OBSOLETE COVID THREAD French Temporary QR Code for health pass

[Bill's_Walking]

I plan to be in SJPDP in early May 2022. I've been reading the current requirements to obtain the French health pass and use it on their app. I'm traveling by bus or car from Spain and want to know what recent travelers have done under the new rules. Because the code can only be obtained from participating pharmacies and there are none as of this writing in SJPDP that offer it. There are a few of test locations in SJPDP that can provide a temporary QR code. One has to get a Covid-19 test at the location and be tested negative.

Does anyone know how long the Health Pass will be good for using the temporary QR code? Once you have the code you just scan it in the app and you are good to go. But where to get one?

 

[Corned Beef]

I plan to be in SJPDP in early May 2021

Will you be using the DeLorean?

 

[mspath]

Bill's Walking,
By May we all will be living in a very different world. What is needed now may be vastly changed by then.

 

[John Gilliland]

Doesn't the Spanish QR code work in France? If not then, I would think that your test should be enough for a day or two in France. But as others have said, no telling what will be required in May.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Will you be using the DeLorean?

Yes! actually its 2022. just corrected it.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Bill's Walking,
By May we all will be living in a very different world. What is needed now may be vastly changed by then.

Thanks and I am hoping that's the case, but I still would like to know.

 

[Tincatinker]

Thanks and I am hoping that's the case, but I still would like to know.

Wouldn't we all. Your question is a really good one but there isn't going to be a good answer until, say, late April 2022. The confident certainties that we have all lived with since the end of the last really big futile war simply do not exist anymore.

I remember an afternoon in the late '70's asking a campesino "Is this the road to Madrid?" His reply was "Perhaps." I ask myself "Well, old man, will you walk another Camino?" The answer is the same as the one I got a long time ago

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Wouldn't we all. Your question is a really good one but there isn't going to be a good answer until, say, late April 2022. The confident certainties that we have all lived with since the end of the last really big futile war simply do not exist anymore.

I remember an afternoon in the late '70's asking a campesino "Is this the road to Madrid?" His reply was "Perhaps." I ask myself "Well, old man, will you walk another Camino?" The answer is the same as the one I got a long time ago

Yes we would! But the question is about the current temporary QR code and how it affects the French Health Pass not about what happens in May.

 

[naplesdon]

I applied for the EU Digital Covid Certificate (for France) on a website that was posted in a thread on this Forum. It took well over a month to receive the QR Code. I did this because my friends in Biarritz said I would not even be able to order a cup of coffee at a sidewalk cafe with out it. I also applied for something similar in Spain and was told to apply again shortly before my travel date. I had originality planned to travel in February and March 2022, I have since rethought my travel dates and changed my plane ticket to August and September. I don't know if this helps with your question but there was no mention of any pharmacies being part of the process.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

From

Coming to France? Your Covid-19 questions answered

French people who are living abroad, travelling or returning from abroad, as well as visitors from abroad, will find answers below to frequently (…)

www.diplomatie.gouv.fr

This applies to me as I am travelling from the US. The web page is current as of 21 December.

How can I apply?​

• Directly online, for foreign students;
• In pharmacies in France, for foreign nationals who are not students. They should present their passport and the paper version of the original vaccination certificate in a pharmacy offering the service (a list is available on the Ministry for Solidarity and Health website).

 

[Tincatinker]

Yes we would! But the question is about the current temporary QR code and how it affects the French Health Pass not about what happens in May.

You're hovering on the border now are you? What regulation might apply in May 2022 is a total, complete, un-guessable, unknown. The current temporary QR code is exactly as it describes itself. Ask your question in April 2022. I've no doubt that the extant, temporary, QR code will have its own special criteria that will apply until they don't.

Meanwhile, Merry Christmas, and I wish you straight roads and clear horizons

 

[Vacajoe]

Sorry about all the static you’ve been given OP! Those others are well-meaning, but there is a simple answer to your simple question that doesn’t involve all that critical commentary you’ve been subjected to!

Simply put, per the government site, a negative Covid test QR code is valid as a pass sanitare for 24 hours.

 

[Kathar1na]

Sorry about all the static you’ve been given OP! Those others are well-meaning, but there is a simple answer to your simple question that doesn’t involve all that critical commentary you’ve been subjected to!

Simply put, per the government site, a negative Covid test QR code is valid as a pass sanitare for 24 hours.

