with our French colleagues to deliver on what was agreed between the Prime Minister and President Macron. I’m delighted, for example, that on 7 December legislation was laid in the UK’s Parliament which will allow French children to use ID cards instead of passports when travelling on an organised school trip from France to the UK. We also recently held the second UK-France mobility dialogue, a new framework launched at the Summit to discuss issues linked to the movement of people between our two countries.

And it was during the State Visit of Their Majesties The King and Queen that we were able to deliver on another Summit commitment – the launch of a UK-France literary prize, marking the strong creative and cultural links between our two countries. Their Majesties were also able to meet with members of the public in Bordeaux and in Paris, and I saw first hand how much they enjoyed speaking with communities here, including British people who have made France their home.

It was a career highlight for me to see France gripped by ‘royal-fever’ – and fantastic to see in real terms how the State Visit strengthened ties between our countries: whether that’s by providing an opportunity to showcase the best of British music, food and drink at our Franco-British festival in Bordeaux or by highlighting our joint work on creating a greener world for the future.

Alongside these two huge events, we have of course been working daily to support and advocate for British Nationals and wider UK interests, including seeking to iron out issues with residency permits for children turning 18 and supporting the many British tourists who visit France every year, especially the large crowds who came out to support the teams in the Rugby World Cup this Autumn.

Looking forward to next year, we have so much to be excited about. The Olympics and Paralympics will bring TeamGB and ParalympicsGB to France, along with thousands of British spectators and dignitaries. We will also be marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, which will be an opportunity to celebrate everything the UK and France have achieved together, and to consider what the future of our vital relationship might look like. In June, we will also mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, which will be an important moment to honour those who bravely fought for the freedom of people on both sides of the Channel.

But before all that kicks off, we of course have the Christmas holiday period. If you are expecting visitors from the UK over the festive period, please remind them to check our France travel advice as they prepare for their trip, so they can enjoy their time with you as smoothly and safely as possible. I would also encourage British residents in France to regularly check our Living in France guide, which is your one-stop-shop for essential information.

I hope that you are able to have a restful and joyful break over the coming weeks. I’ll be spending Christmas with my family here in Paris – I’m looking forward to having all my children in one place to celebrate…I’m usually on the opposite side of the Channel to my two daughters!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic start to 2024,

Menna

3. School trips

3.1 New UK-France deal smooths the way for easier French school trips to the UK

Legislation was laid in the UK’s Parliament on Thursday 7 December, which will allow French children to use ID cards instead of passports when travelling on an organised school trip from France to the UK.

This follows the UK-France Summit in Paris on March 10, at which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Macron agreed to ease the travel of school trips to the UK from France, as part of a wide range of commitments between our two countries. France also committed to ensuring appropriate mechanisms are in place for visa-free travel for children travelling on organised school trips from the United Kingdom and to facilitating the passage of those groups through the border.

Speaking on the day this news was announced, British Ambassador to France, Dame Menna Rawlings said:

My first-ever overseas trip was on a school exchange to France when I was 13 years old.

With France, it was love at first sight, and the start of a life-long adventure of travel and exploring different languages and cultures.

So I’m delighted that we are easing the travel of school groups to the UK in line with mutual commitments made at the March Summit between our Prime Minister and President Macron. This will help to refresh our people-to-people links, which are the beating heart of UK-France relations and our renewed Entente.

The new rules will come into force from 28 December 2023 and will apply to people aged 18 or under, studying at a school or educational institution in France registered with the French Ministry of Education and seeking to enter the UK as part of a school party of 5 or more pupils organised by that school or institution.

Visa national children who are part of these groups will also not need to obtain a visa prior to travel.

4. Votes for life

The Elections Act 2022 delivered the Government’s manifesto commitment to introduce ‘votes for life,’ expanding UK Parliamentary voting rights to all British citizens living overseas who have been previously registered or, if never registered, previously resident the UK. Currently, Overseas Electors’ right to vote expires 15 years after they last registered to vote as a resident in the UK.

Secondary legislation implementing the change has been laid in Parliament and, if approved by Parliament, the change will take place on 16 January 2024. Newly eligible applicants will then be able apply to be registered from 16 January 2024. As now, applicants can apply online or by paper form.

Ahead of these developments, the UK Government is developing the necessary changes to the Register to Vote service to allow all British Nationals living overseas to register. They require British Nationals (have a British passport or be a naturalised British citizen) living overseas (not in the UK) to try out the service for them. This is a trial only. It will not change any of the participants’ current voting arrangements – but it will be helping to make a very important service better for hundreds of thousands of people.

If you are happy to be part of this trial, please fill out this short survey before 19 December 2023.

5. Seasonal workers

If you are coming out to France to work the winter season on the slopes, make sure you follow the correct process as described in the Interior Ministry flyer to enable you to live and work in France for the time that you wish. Your employer can also contact the Office for Immigration and Integration if they have any questions. 

One big change this year is the need to apply online for your seasonal residence permit. There are also various steps you need to take in the UK before you start your season so do your research! We’ve been working with the French authorities and one of our partner organisations, Seasonal Businesses in Travel, to make the process as smooth as possible.

Remember that if you are on a French work contract, you will be paying social security contributions to the French system and therefore eligible to access the French healthcare system once you’ve formalised your residency. This also means you will not be able to use your UK-issued Global or European Health Insurance card so make sure to take out comprehensive health insurance. More information is available on the Living in France guide and Living in Europe guide.

6. Residency and Family Reunification

6.1 Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights

The 13th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights was held on 4 December 2023 in London, co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and the European Commission. A number of representatives from EU Member States were also in attendance. The UK and the EU discussed the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement. The meeting also allowed both sides to take stock of outstanding issues, as well as progress made. Both parties agreed that the Specialised Committee should focus on the most serious implementation concerns which have not been possible to resolve at a technical level.

