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No skiing (or drinking or eating) unless you're double-jabbed in CH?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I downloaded the CH Covid Certificate app a couple of weeks ago, but was waiting to scan a QR code so the 30 days would still be valid for the return.
Will this app still work, or is there a new one?

Also, will we need the new CH app if only transiting, or will the French one suffice at the airport?

Can't see the airport bars/restaurants turning away customers who only have the French or NHS app.
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ster wrote:
@telford_mike, is that using the new central system?


I don‘t think it makes any difference - the central system is just to make the application easier, i.e. one link for everyone. But from that link you still have to select a Canton so that they can direct your application appropriately, and it‘s clear that the actual approval and issuing of the certificate is still being done by the Cantons as before.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Gämsbock, oh right. Thought we were getting a all singing all dancing new system for our CHF30 rather than the old one behind a paywall. rolling eyes
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brianatab wrote:
I downloaded the CH Covid Certificate app a couple of weeks ago, but was waiting to scan a QR code so the 30 days would still be valid for the return.
Will this app still work, or is there a new one?


It‘s the same app. Nothing has changed there. But you can‘t just can a UK QR code unfortunately (well - you can try, and if it works, please let us know!) - but theoretically you need to apply for the official recognition.

Quote:
Also, will we need the new CH app if only transiting, or will the French one suffice at the airport?

Can't see the airport bars/restaurants turning away customers who only have the French or NHS app.


That‘s a good question. You don‘t need a the CH COVID certificate to enter or transit the country, any proof of vaccination is fine - so NHS is fine for this. But to enter a restaurant/bar in CH, you need a CH COVID certificate. I would have thought that a landside airport restaurant/bar is very much „in Switzerland“ and so would require the certificate. But there may well be a pragmatic solution in terms of takeaway or an outside seating area that allows them to still sell you stuff!
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@ster, I don‘t think so Sad. I think the 30 Fr. is unreasonable and I‘m pretty surprised the cantons heavily dependent on tourism haven‘t kicked up about it.
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I have just scanned my UK NHS QR codes into CH app, as I did with FR app.
I get a message "Certificate with invalid signature". French app scanned QR codes just fine.
From another forum, Swiss app can be read and OK in France, so hopefully it will work the other way round.
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Gämsbock wrote:
@ster, I don‘t think so Sad. I think the 30 Fr. is unreasonable and I‘m pretty surprised the cantons heavily dependent on tourism haven‘t kicked up about it.


There’s still time for some blow back. But at least it seems according to that earlier post that it won’t be needed on the slopes or lift.

If you know is it only given for the period you can show you are in the country with your accommodation booking? Is there a time limit on it so you need to renew or once you get it you’ve got it for good?
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@ster, I think once you‘ve got it you‘ve got it for the validity of your certificate (i.e. 1 year from second vaccine dose) but @telford_mike can maybe confirm.

I didn‘t find yesterday‘s announcement as positive as Blick have reported it - the association of Swiss ski lifts basically said they see no reason to introduce it on the ski lifts. But the ultimate decision lies with the Federal Council and they have said it is too early to decide about this.

See here:
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/covid-certificate-not-a-blanket-requirement-for-swiss-skiing/47039842

Quote:
Seilbahnen Schweiz said ski lift operators had agreed with the federal government and cantons not to introduce any new anti-Covid rules for the time being, although this could change depending on how the health situation develops.

Eating inside restaurants in ski resorts will still require a Covid certificate, as in the rest of the country. Ski enthusiasts will have to wear masks in ski lift cabins and keep their distance inside buildings, the association said.

This means that skiing in Switzerland would be possible this winter in many places without a Covid certificate. However, at least one Swiss ski resort has already announced that it will be compulsory. The Fideriser Heuberge resort in the southeastern canton of Graubunden requires a Covid certificate for all activities and operations in the entire ski area.

Shortly after the Seilbahnen Schweiz announcement, Patrick Mathys of the FOPH called it "presumptuous", saying that it was up to the federal government and not the ski lift operators to take such a decision. He told the press on Tuesday that the government was in contact with the ski lift operators and other concerned actors and that "we will see how the situation evolves at the time".
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Has anyone figured this in relation to 16-18 YO kids who HMG are only vaccinating once at the moment??
My twins have both had a single dose. Whats the Swiss policy on this?
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Gämsbock wrote:
@ster, I think once you‘ve got it you‘ve got it for the validity of your certificate (i.e. 1 year from second vaccine dose) but @telford_mike can maybe confirm.



That’s correct - 365 days from date of second jab.
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Just seen on another thread that Ms C, being UK-based Irish, can get an Irish EU covid certificate for jabs done in UK, which should be valid in CH, thus saving CHF30.
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@brianatab, why not? They do everywhere else in CH.

@Gämsbock, thats how i read it too. Bund very clear its their call.
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@Gämsbock, @telford_mike, thanks both. Makes sense now I think about it.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@telford_mike, Thank you for your very helpful updates - we both applied (seemingly just in time!) using the Valais URL and the transfer code from the Swiss Covid Cert app and the certificates worked very successfully in Switzerland last week (validity is until the day before the 2nd jab anniversary).
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
caughtanedge wrote:
Just seen on another thread that Ms C, being UK-based Irish, can get an Irish EU covid certificate for jabs done in UK, which should be valid in CH, thus saving CHF30.


