Travel: France now has a mandatory health pass for tourists – how does it work?

France travel: UK criticised over 'inconsistent' rules by MEP

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French President Emmanuel Macron has implemented a health pass that has become mandatory on July 21. The Covid health pass is used for most non-essential activities in France, which means going to the museum on your holiday may be a bit more complicated than previously anticipated.

A one-stop shop to prove full vaccination, recovery from the virus within the last six months or a negative Covid test result, the health pass has become a necessity for people in France who want to do anything “non-essential” in the country.

To enter any venue with a capacity over 50 people, people need a health pass, and this includes tourists.

Tourist attractions such as museums and galleries have required proof of vaccination status since July.

Since August 9, the pass is now also mandatory for restaurants, bars and cafés, shopping centres, and during long-distance travel – in buses, trains, planes.

READ MORE: France holidays chaos LIVE: Thousands of Brits could be denied entry

The Covid health pass is set to be in place until November 15, according to the French government.

While French nationals can go about their lives without ever needing to show anyone the Covid health pass, any activity outside of the famous “metro boulot dodo” – commute work sleep – will probably need it.

This is a particularly important issue for tourists who travel to France to enjoy its food, cafés, tourist attractions and culture.

Every single one of the activities mentioned above will require a health pass.

To get a health pass, tourists will want to download the TousAntiCovid app, the French contact tracing app.

Signing up for the app is straightforward, but tourists will need their vaccination certificate, ID and proof of address.

Vaccinated people in England and Wales can present their QR code, which will be accepted by the French as health passes.

For Britons who were not vaccinated in England or Wales, it seems to be a bit more complicated.

On Twitter, Catherine Colonna, the French Ambassador to the UK, wrote: “For Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Gibraltar: contact the ministry’s dedicated Health Pass cell to obtain a document.”

The “document” will let non-EU countries residents to exchange their vaccination certificates for a French QR code.

Once a French QR code is secured, this can be uploaded on the TousAntiCovid app.

The consequences for people not having the adequate documentation can be dire, with repeat offenders facing a fine of around £3,200.

For tourists, this is of no consequence, as most of the activities they may want to participate in will require the Covid health pass to be presented on entry.

A source in Paris reports queues outside most museums and attractions as people’s health passes are checked.

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