Can I use France’s Covid pass? How to add NHS vaccine status to ‘pass sanitaire’ for attractions and events

France’s Covid “health pass” will soon be mandatory for access to restaurants and bars, including outside terraces, and public transport.

Since Wednesday, visitors to attractions where over 50 people are present, including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, have been required to show the “passe sanitaire” to enter.

The French parliament approved a new bill early on the morning of Monday 26 July, which will expand the locations where the pass is required from Sunday 1 August.

The freshest exclusives and sharpest analysis, curated for your inbox

To receive a pass, both visitors and French citizens must have proof that they are fully vaccinated, have recently recovered from or recently tested negative for Covid.

British visitors can prove their vaccine status to receive the “health pass” by downloading the French government’s TousAntiCovid app and scanning in their NHS vaccination data.

The new restrictions come as France experiences a surge in Covid cases related to the Delta variant, with cases doubling week-on-week.

The nation’s 14-day infection rate now stands at 121 per 100,000 inhabitants, with 44.4 per cent of the population fully vaccinated.

Here is everything you need to know about France’s “health pass” and how to access it.

Which attractions currently require the Covid ‘health pass’?

The “passe sanitaire” is required for all events and places with more than 50 people. That includes cinemas, places of worship, theatres, swimming pools and entertainment venues.

What other locations are being added to the list?

The law has been expanded to include all domestic transport as well as restaurants and bars, including outside terraces.

When will the new rules take effect?

The bill must be rubber-stamped by France’s Constitutional Council, at which point it should be ready to come into effect on Sunday 1 August.

How do I get a pass via the NHS app?

1. Download the TousAntiCovid app to your iPhone or Android device from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

1. Download the NHS app (not the NHS Covid-19 app) to your iPhone or Android device from the App Store or Play Store.

1. Open the NHS app. On the Home page tap “Get your NHS Covid Pass”, then tap “Continue”. On the Get your NHS Covid pass page tap “Travel”, then tap “Show details”. Take a screenshot of your QR code. Send the screenshot of your QR code to another device nearby such as a family member’s mobile phone or a laptop or print it off. You’ll need to scan it later with your mobile phone camera.

1. Open the TousAntiCovid app. Tap “Open my wallet”, “Add a certificate”, then scan the QR code that you saved earlier from the NHS app.

1. Your TousAntiCovid will now display a “health pass” in the form of a QR code that can be scanned to enter locations across France.

How do I get a pass via an “NHS Covid pass letter” paper certificate?

1. Download the TousAntiCovid app to your iPhone or Android device from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

1. Open the TousAntiCovid app. Tap “Open my wallet”, “Add a certificate’”, then scan the QR code on your NHS Covid Pass letter.

1. Your TousAntiCovid will now display health pass in the form of a QR code that can be scanned to enter locations across France.

Do children need the pass?

The pass is currently only mandatory for adults aged 18 and over. However, from 30 September, children aged 12 and over will be required to have a pass. Given that the UK Government currently has no plans to vaccinate children, the only way that children visiting from the UK could apply for a health pass would be by proving that they have had Covid within the past six months or by proving that they are Covid negative, via a PCR test.

The app requires either a “negative RT-PCR test certificate of less than 48 hours old” or a “positive RT-PCR test at least 11 days and less than six months old”. As the rules stand, children who cannot prove that they have had Covid within the past 6 months would find themselves taking an expensive RT-PCR test every two days just to be able to sit outside at a cafe, swim in a campsite swimming pool or to take a bus ride.

What other countries use Covid health passes?

From 6 August, Covid passes will be required to visit bars and restaurants in Italy.

The “green pass”, will also be mandatory for pools, gyms and sporting events, concerts, fairs, museums, cinemas, and theatres.

Nightclubs are not included as they remain closed.

Denmark became one of the first countries to introduce a Covid pass back in April.

The Coronapas app works in a similar way to France’s TousAntiCovid app, with passes given out for those who have been vaccinated, previously infected, or have a negative test result. For a PCR test this can be no older than 96 hours (4 days) and for rapid antigen test (Rat) 72 hours (3 days) old.

The country mandates a valid “Coronapas” for access to museums, zoos, cinemas, amusement parks, bathing and play areas, etc. They are also obligatory for indoor sports, most places of worship, hairdressers, and massage parlors, etc.

For restaurants, the pass is only required for indoor dining.