Is it a simple question with a simple answer?

I understood the OP as asking about how to convert his USA proof of vaccination into a French pass sanitaire if he travels from Spain to SJPP and there is no pharmacy in SJPP who would issue a pass sanitaire to him upon presentation of his CDC card.

And I would join those who say, without being critical, that there is in fact a simple answer for now (@biarritzdon gave it) but also that there is little point in asking about May 2022 because we know already some of the things that will change. For example, the French pass sanitaire will turn into a vaccination only pass, and validity of the EU thingy will be restricted to 9 months max, to name just two such changes. Spring 2022 will not be like fall 2021.

 

[PodiensisPlus]

Couldn't you modify your route from Spain so you can visit a French pharmacy that provides the service you need?

 

[lisagb]

I plan to be in SJPDP in early May 2022. I've been reading the current requirements to obtain the French health pass and use it on their app. I'm traveling by bus or car from Spain and want to know what recent travelers have done under the new rules. Because the code can only be obtained from participating pharmacies and there are none as of this writing in SJPDP that offer it. There are a few of test locations in SJPDP that can provide a temporary QR code. One has to get a Covid-19 test at the location and be tested negative.

Does anyone know how long the Health Pass will be good for using the temporary QR code? Once you have the code you just scan it in the app and you are good to go. But where to get one?

When you get a temporary pass it’s good for three days (or has been). Not all pharmacies say that they’re doing it. We had to ask several when in another part of france. It cost my husband 2€. Whereas as two months earlier jt cost me €30. Good luck! And things will likely change.

 

[naplesdon]

Is it a simple question with a simple answer?

I understood the OP as asking about how to convert his USA proof of vaccination into a French pass sanitaire if he travels from Spain to SJPP and there is no pharmacy in SJPP who would issue a pass sanitaire to him upon presentation of his CDC card.

And I would join those who say, without being critical, that there is in fact a simple answer for now (@biarritzdon gave it) but also that there is little point in asking about May 2022 because we know already some of the things that will change. For example, the French pass sanitaire will turn into a vaccination only pass, and validity of the EU thingy will be restricted to 9 months max, to name just two such changes. Spring 2022 will not be like fall 2021.

The certificate I received does not have a date when it was issued or when it expires. There are several paragraphs of French legalize but after reading them through a magnify glass, I can't find any further restriction regarding its validity of the pass, here's hoping that the case because I have changed my travel plans once again and will not arrive until August 2022.

 

[Vacajoe]

Folks: the rules have changed this past month (and likely will change again every month, as we have all pointed out!). So much of what you have all posted is no longer correct. Everyone needs to go to the government site of whatever country you are visiting to get the latest and most accurate answers.

To clarify what is incorrect (as of Dec 2021) from the advice already listed in this stream:
- you CANNOT get a QR online anymore
- nearly all french pharmacies will input your vaccine data to get a pass but it costs 39€
- the QR code you get after a test is only good for 24 hours
- the pass expires after 9 months
- if you do not have the third booster shot uploaded to the database, the pass will be invalid
- most places scan the QR pass with an app, so they will know if it’s expired even if you don’t

So to the OP: France is currently requiring a Pass Sanitaire to enter most buildings. In the absence of pharamcies, you can take a test and get a 24 temporary pass (if you can find one of those tests). In the past, this rule was sporadically enforced, but as of now it is strictly enforced. EXPECT THE RULES TO CHANGE BY YOUR TRIP.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Folks: the rules have changed this past month -

Thank you and well as for your clarification on the 24-hour temporary pass as that was the question I was trying to get an answer to.

 

[Kathar1na]

Thank you and well as for your clarification on the 24-hour temporary pass as that was the question I was trying to get an answer to.

Then I misunderstood because where I live in the EU nobody calls this a temporary pass. I can only assume that you mean you take a test done by a pharmacy/lab and the code that you get with your test result will say that your test was negative.

Anyway, the rules within EU countries (travel, access to restaurants, expiration date of vaccination, expiration date of test results, type of test required etc etc) are currently changing so fast that I would not even predict what they will be in January 2022. You fix your travel dates and then you check up until the day of departure what you must do to comply.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Then I misunderstood because where I live in the EU nobody calls this a temporary pass. I can only assume that you mean you take a test done by a pharmacy/lab and the code that you get with your test result will say that your test was negative.

