Reader question: Can I use my French vaccine certificate access bars and restaurants in Switzerland?
France's next-door neighbour Switzerland is bringing in its own health passport, so can EU codes such as those on the French vaccine certificate be used to access bars and restaurants over the border?
From Monday, September 13th, Switzerland is expanding its health passport.
It's not as extensive as the scheme in place in France, but it will be required for bars, restaurants, gyms and some private events.
Just like the French system, the pass accepts proof of either full vaccination, recent recovery from Covid or a recent negative Covid test.
Our colleagues at The Local Switzerland have a full explanation of how it all works HERE.
So can you use a French vaccination certificate to access it?
Yes. The EU digital passport means that all vaccine QR codes are readable in all EU countries - and although Switzerland is not a member of the EU it is within the Schengen zone and has signed up for the EU digital passport.
This means that your French vaccination certificate should work when scanned by staff at Swiss health pass venues.
If you are using your paper certificate, you will need to show the QR code that says Certificat Covid numérique UE underneath it rather than the one that says Flasher pour ajouter dans TousAntiCovid.
Switzerland also recognises all EU countries' apps, so you can show your French TousAntiCovid app at the entrance to a Swiss bar and it should scan.
If you are using the TousAntiCovid app you will need to slide the bar under your code over to 'border mode'.
The Swiss health pass is required for everyone aged 16 and over.
AstraZeneca
Switzerland has never licenced the AstraZeneca vaccine for use and does not recognise as 'fully vaccinated' people who were jabbed with it outside the EU.
However, it will accept any EU app that state a person is 'fully vaccinated' - so if you had either a double dose of AstraZeneca or a mixed dose of AstraZeneca with Pfizer or Moderna in France, you can still use the TousAntiCovid app as proof of being vaccinated.
Travellers from non-EU countries such as the UK cannot use vaccination with AstraZeneca as proof that they are vaccinated according to Swiss standards.
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From Monday, September 13th, Switzerland is expanding its health passport.
It's not as extensive as the scheme in place in France, but it will be required for bars, restaurants, gyms and some private events.
Just like the French system, the pass accepts proof of either full vaccination, recent recovery from Covid or a recent negative Covid test.
Our colleagues at The Local Switzerland have a full explanation of how it all works HERE.
So can you use a French vaccination certificate to access it?
Yes. The EU digital passport means that all vaccine QR codes are readable in all EU countries - and although Switzerland is not a member of the EU it is within the Schengen zone and has signed up for the EU digital passport.
This means that your French vaccination certificate should work when scanned by staff at Swiss health pass venues.
If you are using your paper certificate, you will need to show the QR code that says Certificat Covid numérique UE underneath it rather than the one that says Flasher pour ajouter dans TousAntiCovid.
Switzerland also recognises all EU countries' apps, so you can show your French TousAntiCovid app at the entrance to a Swiss bar and it should scan.
If you are using the TousAntiCovid app you will need to slide the bar under your code over to 'border mode'.
The Swiss health pass is required for everyone aged 16 and over.
AstraZeneca
Switzerland has never licenced the AstraZeneca vaccine for use and does not recognise as 'fully vaccinated' people who were jabbed with it outside the EU.
However, it will accept any EU app that state a person is 'fully vaccinated' - so if you had either a double dose of AstraZeneca or a mixed dose of AstraZeneca with Pfizer or Moderna in France, you can still use the TousAntiCovid app as proof of being vaccinated.
Travellers from non-EU countries such as the UK cannot use vaccination with AstraZeneca as proof that they are vaccinated according to Swiss standards.
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