French Covid vaccine certificates set for EU travel update tomorrow

France’s Covid-19 vaccination certificates and Covid test certificates will be updated from tomorrow (June 23) to make them compatible with an EU-wide verification system set to launch on July 1.

From tomorrow, the certificates issued in France will contain a QR code that can be scanned and verified in other EU countries from July 1, the French government states.

They will also be available in English and French, in line with EU protocol.

The EU system is called the 'EU Digital COVID Certificate' scheme. It relates to vaccination certificates issued separately by each member state, or standard Covid-19 tests that either show a traveller is negative for Covid-19 (taken within the past 72 hours) or was positive between two weeks and six months prior to travelling (and therefore considered immune).

Travellers can choose to present these documents in paper format or digitally via their country’s dedicated app, if there is one.

How to update your vaccination and test certificates

If you already have a vaccination certificate in France, you may need to update it so it contains the correct EU-standard QR code (this is a code to be scanned for checking, and is different from the code you can use to scan certificates into the TousAntiCovid app).

If you have uploaded your certificate into the phone application TousAntiCovid through the Mon carnet (My wallet) tool, then your vaccination certificate should automatically update with a new EU-compatible QR code, France’s digital minister Cédric O said.

If it does not you may have to manually update your application to force through this change.

People who have their vaccination certificates in paper format should go to France’s national health insurance website Ameli to download a new version of their certificate from June 23.

If you are unable to access your certificate through this website because you do not have a French social security number, you should contact the healthcare professional who vaccinated you and ask them to give you a vaccination certificate, the Ameli website states.

If you have a relevant Covid-19 test taken within the past three months, you will also need to update this certificate through the government website sidep.gouv.fr.

If you cannot access this, Ameli suggests that you ask the health professional who carried out your test for an updated certificate.

The French government had originally stated that its Covid-19 vaccination and test certificates would be updated to be made compatible with the EU system on June 22. The government’s website has since been updated to state this change will be made on June 23.

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