We are traveling to Europe this summer and starting our tour in Paris on July 12, 2021. We are all fully vaccinated. We would like to get an EU Digital COVID Certificate so that we can travel throughout the EU on the trains. I've read that French citizens use an app called "tousantidcovid" to get their QR code/ COVID certificate after vaccination.
Does anyone know the procedure for US citizens in Paris? Where do we get the certificate using our vaccination card? Is it a lengthy process?
The EU Digital Cerificate is for EU citizens (not US citizens).
https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en#what-is-the-eu-digital-covid-certificate
While initially only available to EU citizens, the idea is for EU Digital COVID Certificate to become available to non-EU third citizens in the near future, my guess is after the phase-in period July-August 2021, and will be up to individual member states to issue. Unfortunately, I am not sure if in time for your holiday plans this year.
There is no established protocol for those tested in the US to have their test results entered into the EU vaccination database. Vaccination cards are easily forged and it is unlikely that they alone will be accepted as proof of vaccination.
I am merely adding my voice to what Tocard said. A “plus one,” if you like.
Vaccination cards are already used as proof of vaccination in many countries so what you are saying is simply not true. OP- as long as you follow entry requirements into the country you are going to, you will not need a digital covid certificate. Whether that means a test or proof of vaccination or any other restrictions, as long as that is in order, you would be able to travel the trains between the countries you want to visit.
Those familiar with the Anticovid app and the EU digital Covid certificate understand that these tools are not the same as what one might use for entry into the Schengen zone.
While France currently allows those with only CDC cards into the country, the pass sanitaire or digital certificate is required for entry into concerts, sports events, or anywhere crowds assemble. The digital certificate could potentially be required for entry into France if infection rates once again climb.
what you are saying is simply not true.
Sorry -- Tocard and i know what we are talking about.
The OP asked about getting a French digital certificate from the CDC card. It simply isn't possible.
So far, French authorities have been accepting the CDC card as proof of vaccination to enter France.
But you can NOT "convert" the card into a digital European certificate.
As to a separate question -- whether the CDC card will be accepted in lieu of the health pass at events with more than 1,000 people -- a friend of mine tried to go to a sporting event with her CDC card and was turned away. She could have entered if she had had a negative Covid test downloaded with the health pass.
Will things vary as the summer goes on? Maybe.
All i know for now is a zero-for-one attempt (outside of the question of whether you can enter France with just a CDC card -- the answer there is clearly yes).
Some US states have databases containing names of those vaccinated, names entered at the time of vaccination. The possibility exists that individual states could arrange with the EU to have their databases merged into the EU database, qualifying their citizenry for the pass sanitaire, similar to the way in which some states have their driver's license database referenced to the French license database allowing reciprocity.
However, I am not familiar with any current effort to merge vaccination databases.
Tocard is correct. Wisconsin has a state immunization site from which you can download or print a list of all immunizations you have had recently including Covid vaccines. It is on state of Wisconsin letterhead, contains ID info on you and much more official than the totally worthless CDC card you got at Covid vaccine time (maybe too much personal information that other people might see). Not to say it has any legal standing at this point but looks like the way to go if there will be no federal documentation accepted nationwide (the " national vaccination passport" is mired in all sorts of political turmoil).
California has a similar digital vaccine record that residents can apply for.
I have a copy of my state health record, too, in English. Big whoop.
It won't generate a QR code. The QR code comes from the nationalized healthcare system. If you aren't in the system and haven't been vaccinated via that system, it won't generate a code. How would QR codes be given? To people there for the weekend? To those staying a week? Two weeks?
Further, the French government requires translations by French government-certified translators for every other legal document; that's not going to happen here.
Some of us, which includes French citizens, do have French healthcare numbers and cards but were vaccinated outside the country. I don't think even we will be getting QR codes unless we go to our local healthcare administration offices, and even then, we'll be told c'est compliqué and asked to return a few times with different documents.
The Tousanticovid app was updated on the 22nd to conform with an EU wide format. QR codes generated within other EU countries should also display in this app which was the overall objective - a EU common standard for vaccination confirmation.
English is still an official language of the EU, integrating US state databases seems possible.
Dream on if you think U.S. state governments are going to give foreign governments access to their records so you can take a Rick Steves tour. Its not going to happen. A good hacker, given this type of access, can then go in to any computer in the government it wants. Its almost like giving them a key to the front door.
Remember, it's not just Americans who want to travel in Europe: Canadians, Japanese, Chinese, Africans, other Asians, Aussies, Kiwis, etc. etc etc. Are all of these countries going to open their computers up to every EU country? And remember, information can flow both ways.
What the EU might do is come up with a a "Tourist" Green card/Covid Certificate. Anyone from outside the EU, will fill out a form online that will then generate some type of QR code. A website, an app or even a printed form that could be handed in upon arrival. Something like what they are setting up for ETIAS but more Covid related.
I know what you are thinking......that could be faked. Everything could be faked.
The whole point of the EU (and its individual member countries) using these digital passes is because only healthcare professionals can enter the original information into them, and the systems can therefore provide verifiable proof that a person was vaccinated.
Any one of us with a little bit of photoshop and any card stock roughly similar to the CDC card could make as many “CDC proof” cards as we wanted.
Any one of us with a little bit of photoshop and any card stock roughly similar to the CDC card could make as many “CDC proof” cards as we wanted.
True, but there's an easier and cheaper way for an American to get a CDC card. Get vaccinated. I guess people in countries where vaccines are difficult to get might be happy to get a CDC card. But what happens when they show up at immigration control and present their CDC card and a passport from, say, an Asian country?
My point was that the French authorities have no idea if a CDC card is authentic or not. Not that one should be faking a card, or not getting vaccinated.
The ease with which one could create a fraudulent paper so-called proof of vaccination is exactly why all these European countries have come up with this QR code system. In order that there be verifiable information on which the item is based.
