Traveling to and in France - Health Pass
Sep 28, 2021 | 12:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,947
Traveling to and in France - Health Pass
Hi
To keep this vaguely BA related I am flying BA LHR-LYS on Monday and as a double vaccinated person understand I don't need any tests just my NHS certificate and a health deceleration form. My return will be Friday CDG-LHR and as I understand it I just need my vaccination certificate and PLF form with a LFT on day 2.
Now internally I will be flying LYS-NTS and this is where I am confused. Many sites say I need a French Health Passport which I have applied for but can take 20 days!! Apparently you need this for bars etc. The French government site however has this statement
"If you have been vaccinated in one of the following countries European Union Member States, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom (England and Wales only) your country issues an EU Digital COVID Certificate which is accepted in France, or, in the case of the United Kingdom, a digital format also accepted in France. In that case, you do not need to convert your COVID certificate."
Does anybody know if the NHS App and QR code is enough?
To keep this vaguely BA related I am flying BA LHR-LYS on Monday and as a double vaccinated person understand I don't need any tests just my NHS certificate and a health deceleration form. My return will be Friday CDG-LHR and as I understand it I just need my vaccination certificate and PLF form with a LFT on day 2.
Now internally I will be flying LYS-NTS and this is where I am confused. Many sites say I need a French Health Passport which I have applied for but can take 20 days!! Apparently you need this for bars etc. The French government site however has this statement
"If you have been vaccinated in one of the following countries European Union Member States, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom (England and Wales only) your country issues an EU Digital COVID Certificate which is accepted in France, or, in the case of the United Kingdom, a digital format also accepted in France. In that case, you do not need to convert your COVID certificate."
Does anybody know if the NHS App and QR code is enough?
Sep 28, 2021 | 12:44 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 85
Morning,
You'll need to download and install the "TousAntiCovid" app on your mobile phone (available from the UK app store). Then you can scan a recent NHS QR code into the App.
This is then scanned and recognised in restaurants, bars and on trains, etc.
You'll need to download and install the "TousAntiCovid" app on your mobile phone (available from the UK app store). Then you can scan a recent NHS QR code into the App.
This is then scanned and recognised in restaurants, bars and on trains, etc.
Sep 28, 2021 | 12:46 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Cent, SPG Gold, IC Plat Amb, Hilton Diam(given it though I'd never stayed in a Hilton)
Posts: 334
I came back on Sunday from a few days in Paris and it was extremely simple. Download https://bonjour.tousanticovid.gouv.fr/ which is the French Anti-Covid App and you can upload a photo of your NHS vaccine QR code which will be met by sparklers and streamers to demonstrate it is accepted as proof. You then just show that instead of the NHS App at any bar. We had an issue with seeing Jamie Cullum in concert but we got sent to another security post where they re-scanned the Tous App and it was approved. They seem to like the Tous App rather than the NHS App although I think technically you can do both.
Sep 28, 2021 | 12:49 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, UK
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Just note on your return (unless the rules have changed by then) you will need an antigen test taken up to 72 hours before boarding your flight - they were very strict at CDG at check-in (or at the gate for those who went straight through security) about seeing prof of the result.
Sep 28, 2021 | 12:52 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 5,947
Just note on your return (unless the rules have changed by then) you will need an antigen test taken up to 72 hours before boarding your flight - they were very strict at CDG at check-in (or at the gate for those who went straight through security) about seeing prof of the result.
Sep 28, 2021 | 1:25 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
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I found the app excellent, it verified straight away with NHS Covid Vax QRs. Only issue I had at one restaurant was it did not show the green verified status for some reason. They checked the original vax cert and seemed satisfied. At check in T5, the agent was not originally accepting the NHS vax cert for travel, but was requesting one from doctor - need to call and request ? After a few calls she did, but was not very obliging on this front.
Sep 28, 2021 | 2:06 am
#9
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Perhaps I am just dim but you need to be clear on one thing.
You must scan BOTH of your vaccine codes into the French app. If you just scan one, it gives the impression you are sorted but you are not. It will be rejected when scanned. You need to add both bar codes.
Note also that venues which have not updated the software on their scanners will still reject your pass - looking at you, Musee Carnavalet, last week.
You must scan BOTH of your vaccine codes into the French app. If you just scan one, it gives the impression you are sorted but you are not. It will be rejected when scanned. You need to add both bar codes.
Note also that venues which have not updated the software on their scanners will still reject your pass - looking at you, Musee Carnavalet, last week.
Sep 28, 2021 | 2:12 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Perhaps I am just dim but you need to be clear on one thing.