6.2 WA Residency for young people

Children do not require a WA residence permit (WARP), but must apply at their prefecture when they turn 18 years old. The WARP is issued free of charge. Contact your prefecture if your child is under 18 and has been asked to present a WARP for work purposes or for other reasons. If it is unclear how to apply at your prefecture, please inform the Interior Ministry directly via email so they can work to improve the process.

6.3 Family reunification under the Withdrawal Agreement (WA)

Under the WA, your close family members continue to be able to join you and settle in France at any point in the future. This applies to spouses, registered partners or durable partners, dependent children and grandchildren, and dependent parents and grandparents, including those of your spouse or registered partner. Your relationship with them must have begun by 31 December 2020.

If you have, or if you legally adopt, children in the future, and you have custody of them, your children will have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

For dependent family members, the family member must justify that the dependent relationship with the UK national they are joining exists in the country of origin/country from which they are moving, i.e. before their arrival in France, and this must continue at the moment in which they apply for a WA residence permit. The joining family member does not need to be dependent on the WA beneficiary by 31 December 2020 if they are moving to France after that date.

All joining family members must travel to France and then submit a WARP application to the local prefecture as your family member. Nationals of certain non-EU countries may need a visa before travel. Check the France visa wizard to see which nationalities require a visa. Family reunion visas are free of charge.

7. Borders

7.1 Fluidity at the border

We saw positive improvements to border fluidity over 2023, with improved flows between UK and French ferry, rail and airports. This follows constant work between Border Force and the Police aux Frontiers to adjust and improve processes to minimise delays and disruption – particularly at our juxtaposed ports in London St Pancras, Folkestone, Dover, Paris Gare du Nord, Calais and Dunkirk.

7.2 Entry-Exit System

Big changes are planned for certain categories of travellers in 2024. The EU is due to introduce the Schengen Entry Exit System (EES) which will require short-term visitors who are not resident in the European Economic Area to register their biometrics (typically fingerprints and photograph) with border authorities when entering the Schengen Area for the first time. This record would then be checked on subsequent entry and exit. This should not impact travellers with residency or nationality in an EEA country, but will impact individuals making visa-free short trips in to the Schengen zone using British passports. Work is still underway to implement the system and there is no fixed launch date, but it is expected to start in 2024. Keep an eye out for more information next year, and always follow advice from your travel operator on check-in processes.

7.3 ETA and ETIAS

Both the UK and France are also implementing new requirements for travellers to obtain authorisation to enter in advance of travel. This will apply to ‘visa-exempt’ nationals – those who would normally make short journeys using only their passport. 

The UK scheme – the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme – is being gradually rolled out. It is currently only required for travellers from Qatar but will apply to travellers from Europe in future. Once in force, travellers will need to complete a short online form before travelling and pay a £10 fee. They will usually receive authorisation to travel within three working days which is then valid for two years. You will be informed about any requirements for an ETA by your travel operator. Consult gov.uk for further information including updates on launch dates in Europe. 

The EU scheme is expected to operate in a similar way to ETA. This scheme is known as ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorisation System - and is due to launch in 2025. Once live, visitors to the EU who do not already have a visa or residence permit will need to apply in advance for authorisation to enter. An ETIAS authorisation will cost seven euros, be valid for three years and should normally be processed in four working days. 

Read more on our France Travel Advice.

8. Healthcare

8.1 3 Tips for stress-free healthcare access when away from home

The Christmas period is when many people choose to travel. Whether you are homeward bound for the UK, hitting the slopes or getting your home ready to receive family and friends in France, the following information is for you. Read on to see how you, or the people who are travelling to see you, can reduce the worry linked to seeing a doctor away from home.

8.2 Tip #1: Travel with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or carte européenne d’assurance maladie (CEAM)

When you travel outside of your country of residence, this card  will cover you for state- provided care within the European Union, EEA countries, Switzerland and the UK (you could be charged for accessing the NHS if you are no longer a UK resident). It is the treating physician in the country you are visiting who decides whether treatment is necessary and cannot wait until you return home. The country that issues you with an EHIC, is the country that covers you for state-run healthcare. If you make social security contributions to France, then you are France- insured and should apply to your local Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) for a CEAM. 

If the UK covers your healthcare in France (for example you are a UK state pensioner and you have registered a E121 or S1 form), NHS Business Services Authority will issue you with a UK EHIC or a GHIC. Each family member should be issued their own EHIC/GHIC or CEAM and travel with it.

8.3 Tip #2: Know how to apply for a replacement EHIC/GHIC or CEAM if you forget or lose your card, or it gets stolen

If you do find yourself abroad at a public hospital with no EHIC/GHIC or CEAM snug in your wallet, do not panic. It is possible to apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) if you are UK-insured or a certificat provisoire de remplacement (CPR) if you are France-insured. These certificates cover you in the exact same way as the EHIC/GHIC or CEAM.

You can apply for a PRC online. You can apply for a CPS in the same way you can apply for a CEAM: contact your CPAM via your ameli account or by calling 36 46 or +33 1 84 90 36 46 (if outside of France).

8.4 Tip #3: Take out comprehensive travel insurance

EHIC/GHIC and CEAM cover is limited to necessary state provided care. It will not cover you for any private care, private prescriptions, private ambulances, co-payments, emergency medical evacuation, mountain rescue or repatriation. We strongly urge you to take out insurance and read the small print, so you understand how you are covered.

We wish you healthy and happy holidays!

Please visit the webpages below for more information. The links and contact details can signpost you in the right direction and also connect you to those who can provide support or offer help with technical matters if you need it.

9.1 Key websites:

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