Since Thailand, the steps to travel to France, Belgium or Switzerland

With the generalization of health passes in Europe, a return to the country for the holidays must prepare, at the risk of not being able to go to certain places.Overview of procedures.

As the holiday season approaches, many expatriates are preparing to return to Europe.This would have been only a detail before the start of the coronavirus epidemic requires a little more anticipation, especially since the number of cases of Sars-Cov-2 increases in Europe and thatSome countries impose new restrictions.In addition, many countries, including France, Belgium and Switzerland, have set up the need to have a health pass to go to certain places such as restaurants or to be able to participate in events.

Should expatriates in Thailand be vaccinated to return to Europe?

Currently, the European Union classifies Thailand in the list of countries in the orange zone.Consequently, vaccinated people can go without problem in the member countries of the European Union as well as in Switzerland.

Vaccines recognized in Europe are: Pfizer/Biontech, Moderna, Astrazeneca/Oxford, and Johnson and Johnson.The period of validity of a vaccination is 365 days From complete vaccination.

On the other hand, for non -vaccinated people, it is necessary to be able to produce an imperative reason to go to Europe.The French, Belgian or Swiss, their spouses and children, nationals of the European space, as well as their spouses and children with their main residence within the EU or who join, in transit by one of the countries member of theEU, their main residence in a country of European space or the country with which they have the nationality benefit From a de facto imperious reason.

It is also necessary to present to the transport company and to the border control authorities a negative PCR test dating From less than 72 hours before departure, - this deadline is reduced to 48 hours to enter France-, or a negative antigen test ofless than 48 hours before departure.Children under the age of twelve are exempt From testing.

Update: Faced with the omicron variant, France imposes PCR or antigenic tests of less than 48 hours for even vaccinated travelers From countries outside the European Union.Non-vaccinated travelers From an EU member country will also have to present a negative test of less than 24 hours.These measures will take effect on Saturday December 4, as announced by Gabriel Attal, spokesperson for the French government, this Wednesday, December 1.To read: COVID-19: France imposes compulsory tests on all travelers outside the EU

In France, the health pass from 12 years and two months

In France, the health pass is compulsory for people over 12 years and two months in order to be able to go to cafes, restaurants, retirement homes, medico-social establishments, as well as for plane trips, train and carFor long distance journeys.

French people or vaccinated tourists wishing to go to France must obtain a certificate of vaccination equivalence.This approach can only be done with a pharmacy recognized on French territory at a cost that cannot exceed 36 euros.

The list of pharmacies offering this service is available on the health site.Fr.

From December 15, people over 65 will have to prove to have received a third dose to obtain or keep their sanitary pass in case their 2nd dose (or single dose for janssen vaccines) dates from more than 7 months.On January 15, this will concern populations aged 18 to 64.

Once the equivalence certificate in hand, you must register on the "Simplified Approaches" site.In order to obtain the health pass and benefit from a QR code.The necessary documents are the vaccination certificate, an identity document and proof of residence abroad.

According to the diplomacy site.gouv.Fr, les demandes sont traitées en fonction de leur arrivée.Depending on the response time, it is also possible to obtain a 24-hour temporary sanitary pass generated by a healthcare professional following a negative result to a RT-PCR or antigen test.

It should be remembered that PCR tests are always free for vaccinated but paid people for others.The mask is also made compulsory even in places where the sanitary pass is necessary (such as cultural places, cinemas, concerts, restaurants or even Christmas markets).

To read: 3rd dose, sanitary pass ... which changes for expatriates who want to return to Christmas

In Belgium, the Covid Safe Ticket from 16 years old

People wishing to go to Belgium, whether vaccinated or not, must fill out the passenger location form (PLF).

For non -vaccinated people, in addition to carrying out a negative PCR test before boarding the plane from Thailand, a second PCR test should be carried out 7 days after arrival in Belgium and a quarantine period10 days should be observed.The forties can be lifted after a negative result of the second test which took place on the 7th day.

Pour se rendre dans les restaurants, bars ou assister à des événements, il est nécessaire de présenter un “Covid Safe Ticket”, l’équivalent du passe sanitaire Français, pour toutes personnes de plus de 16 ans.

Vaccinated people wishing to obtain the “COVVI SAFE TICKET” must present their proof of foreign vaccination and their identity document to a Belgian doctor to have them recorded in the Belgian database Vaccinet.It takes two days after recording to have access to your certificate via the COVIDSAFEBE application.From the moment the vaccination certificate is recorded on the site, it is possible to make a request to obtain the “COVVI SAFE TICKET”.

In the case of vaccination, the COVVI SAFE TICKET is valid for 1 year.It is also possible to obtain temporary certificates valid for 72 hours after a PCR test or 180 days with a healing certificate.

In Switzerland, the accessible sanitary pass with a serological test

People who are entirely vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by Switzerland or being considered as healed can enter free Switzerland and are not subject to any obligation except that of filling out the entrance form in Switzerland.

Non-vaccinated persons must present at the time of entry into Switzerland, the negative result of a COVVI-19 PCR test carried out within 72 hours preceding the trip or an antigenic test carried out within 48 hours preceding the trip.They must carry out a new PCR or antigenic test between the 4th and 7th day following the arrival in Switzerland and present the certificate in the canton.

As for Belgium, a COVVID certificate is necessary from the age of 16 in Switzerland to go to restaurants, bars, cinema, etc..To obtain it, the Swiss resident abroad and tourists are invited to fill out a form with information on vaccination received abroad, passport, address in Switzerland, proof of hotel reservation for tourists. Les démarches pour faire reconnaître la vaccination à l’étranger prennent 5 jours et coûtent 30 Francs suisse (28 euros).

For Swiss and EU residents, the COVVID certificate is valid for a year while it is only 30 days for tourists (except for the citizens of the EU where the period of validity is one year)).

It is also possible to obtain temporary certificates valid for 72 hours after a PCR test or 365 days with a healing certificate.

The Confederation also makes it possible to obtain a COVVID certificate, only valid in Switzerland for 90 days, with a positive serological test.Serological tests testifying to the presence of antibodies are paid and dependent on the person.They must be produced by a certified laboratory.

To find out exactly the conditions of input in Swiss according to your situation, if you are residents or tourists, Switzerland has developed a website that lists exactly the documents necessary to prepare: Travelcheck.

By Catherine Vanesse