France has decided to remove India from the red list to amber as COVID cases have gone down in India. The French government has classified amber-listed countries as nations where there is the active circulation of the virus in controlled proportions, without further spread. After this news, VFS centres in Delhi and Mumbai have now opened and are accepting all visa categories.
However, travellers coming from India have to fall under one of the following categories in order to be permitted to enter the country:
The traveller has to be fully vaccinated with one of the European Medicines Agency authorised vaccines, such as Pfizer/ Comirnaty, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Vaxzevria/Covishield, and be a holder of a D-type Schengen visa valid from three to five years.
Notably, seven days must have passed since the traveller received their final Covid vaccine shot.
The traveller must carry a vaccination certificate, proving he/she doesn’t have any Covid infection symptoms.
The traveller is unvaccinated or vaccinated with yet to be approved vaccines, including Covaxin.
The traveller holds a ‘talent passport’ or is a student or researcher. However, they must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours or a rapid antigen test 48 hours before departure.
In fact, prior to France, Germany relaxed its Covid-related travel restrictions for Indian travellers, as the European Union officials, travel and tourism sector organisations, and students and employees from the concerned countries urged the German government to lift its international travel ban.