NEW: France says UK vaccine certificates now fully compatible with French health pass
The French government announced on Wednesday evening that people vaccinated in England and Wales would be able to use their NHS QR code with the French health pass, to access museums, restaurants, trains and other venues.
Since July 20th, Brits have been able to upload their NHS vaccination certificates into the TousAntiCovid app, which works as a health pass, required to access various aspects of daily life in France.
However, until now the QR code generated could not be scanned by the TousAntiCovid Verif app, which venue staff use to check people's health passes at entry points.
This meant people vaccinated in the UK had no option but to present their NHS app or certificate directly - however, as we reported earlier this week, not all venues were aware they had to accept this in lieu of a health pass, and many Brits said they had been turned away from swimming pools and other establishments.
READ ALSO How to use France’s health pass using the UK’s NHS Covid QR code
But on Wednesday, the French Secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne announced on Twitter that people vaccinated in England or Wales would now be able to use the TousAntiCovid app as a health pass.
"To [French people] living and vaccinated in England and Wales: your NHS QR code is now compatible with TousAntiCovid Verif! You therefore have the #PassSanitaire (health pass)" he said.
Non-French citizens living in England and Wales should also be able to use the health pass app in France. You can find out how to upload your NHS certificate to the French app HERE.
It should also be possible for venues in France to scan directly the NHS health app as well as printed NHS vaccination certificates, but we recommend downloading the French app just to be safe.
For people in other parts of the UK, it's more complicated.
Catherine Colonna, the French Ambassador to the UK, tweeted on Wednesday: "For England and Wales, interoperability of the QR codes. For Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, see practical details on the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' website."
Colonna was referring to the process French citizens living in non-EU countries can go through in order to exchange their vaccination certificate for a French QR code which can be scanned into the TousAntiCovid app. All those people need to do is email proof of vaccination, ID, and proof they live abroad.
However, this option is currently only available to French citizens and their partners. But French authorities have announced they plan to make it available to all those vaccinated abroad in the same way.
"Our objective is that from August 9th these tourists present on national soil can obtain passes along the same lines as French people living outside of France," French Secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne told France Inter on Thursday, August 5th.
READ ALSO Health passport: What changes in France on August 9th?
We have contacted the French Foreign Ministry to ask for guidance for other people living in the rest of the UK.
It should still be possible to present a local vaccination certificate, but this is not guaranteed to be accepted by all venues. People vaccinated in Scotland can obtain proof here. Alternatively, it is possible, though difficult, to exchange vaccination certificates for a French QR code at a French pharmacy.
It is also possible to use the health passport by showing proof of a negative test within the previous 48 hours, or recent recovery from Covid (a positive test older than 11 days and less than 6 months).
France’s health pass has been required in all cultural and leisure venues hosting more than 50 people since July 21st, and from August 9th, is set to be extended to bars, restaurants as well as high-speed trains.
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Since July 20th, Brits have been able to upload their NHS vaccination certificates into the TousAntiCovid app, which works as a health pass, required to access various aspects of daily life in France.
However, until now the QR code generated could not be scanned by the TousAntiCovid Verif app, which venue staff use to check people's health passes at entry points.
This meant people vaccinated in the UK had no option but to present their NHS app or certificate directly - however, as we reported earlier this week, not all venues were aware they had to accept this in lieu of a health pass, and many Brits said they had been turned away from swimming pools and other establishments.
READ ALSO How to use France’s health pass using the UK’s NHS Covid QR code
But on Wednesday, the French Secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne announced on Twitter that people vaccinated in England or Wales would now be able to use the TousAntiCovid app as a health pass.
"To [French people] living and vaccinated in England and Wales: your NHS QR code is now compatible with TousAntiCovid Verif! You therefore have the #PassSanitaire (health pass)" he said.
Non-French citizens living in England and Wales should also be able to use the health pass app in France. You can find out how to upload your NHS certificate to the French app HERE.
It should also be possible for venues in France to scan directly the NHS health app as well as printed NHS vaccination certificates, but we recommend downloading the French app just to be safe.
For people in other parts of the UK, it's more complicated.
Catherine Colonna, the French Ambassador to the UK, tweeted on Wednesday: "For England and Wales, interoperability of the QR codes. For Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, see practical details on the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' website."
Colonna was referring to the process French citizens living in non-EU countries can go through in order to exchange their vaccination certificate for a French QR code which can be scanned into the TousAntiCovid app. All those people need to do is email proof of vaccination, ID, and proof they live abroad.
However, this option is currently only available to French citizens and their partners. But French authorities have announced they plan to make it available to all those vaccinated abroad in the same way.
"Our objective is that from August 9th these tourists present on national soil can obtain passes along the same lines as French people living outside of France," French Secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne told France Inter on Thursday, August 5th.
READ ALSO Health passport: What changes in France on August 9th?
We have contacted the French Foreign Ministry to ask for guidance for other people living in the rest of the UK.
It should still be possible to present a local vaccination certificate, but this is not guaranteed to be accepted by all venues. People vaccinated in Scotland can obtain proof here. Alternatively, it is possible, though difficult, to exchange vaccination certificates for a French QR code at a French pharmacy.
It is also possible to use the health passport by showing proof of a negative test within the previous 48 hours, or recent recovery from Covid (a positive test older than 11 days and less than 6 months).
France’s health pass has been required in all cultural and leisure venues hosting more than 50 people since July 21st, and from August 9th, is set to be extended to bars, restaurants as well as high-speed trains.
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