Another France Covid pass question!

[TheBikiniExpert]

Ds17 is leaving in a week and we've just realised his covid pass is not valid. He had 2 doses, then got Covid and his recovery certificate ran out at the end of June. Can he still go?

If he's not had a booster then he's not fully vaccinated and will need negative pcr tests to travel.
Check Gov, explains all there x

Get the NHS app
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/nhs-covid-pass/children-under-18-and-the-nhs-covid-pass/

Yes because he's under 18. It's only 18+ that need 3 doses if the second is over 9mo old.

Does your app not have a validity check? The German one does so we checked it there and said was valid for France.

Plus if he had an official recovery certificate, I believe that plus 2 jabs is unlimited as well. But not sure because annoyingly I never got a PCR when I had covid!

That would be great. I can't find that actually written anywhere though! His recovery certificate expired last month.

Thanks but I can't get it as we're not in the UK.

Off the top of my head I haven't got a specific answer to the original question but TBH I reckon you are almost always best placed looking at French government sources published in English language for the answers to these sorts of questions, rather than relying on HMGs take on French rules.....

If it helps French consulate in London's website here:

uk.ambafrance.org/-CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19-1911-

Thanks. I've looked at that site but it's really ambiguous about what "fully vaccinated " actually means for an under 18.

Ok...no longer an expert on teenagers but can I ask are you concerned about entry requirement at the Border or having a valid Covid pass once in France?

If it is the latter this specific page might help..

uk.ambafrance.org/Vaccine-pass-in-France

"Children aged 16/17
Since the booster dose is not compulsory for young people aged 16 or 17, they are considered to be fully vaccinated with two doses. A booster dose is therefore not necessary in order for their vaccine pass to remain valid."

and I'd add that once you are in country the Covid pass is rarely if ever used these days..about the only place it required is health establishments such as hospitals.

If it helps, I’ve just come back from France and no one either in the UK or at Marseilles airport asked to see my Covid pass at all. I had it all ready on my phone but I might as well not have bothered.

He just needs to get a Covid test before he travels. The vaccine pass has been scrapped in France otherwise.

When did he have second dose, more than 9 months ago? I've only had two but less than 9 months ago and just downloaded the passes on my phone. An unvaccinated family member did an antigen test beforehand and got the fit to fly but no one checked anything at all. Not in the uk before leaving, or when we got to france, so it was a waste of money. But was worth doing just in case.

Thanks. His last vaccination was more than 9 months ago so not sure if it still counts? He is interrailing so will be in Amsterdam before France - could he do a covid test there or do you have to be over 18? I am worried about him being stopped from travelling into France and being left behind!

Can't he just download another pass on his phone? I haven't done it for a while but they only used to last a certain time and then you had to do another one.

Actually it looks like the PP is right, only over 18s need to have had a booster.

Same for me and my family. The four of us travelled to beziers (some from Luton and some from Manchester) and nobody checked going out at all.

We go to France often and measures were scrapped earlier this year.

www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered/article/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered?var_mode=calcul

He is interrailing so will be in Amsterdam before France - could he do a covid test there or do you have to be over 18? I am worried about him being stopped from travelling into France and being left behind!

The rules for Netherlands>France back in Feb would have been covered in the link below but TBH I doubt anybody is checking at stations ATM... this is probably something best answered by someone who travels that sort of route/enters France by surface transport from another EU country on a regular basis.

www.interieur.gouv.fr/covid-19-international-travel

If he's getting the train from Amsterdam to Paris there won't be any border control, no.

Well I have just spoken to a testing centre in Amsterdam and they can do a test for him. But I think he should be ok with just 2 vaccinations- his certificate says it has expired though and it's not clear if that is the same for minors. Thanks for all the advice. I was already anxious about this trip (planned when it looked more optimistic on the covid front!) and I had completely forgotten that he hadn't had the 3rd dose!

🙏Let's hope not!

There won't be border control, agreed, but at times throughout this outbreak there were certainly requirements for transport operators in Europe (airline, train, coach operators etc) to check Covid requirements were being complied with before allowing passengers to travel cross border or domestically.

However I really can't really see it being an issue ATM.

It's infuriating trying to find the info. I can't find the page any more that I used for our most recent travel which was only last month FFS

In fact I think it was that one linked, but that just says "vaccinated within the meaning of European regulations" which is totally useless unless they tell you what these "European regulations" are - which they don't.

OK I found this. It's for NL but says it applies to all EU:

"As of 6 April 2022 the validity of proof of vaccination for under-18s has changed. If you are under 18, proof that you completed your initial vaccination series is valid indefinitely within the EU/Schengen area. Some scanning software has not yet been updated to check this. You can always prove that you are under 18 using your passport or ID card."

Initial vaccination series = 2x jabs.

www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-certificate/covid-certificate-for-travel-within-europe