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Day: 12 February 2021

Don’t risk being turned away at the airport

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/02/2021

Travellers, including Monaco residents, are being refused access to their flights at Nice airport because they are not meeting strict new criteria for international travel outside of the EU. So, here’s a reminder of who can fly and why.
As winter drags on, people are escaping the humdrum of life under Covid by flying off to warmer climates, or planning to do so for the February school holidays.
But on 31st January, France closed its borders to non-EU countries, and social media has since been awash with reports from would-be travellers who have been told by authorities at the Nice Côte d’Azur airport that they cannot board their flights because they do not meet the “essential travel” requirement.
This concerns French nationals, nationals of a member country of the European Area such as Monaco, or nationals of any other State.
The French government website states that: “You can only travel from France to a country outside the European space if you have pressing grounds for travel, or if you are travelling to your country of origin or residence.”
“Essential travel” and “pressing grounds” are defined as:

  • Travel due to the death of an immediate family member or very ill family member: a death certificate or medical certificate will need to be produced as proof.
  • Travel for child custody reasons: a court decision and supporting documents are required
  • Travel to assist the elderly, sick or disabled who have no other support: documents establishing the relationship between the helping person and the assisted person must be produced
  • Travel due to summons by a judicial or administrative authority: the summons must be presented
  • Travel because of a legal or economic impossibility of remaining in the country which the person is located: an expired residence permit, act of dismissal, etc. will be asked for by authorities
  • Travel for security reasons such as child protection and for victims of domestic violence: any document establishing these facts will be accepted
  • Travel to return to a main residence when the trip was started before 31st January 2021: proof of main residence and presentation of the return ticket is necessary
  • Students travelling to start their studies or at the end of their studies: a school certificate issued by the establishment is needed
  • Travelling for a vital medical emergency: medical certificate, proof of scheduled hospitalisation, etc. will be required
  • Travel for compulsory professional reasons, essential to the pursuit of an economic activity, requiring an on-site presence which cannot be postponed and whose postponement or cancellation would have manifestly disproportionate consequences or would be impossible: a certificate from the employer is required
  • Travel as a health professional contributing to the fight against Covid-19 or participating in cooperation operations of major health interest: professional ID needed
  • Travel for diplomatic missions that cannot be postponed: professional ID and mission order is required
  • Travel as a high-level professional sportsperson for participation in meetings validated by the Ministry of Sports: professional ID, certificate issued by the organiser in conjunction with the Ministry of Sports will get you out of the country.

This means that unless you have a seriously good reason to go, that trip to Dubai is not going to happen this winter.
Travel between European Union countries requires a negative PCR test at the very least. Each country has a list of certain criteria and some also require attestations, health certificates or other things like proof of residency and proof of a valid reason for travel. As each country is different on this front, it is highly advised that travellers go to the French Ministry of the Interior website or contact their airline to determine the specific rules that pertain to the country of arrival. Those who do not fulfil the requirements will be denied boarding, so it is imperative to have paperwork in order.
It is advised that, before embarking on any travel plans, the rules be studied to ensure no nasty surprise awaits you at the airport.
For those who do fall within the guidelines of international travel outside of the EU, you will need to fill out and carry an exempted international travel certificate for travel to France, available here in English and in French. If your time of departure requires you to leave your place of residence during the curfew, you must carry an exempted movement certificate.
 
By Cassandra Tanti and Stephanie Horsman
 
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France closes borders to non-EU countries

 
 

Officers take on new role during Covid

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/02/2021

Protecting Monaco’s citizens has always been a priority of the public service, but its members have been safeguarding the population in a completely unexpected way for a few months now.
A large number of the Public Security force have been helping health care professionals at the National Screening Centre set up at Espace Léo Ferré to carry out Covid tests since 24th November 2020.
The 54 soldiers, 25 Prince’s riflemen and 29 firefighters were all trained to administer serological and antigen tests, as well as perform the nasal swabbing required for the gold standard PCR tests available in Monaco.
On any given day, the centre will have two or three soldiers present on-site to assist health care workers, and in 2020 worked 185 hours.
Since the start of 2021, that number of hours has been well-surpassed, with soldiers racking up 320 hours of work and counting.
In addition to being invaluable to the public, the training afforded to the public safety workers and soldiers means they are qualified to give tests to their co-workers as part of the prevention and surveillance measures in place in their barracks to reduce the spread of the virus.
The National Screening Centre is open to all Monegasque residents, those who have social insurance in the Principality and schoolchildren in Monaco with a prescription issued either by a local GP, a doctor from the Department of Health Affairs (DASA), a doctor from the Home Patient Follow-up Centre, a doctor from the Office of Occupational Medicine or a school doctor. Appointments are necessary and the centre is intended for those who are symptomatic or have had high-risk contact with an infected person.
 
Photo by Stephane Danna for the Government Communication Department
 
 

Monegasque passport gets a makeover

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/02/2021

The validity of Monegasque passports has been extended to 10 years under new changes that also includes enhanced security.
The government announced on Friday that a new system of producing Monegasque passports will come into effect from 1st March. In addition to modernised visuals and enhanced security, the passport’s validity will be doubled from five to 10 years, and attract a new price of €90.
There is no change in passports for those under 18 and valid passports remain usable until their expiry date.
As authorities make the switch, passport requests will not be processed between 22nd and 26th February, says the government, except in urgent and exceptional circumstances.
Passport applications filed on or after 1st March must utilise the new forms which will be posted one week prior.
The government directs any queries to the Passport Office, General Secretariat of the Government, by phone at 98 98 82 18 or by e-mail at sgg@gouv.mc.
 
Photo supplied by the Government Communication Department
 
 

Another class closure at FANB

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/02/2021

Four more students from the François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré School have tested positive for Covid, forcing the temporary closure of a troisième class. It is the second class from the school to be sent home this week.  
An epidemiological investigation has revealed that three of the four students at François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré School (FANB) who tests positive for the Covid-19 were possibly contaminated after having been in close contact with a classmate who had tested positive following an “intra-family contamination.”
The government has therefore decided to send the entire class home as a precautionary measure until Friday 19th February inclusive, making this the second class to be temporarily sent home this week. The first was a seconde class on Tuesday 9th February.
Whilst at home, the students will be distance learning to ensure continuity in their studies.
Parents of the students from this class were directly informed by school administration and asked to be on the alert for any signs or symptoms that suggest a Covid infection. They have also asked that the students self-isolate as much as possible.
Staff and other students at FANB who may have been in contact with the infected students will be offered a PCR test.
François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré School is not closed. According to the government statement, they are still welcoming students from other classes and are in compliance with all required health measures.
 
Photo by Manuel Vitali / Government Communication Department
 
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FANB class closed due to Covid