But ALWAYS carry your residence Permit with you.
Switzerland will never close it’s borders with neighbouring countries.
Have you forgotten last March/April already?
No, the borders were not closed to Swiss nationals, Swiss residents, residents of border regions or cross border workers.
If they kept out frontaliers our health care system would collapse, just about immediately.
Were you able to be enter the UK via France ? We plan to drive back as well, I think we should be able to enter if you hold a British Passport as clarified by he French Consulate in the UK ( https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-r...e-UK-to-France ) but there is a re-entry clause which is a bit confusing.
I think on return one would either qualify as a EU citizen or fall under the Brexit withdrawal agreement like me in which case a Permit B should suffice without any additional proof.
If I understand the reasons for entry correctly then if your main residence is not in France but else where in EU and you are not an EU citizen or do not fall under the UK Withdrawal agreement then you cannot enter France to continue your journey by road.
They were in effect closed to anyone not a cross border worker or a returning national/resident. Unless you had a valid reason you couldn't leave the country (plus the neighbours wouldn't let you in either).
I live in a border area - I know only 2 border crossings were still open in this region and then only for commuters and retournees. The rest were firmly fenced shut. I also well remember a friend complaining that he couldn't see his girlfriend who lives on the other side of the border for some 2 months at that time.
It was exactly the same here.
The border was effectively closed to anyone who didn’t fulfil certain very strict criteria.
Maybe where you live, here they are only about 15% of the total.
Tom
I believe on the French side it is a major issue. Although even your end loosing 15% would be pretty major.
Here it's somewhat held together by Austrians and Germans but they tend to live here as well.
Going to the US?
From the NYT today.
I’ve just done exactly that. I crossed via the tunnel this morning and am now in the UK. UK passports seem enough to enter the UK as a ‘compelling reason’.
Most of the Italians who work in the health industry live here as well, very few are cross-border workers, mainly people who work in retirement homes.
Tom
Sad to watch how a virus, xenophobia and politics are working in tandem to disintegrate the world.
I'm a resident of a border region and I assure you that the borders were closed; I wasn't allowed to cross into Switzerland as a mere 'resident' and was unable to see my children and grandchildren for three very long months.
Imagine tomorrow 15% of cars do not started after cranking, or 15% of trains do not have someone to drive them...only 15%, nothing, right?
But this report from WRS says the opposite. emphasis added
If anyone heading for Canada here is a link to rules each Province and Territories applies for domestic travel. This would include domestic connections from an international flight.
Well, we made it over but .... When we got to Tunnel, the registration for boarding was refused at the gate because we are not resident in the UK - despite travelling on our UK passports. We had to go to main Covid check desk inside the Terminal and 'blag' our way through. We had taken proof of ownership of our flat in the UK with recent utility bills. We then explained there was a problem with the flat, the freezer had broken down and we had to go and empty it- and she stamped us as OK to board. It happens to be the truth- as our friend who goes into the flat twice a month to check it out said the freezer had stopped and should he empty it? It is a stupid Bosch fridge/freezer that automatically cuts off if temp gets below 15C!
Now, whether we would have been allowed through or not, without that 'excuse' I have no idea. Had our day 2 tests today, so still in quarantine until we get results some time tomorrow.
Will travel back on Swiss passports - will report back then!
All British cars at the Tunnel- bar 1 FR, 1 ZG, 1 ZH, 1 VD and us the ones on NE plates.
Very pleased to hear you made it, albeit with a bit of added stress at the Tunnel. Enjoy Christmas and the family and hope everything now goes smoothly.
That’s very strange.
There have been loads of posts over the past couple of days of Swiss residents driving over to the UK from Switzerland for the holidays via the tunnel and passing through without any problems at all.
I wonder why they made it so difficult for you?
The guy was very friendly- but he said 'you are on Swiss plates, so where are you resident' - and we gave the honest answer. He then said he could not register us for boarding and we had to go and see them at Main Terminal to see if we could board or not as travel was restricted to residents, not British nationals.
We travelled on Saturday, and the rules had changed at midnight.