Diddidi

We drove through Italy during daylight hours (no curfew) and reached Basel around 4.30pm where we stayed until the following morning until 4.45am when we left for the French border. So we definitely entered France using the motorway during curfew but there was no one at the border and we didn’t see any police or controls all throughout our trip. When we left our home in Italy we travelled from a yellow to red zone and again, using motorways, there were no issues or checks. Of course, we had all the paperwork just in case.

Diddidi

Sorry, just to add and to help the other posters on here....we had our dog with us so we were stopping every couple of hours. We also filled up with fuel and bought coffee. Everything is open on the motorways.....it was pretty much business as usual!

brian12

Hi,what paperwork do we need to travel from red to yellow.If I could find this out,we would be gone tomorrow,cheers,Brian.

jiminalpago

Brian, I think that the only paperwork you need (the only paperwork available) is the self-certificate issued with the latest Decree.
In the first lockdown I asked the local Carabinieri "Who can authorize travel?" The answer was "No-one. You fill out the certificate and if you are found to have made a false statement you will be prosecuted." Thinking about it, an astute, labour-saving approach.
The experience of recent travellers (above) indicates that once you are on the autostrada you won't be stopped - De Luca permitting, of course.
This doesn't adequately solve the accommodation problem.
​​​​​​

C.2s

According to The Local "The good news is that there's only one autodichiariazione, published by the Interior Ministry and valid in every region of Italy."

This is the form:
https://www.interno.gov.it/sites/def...tobre_2020.pdf

However, The Local also say:
"Travel restrictions
In addition to not being allowed to travel from one municipality to another, people in red zones are not allowed to move around within their own area unless for essential reasons, by either public or private transport.

If you need to leave your home for work, study, health or emergency reasons these must be justified using a self-certification form.

You can only enter or leave an orange or red zone for the same urgent reasons."

And they add:

"Regional and city authorities may also put their own additional measures in place in response to the situation locally."

Actually finding out what constitutes a valid urgent/health/emergency reason is difficult, but for me the general message is clear though - 'Don't travel unless it is unavoidable' - so I guess if you want to travel you know whether you have a genuine reason or not, and you can justify it to the authorities yourself.

This what I meant by asking if this thread had ever really considered if this travel is necessary. I don't mean for Brian as an individual. I'm sure he has his reasons that are private and I don't wish to pry. But the whole tone of this thread seems to be 'How can we work our way around the rules so that we can still do what we want to do?', not taking any responsibility for the risks of catching/spreading the virus. Perhaps if we are truly 'expats', then we have chosen to live here in Italy (not the UK) and we shouldn't be travelling back to the UK (unless it is absolutely necessary)?

I'm sorry if that sounds harsh to people who want to travel, but I should add that this morning I read a message from my best friend here in Italy, who has lost both his mother and his mother-in-law to this virus during the last 7 days - so I hope you can understand my view of things

brian12

Cheers guys,no it's not private,just that my OH wants to get back to see the grandkids at xmas.Bearing in mind we have to isolate when we get back which is cutting it a bit fine.We arrived here by the skin of our teeth 1 day after the 1st lockdown and if we had decided to stay at Cassino in our last hotel we would have been stuck there for 3 months.What pisses me off is that France has allowed for these circumstances and provide a section in their attestation for this.Thanks again,Brian.

C.2s

I understand that it's incredibly difficult. We haven't seen any family, nor friends (apart from those who live in Italy), since February and don't expect to see anyone until next Spring at the earliest. And I imagine most people are in the same situation. So, can totally understand that your OH wants to see the grandchildren.

Leaving aside any conversation about risk of transmission of the virus or other reasons for not travelling, it's pretty clear that legally speaking nobody can visit relatives if they live in a red zone in Italy, and neither for that matter can anyone visit relatives in the UK at the moment (though that restriction might be dropped before Xmas). Are you saying that France still permits this, or do you mean that they allow people who are on holiday to return to their own country? That might be different...I guess if you're not resident here, and the UK is your home, then maybe the British Embassy is giving advice for people who are returning home, and this might give you a valid reason to travel?

philat98

There are some new amber zones coming into force on Wednesday. Tuscany, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Umbria and Liguria., You are not supposed to move from your comune.

Palmy

Just been reading the new info from The Local - as the rules are constantly changing there is now a useful Q&A section to help out and for anyone wanting to get back to the UK - see below.


I need to leave Italy. Can I travel back to my home country?

Yes. Returning home is a valid reason for travel, whether you're returning to another part of Italy or to another country.

Whether you've been staying at your second home, or your visa is about to expire, if you need to leave the country this counts as an essential reason for travelling.

If you're driving, motorways and service stations are open as usual and there is no restriction on passing through a red zone such as Lombardy (as long as you're not stopping).

You will need to fill out a self-certification form explaining your reason for travel in case you encounter a police checkpoint. It's the same form you need when going outside under curfew. It's only available in Italian, but here's where to get it and how to fill it out.

Geordieborn

Not that I think anyone should really be traveling , but from what I've read most countries allow you to do so to get back to your country of residence. Hard times to make decisions, hopefully not for too long!

brian12

I don't relish returning to all the "pondlife" in the UK that are flouting the rules but we are lucky enough to live in the UK and Italy 50-50.Calabria until recently has probably been one of the safest places in Europe.Only in the summer when everything opened and hordes of the rest of Italy came here,was when the virus took hold.I don't see us with a car full of food for self catering in 1 apartment with no contact with anyone being a risk.Cheers,Brian.

SanNico

It's best to check the official websites but you're permitted to travel from Italy to the UK through Switzerland and France.

Italy:
https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ministe...in-italia.html
Switzerland:
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home...weigerung.html
France:
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/co...als-in-france/

brian12

Thanks San Nico,that top website is a new one to me.Looks promising,cheers,Brian.

heritagestanley

We've just driven to the UK from Tuscany through Lombardy, Switzerland and France. We had all the various forms mentioned above. But on the entire journey we never saw a single police officer and so had nobody to show them to. I think that the authorities have better things to worry about than a few Brits leaving the country. The roads were eerily empty so driving was the easiest it's ever been.

brian12

Hi all,just an update,we drove from Calabria to Calais without seeing a single copper.Cheers,Brian.