You must scan BOTH of your vaccine codes into the French app. If you just scan one, it gives the impression you are sorted but you are not. It will be rejected when scanned. You need to add both bar codes.
Note also that venues which have not updated the software on their scanners will still reject your pass - looking at you, Musee Carnavalet, last week.
You must scan BOTH of your vaccine codes into the French app. If you just scan one, it gives the impression you are sorted but you are not. It will be rejected when scanned. You need to add both bar codes.
Note also that venues which have not updated the software on their scanners will still reject your pass - looking at you, Musee Carnavalet, last week.
Pass sanitaire et vaccination au Royaume-Uni - France in the United Kingdom - La France au Royaume-Uni (ambafrance.org)
One caveat is that to be valid, the second dose must have been taken at least 7 days after the second dose (or 4 weeks if vaccinated with single dose vaccine).
Sep 28, 2021 | 3:11 am
#11
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
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Posts: 19,567
I live here. The NHS certificate and app works fine here in France, but it has to be the second certificate. The first will not work. Why the NHS did not roll them both together into one q code is beyond me so assume that someone was making money out of it not being so.
Sep 28, 2021 | 3:12 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,412
That has been my experience too. If you try to scan the first vaccination, it will return "invalid" in the verification app. However, if you just scan the second vaccination, it will scan "valid". Incidentally, if you download the paper certificate from the NHS app, it will work just as well without a need to download the TousAntiCovid app. The TAC app is clearly handier in not requiring you to carry around a piece of paper but it is not essential. I assume that a download of your certificate as pdf on your phone should work as well (it is the same QR code) but I have not tried. Just make sure that you show the QR code for the second vaccination and not the first.
Sep 28, 2021 | 3:27 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2008
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I am travelling to NCE (after 4th October), I am double-vaccinated, and I have TousAntiCovid all set up with my NHS QR codes, etc. I am confident I have what I need for airport & border formalities. (I will also be carrying a print out of the NHS PDF, and I have the NHS app installed - so 2 back-up!)
QUESTION - Once in France, when visiting hotels, restaurants, shops etc - in practice, will I regularly be asked to show the TousAntiCovid QR code, or is it mostly not needed or ignored in small venues? (I do not plan to go to any large events/concerts/nightclubs, etc. and unlikely to go to museums.)
(Sorry, haven't been outside UK since Feb 2020, so feeling a bit rusty!!!)
QUESTION - Once in France, when visiting hotels, restaurants, shops etc - in practice, will I regularly be asked to show the TousAntiCovid QR code, or is it mostly not needed or ignored in small venues? (I do not plan to go to any large events/concerts/nightclubs, etc. and unlikely to go to museums.)
(Sorry, haven't been outside UK since Feb 2020, so feeling a bit rusty!!!)
Sep 28, 2021 | 3:28 am
#14
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club, Accor Diamond, other airline programmes very basic
Posts: 223
I was in France with my QR code (2nd vaccine one) uploaded to the TousAntiCovid app at the beginning of this month and was denied entry to two bars as the code wouldn't scan. Problem appeared to be that the software on the TAC Verif app used by some establishments to validate the code hadn't been updated. Sitting outside on a restaurant terrace the police checked all diners' QR codes and while mine wouldn't scan, they were satisfied enough reading paper certificate. Last week the TAC Verif app was updated and my code now scans fine (I had downloaded the verification app itself just to check whether my code was now readable).
Sep 28, 2021 | 5:07 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 31,104
I am travelling to NCE (after 4th October), I am double-vaccinated, and I have TousAntiCovid all set up with my NHS QR codes, etc. I am confident I have what I need for airport & border formalities. (I will also be carrying a print out of the NHS PDF, and I have the NHS app installed - so 2 back-up!)
QUESTION - Once in France, when visiting hotels, restaurants, shops etc - in practice, will I regularly be asked to show the TousAntiCovid QR code, or is it mostly not needed or ignored in small venues? (I do not plan to go to any large events/concerts/nightclubs, etc. and unlikely to go to museums.)
(Sorry, haven't been outside UK since Feb 2020, so feeling a bit rusty!!!)
QUESTION - Once in France, when visiting hotels, restaurants, shops etc - in practice, will I regularly be asked to show the TousAntiCovid QR code, or is it mostly not needed or ignored in small venues? (I do not plan to go to any large events/concerts/nightclubs, etc. and unlikely to go to museums.)
(Sorry, haven't been outside UK since Feb 2020, so feeling a bit rusty!!!)
It is compulsory by law, small or large venue makes no difference (except for shops) and in my experience, it is thoroughly respected (though I'm sure some people must ignore it, but they could get in huge trouble if they do).