Anyway, the rules within EU countries (travel, access to restaurants, expiration date of vaccination, expiration date of test results, type of test required etc etc) are currently changing so fast that I would not even predict what they will be in January 2022. You fix your travel dates and then you check up until the day of departure what you must do to comply.

No problem and I was not looking for prediction of what might be next year. I do expect things to change. I was checking on what the rule is now. The worst case scenario for me is taken care of by refundable tickets. The best case is no travel restrictions and anything in between is easily handled.

 

[Kathar1na]

No problem and I was not looking for prediction of what might be next year. I do expect things to change. I was checking on what the rule is now.

I can barely wait until the first two weeks of 2022 are over and it will be 15 January 2022 . Since you want to keep up to date with current regulations ...

A draft bill is winding its way through the French parliamentary system. Actually not so much winding its way as advancing rapidly. I will say no more but the odds are that this French Temporary QR Code for accessing restaurants will not survive the process.

 

[Kathar1na]

A draft bill is winding its way through the French parliamentary system. Actually not so much winding its way as advancing rapidly.

As it turned out, the advancement of the bill was not as fast as expected. There were some turbulent debates, obstacles and delays in both chambers of the French parliament. The bill has now been adopted and is expected to come into force as early as at the end of this current week. The French pass sanitaire, and with it the option of a temporary QR code for access to restaurants, will be no more. Vive le pass vaccinal! A valid proof of vaccination will be required for access to restaurants and interregional (long-distance) trains. A negative recent test result will no longer be good enough.

Watch this space, it was last updated on 21 December 2021 and is due to be updated again soon:

Coming to France? Your Covid-19 questions answered

French people who are living abroad, travelling or returning from abroad, as well as visitors from abroad, will find answers below to frequently (…)

www.diplomatie.gouv.fr

 

[Kathar1na]

Perhaps a technical comment because the question of validity has been raised in this thread.

This is how the standardised EU QR codes for vaccination, test and recovery from illness work, whether you have them in printed form on paper or in digital form on your mobile form: These black and white dots contain a lot of information. In the beginning, you merely had to show the image of the code but nowadays it usually gets scanned by a verification app.

The app reads a lot of this information but it usually displays only your name and your date of birth on the screen of the scanning app and whether your QR code is valid/ok/green or not. The person who scans your code will not know anything else about your status. The scanning app can read when your certificate was issued; in the case of a certificate for a jab, the scanning app reads what kind of vaccine was used and what kind of jab it was, for example 1 of 3, 2 of 3 or 3 of 3 for Pfizer (2 immunisation jabs and 1 booster); in the case of a certificate for a test, the scanning app can read when the test was done and what kind of test it was, like PCR or Rapid Antigen. The scanning apps get constantly updated to take the most recent regulations into account. The scanning apps are programmed to make the appropriate calculations and then determine whether the QR code that you show to the staff at a restaurant or train station is valid or not.

From what I understand, most laws and regulations do not require proof in the form of a QR code in standardised EU form. Your proof just has to contain a number of personal data that are specified in these regulations. So your CDC card may usually suffice. In practical terms, having it converted into the standardised EU/French form can make life easier. If you only spend a day or so in France, it may not be worth the hassle and expense to get it converted.

 

[odyinpdx]

So your CDC card may usually suffice. In practical terms, having it converted into the standardised EU/French form can make life easier. If you only spend a day or so in France, it may not be worth the hassle and expense to get it converted.

Thanks for keeping us updated.

Can you clarify your statement regarding it not being worth converting a CDC card to a French form if you are spending only a day or so in France? Is that because there is no benefit outside of France (I thought the French card is accepted in most of the EU as proof of vaccination) or is it because it's not worth spending the time to find a pharmacie and go through the process of converting (and most places along the Camino will accept the CDC card).

 

[Kathar1na]

Can you clarify your statement regarding it not being worth converting a CDC card to a French form if you are spending only a day or so in France?

Hi @odyinpdx and welcome! It is just my personal opinion that a conversion may not be worth the expense and the time. It is based on what I currently see online on official French government websites and what people reported last year as anecdotal evidence. But just a current opinion, so barely worth the time it took me to type it.

I thought the French card is accepted in most of the EU as proof of vaccination

That is correct. You would have a fully fledged standardised EU digital vaccination certificate, good for all EU countries, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and even the UK (mutual recognition). From that point of view, conversion of a CDC card to the French/EU format is an attractive option.

or is it because it's not worth spending the time to find a pharmacie and go through the process of converting (and most places along the Camino will accept the CDC card).

