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Permission forms not needed for trips within 10km of home in lockdown areas, French government announces

Ian Johnston
Ian Johnston - [email protected]
Permission forms not needed for trips within 10km of home in lockdown areas, French government announces
A man shows a digital self-attested movement document on his smartphone, in Montpellier, south of France, on Nevember 13, 2020, during a national lockdown in France to stop the spread of Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Pascal GUYOT / AFP)

After widespread criticism of 'confusing' permission forms for the 16 areas of France placed back on lockdown, the French government announced on Saturday afternoon that the 'attestation' would no longer be needed for trips out during the day, as long as you stay within 10km of home.

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From Saturday, residents of 16 French départements were back under lockdown as case numbers rose, and Prime Minister Jean Castex had previously announced that residents of these départements would have to print or download the attestation permission form to go outside - as was the case during the first and second national lockdown.

A new form was published online on the Interior Ministry's website on Saturday morning containing 15 reasons why people could leave their house either under lockdown or the nationwide 7pm to 6am curfew.

But the attestation came in for widespread criticism and even the Ministry of Interior spokesperson admitted it was "complex".

On Saturday afternoon, the PM's office then announced a new rule;

  • Attestations will be needed throughout the country for any trips out after curfew
  • But people in the 16 locked-down départements would not need one for trips out during the day as long as they stayed within 10 km of home.
  • Instead people should carry an official piece of ID with their address on or, if they do not have address ID, proof of address such as a utility bill.
  • The attestation will still be needed for people in lockdown zones if they are going more than 10km from home or travelling into another region (which is only allowed for essential journeys) 

The press release stated: "For these 16 departments during the day, the obligation to carry an attestation when going out will be abolished in certain situations: from today, for any journey within a 10 kilometre radius of one's home between 6am and 7pm, it will no longer be compulsory to produce an attestation and therefore to justify the reason for the journey.

"In the event of a check, you will be asked to produce a simple proof of residence (eg an identity document). The attestation and justification of the reason for the journey will continue to be required for journeys of more than 10 kilometres (either within the department or for inter-regional journeys)."

The forms themselves will be simplified with separate forms for trips out after curfew and for daytime trips in lockdown zones.

The new forms will be available on the Interior Ministry website "within a few hours" the government added on Saturday.

READ MORE: ‘Attestations’, shop closures and 7pm curfew – what changes in France this weekend?

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The 16 départements where lockdown is applicable are; Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, Somme, Paris, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis,  Val-de-Marne, Val-d’Oise, Alpes-Maritimes, Eure, Seine-Maritime.

You can find the full list of lockdown rules HERE.

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Anonymous 2021/03/20 20:44
Not rocket science, is it? *Attestations will be needed throughout the country for any trips out after curfew *But people in the 16 locked-down départements would not need one for trips out during the day as long as they stayed within 10km of home. *Instead people should carry an official piece of ID with their address on or, if they do not have address ID, proof of address such as a utility bill. *The attestation will still be needed for people in lockdown zones if they are going more than 10km from home or travelling into another region (which is only allowed for essential journeys)
Anonymous 2021/03/20 15:41
MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!!!!!!!!!!

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