Yes, that are my thoughts. Last year, numerous people reported that their CDC cards had been widely accepted in France, Portugal and Spain where requested. Rarely in Spain, btw, and only in some regions.

As to the French pharmacies that do the conversion: The list published by the French government website does not list many. None in SJJP and only one in Biarritz that is not far from the airport but several in the Biarritz/Bayonne area. I wonder whether the list is up to date?

I understand from your earlier post that you will be in Biarritz, unlike the original poster who will come to SJJP from Spain. I see no harm in wanting to understand what the situation is like right now in January in order to be informed and prepared for all eventualities although both of you will travel much later in the year. As time goes on and more US pilgrims will travel, I hope they will take the time to post with their news, especially in February and then in March.

PS: Edited to make corrections.

 

[Kathar1na]

I've recently come to the conclusion that I ought to write more emails instead of forum posts. It is not always a thankful task. For example, it is next to impossible to get a reply to a question of a general nature from the Oficina del Peregrino in Santiago, let alone a follow-up that there is some action taken. But others are more forthcoming. I'll compose a message to the pharmacies in SJPP and will report here if I get any replies.

 

[odyinpdx]

Thanks again for the information.

As to the French pharmacies that do the conversion: The list published by the French government website does not list many. None in SJJP and only one in Biarritz that is not far from the airport. I wonder whether that list is up to date?

When I search here and filter on "Conversion de certificats de vaccination étrangers en format européen / Getting a vaccine equivalency health pass", I find 13 pharmacies in the Biarritz/Bayonne area (two of which are in Bayonne, across the river from the train station.

I understand from your earlier post that you will be in Biarritz, unlike the original poster who will come to SJJP from Spain. I see no harm in wanting to understand what the situation is like right now in January in order to be informed and prepared for all eventualities although both of you will travel much later in the year. As time goes on and more US pilgrims will travel, I hope they will take the time to post with their news, especially in February and then in March.

Yes, it's a fine line researching vaccine requirements and processes too soon. It will change, but as you mention, I like to start with a baseline of what the current situation is and then layer on the changes. I learn the websites, lingo and who to follow .

 

[Kathar1na]

When I search here and filter on "Conversion de certificats de vaccination étrangers en format européen / Getting a vaccine equivalency health pass", I find 13 pharmacies in the Biarritz/Bayonne area (two of which are in Bayonne, across the river from the train station.

Yes, you are right, there is more than just one pharmacy who offers this conversion service in the Biarritz/Bayonne area! When I wrote my earlier comment, which is not correct as I now know, the search had delivered only 1 single result but later, when I searched again, many more pharmacies were displayed for the Biarritz/Bayonne area. I will correct my earlier comment.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

I've recently come to the conclusion that I ought to write more emails instead of forum posts. It is not always a thankful task. For example, it is next to impossible to get a reply to a question of a general nature from the Oficina del Peregrino in Santiago, let alone a follow-up that there is some action taken. But others are more forthcoming. I'll compose a message to the pharmacies in SJPP and will report here if I get any replies.

I emailed the Pharmacie Nafarroa in SJPP and they replied today that they provide the pass sanitaire.

​

 

[CAJohn]

If you love bureaucracy, you cannot help but love "la bureaucratie"

Posted by a true Francophone.

 

[Kathar1na]

I emailed the Pharmacie Nafarroa in SJPP and they replied today that they provide the pass sanitaire.

​

That sounds like good news. Thank you for sharing and Buen Camino in May!

 

[Kathar1na]

I emailed the Pharmacie Nafarroa in SJPP and they replied today that they provide the pass sanitaire.

​

I have now received the same confirmation in reply to my email from the pharmacy

Oui nous pouvons le faire sur présentation d'un passeport et d'une attestation de vaccination. Ça coûte 36€.​

[Yes, we can do this conversion upon presentation of a passport and a certificate of vaccination. It costs 36€.]​

For general information, here is the link to website with the address of the pharmacy Nafarroa in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port:

PHARMACIE NAFARROA FARMAZIA

Stéphanie FOURNIER et son équipe vous accueillent sur le site Internet de votre pharmacie pour vous dispenser le meilleur conseil au service de votre santé.

pharmacienafarroa.pharminfo.fr