That should work fine. EU certs are perfectly ok here.
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The UK Government website for travel to Switzerland now has the info about the CHF30 charge Swiss Covid Certicate

Quote:
Until 24 October, foreign vaccination certificates, including NHS certificates, will be valid for access to events or facilities requiring a COVID certificate until 24 October. From 25 October, you will need to have a Swiss COVID certificate or an EU Digital COVID Certificate for entry to such events or facilities.

Anyone who has been fully vaccinated outside of Switzerland with a vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency can obtain a Swiss COVID certificate. This includes the vaccines that are available in the UK: AstraZeneca, Pfizer - BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen. You will need to apply online to obtain this certificate. It is recommended that you submit your application 2 weeks before your arrival in Switzerland. Non-residents will have to pay a CHF 30 fee.
[End Quote]

So it seems to me that UK based visitors to Switzerland who have been vaccinated have to pay the CHF30 fee, unless and until the UK joins the EU Digital COVID Certificate scheme (it has been mooted that there are ongoing discussions about that, but nothing has been announced yet).

I see it's been stated above that the Swiss COVID Certificate is valid for a year from the date of the 2nd jab. Does anyone know if you have a booster jab 6 months after the 2nd jab (as the UK Government is calling for people to get) does that reset the date so that the Certificate is valid for a year after the booster?
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It would be great if someone in CH with UK jabs could get the French TousAntiCovid app, scan their NHS QR codes, and wave that in front of a Swiss scanner and establish if it works??
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
colinstone wrote:
It would be great if someone in CH with UK jabs could get the French TousAntiCovid app, scan their NHS QR codes, and wave that in front of a Swiss scanner and establish if it works??


Tried it. It doesn’t.
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Alastair Pink wrote:
The UK Government website for travel to Switzerland now has the info about the CHF30 charge Swiss Covid Certicate

Quote:
Until 24 October, foreign vaccination certificates, including NHS certificates, will be valid for access to events or facilities requiring a COVID certificate until 24 October. From 25 October, you will need to have a Swiss COVID certificate or an EU Digital COVID Certificate for entry to such events or facilities.

Anyone who has been fully vaccinated outside of Switzerland with a vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency can obtain a Swiss COVID certificate. This includes the vaccines that are available in the UK: AstraZeneca, Pfizer - BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen. You will need to apply online to obtain this certificate. It is recommended that you submit your application 2 weeks before your arrival in Switzerland. Non-residents will have to pay a CHF 30 fee.


So could you apply now before 25 Oct and avoid the fee?
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@ster, here’s the link.

https://covidcertificate-form.admin.ch/form

The fee is already payable. It’s still worth doing though.
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Alastair Pink wrote:
....... unless and until the UK joins the EU Digital COVID Certificate scheme (it has been mooted that there are ongoing discussions about that, but nothing has been announced yet)....


...sounds a perfectly sensible thing to do, countries all getting together to work out a common scheme to make life easier for everyone.
Wait a minute, who makes the rules for the EU scheme....? Who?! No, we can't accept taking rules where we have no say in their making, when we're an Independent Sovereign Nation!

Sorry, Thread Drift Alert....
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@Alastair Pink, you asked a question at the end of your post that I am interested in the answer to. What about the booster dose? Both my wife and I have a Swiss Covid Certificate from the 24/9/21, just after they were released and still free! Her's expires in January and mine at the beginning of March, both before the end of the skiing season. We are now jabbed with the booster dose, which is in effect our 4th exposure because we were PCR positive in 2020. How do we get this anniversary of the booster recognised on the Swiss App. Interestingly the NHS App does record the boosters yet and they were 2 weeks ago so that is clearly the first hurdle. Oh and by the way we were vaccinated very early because we look after COVID positive patients not because we are octogenarians, although they too may have a desire to ski at least a couple of times this coming season.
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telford_mike wrote:
@ster, here’s the link.

https://covidcertificate-form.admin.ch/form

The fee is already payable. It’s still worth doing though.


bug. I’ll just wait now as I think you need an upload of your accommodation booking (?) which I don’t have yet but could have got one sharpish if it meant I could apply for a pass before the charge came into effect.
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Looking for some clarity on the above, does anyone have recent real world experience:

In Chamonix at the moment, travelling back to UK on Saturday via GVA. Have a SwissTours bus booked fron Chx to GVA. 2no adults, double jabbed in UK with AZ, 1no 15yr old, not jabbed but will have tested in France late today (so less than 72hrs before bus to GVA, ergo will have current French PS on TAC).

Spoke to a friend who did same on 23rd and given his experience assumed was good to go. SwissTours asked for nothing (not even ticket), at GVA his TAC was scanned for PS at entry to airport, at security, and at gate before boarding.

But with the info above about changes on 25th!!

15yr old - ok, all good, current PS from test will work to board SwissTours if asked, and once in CH my understanding is as under 16 she needs nadda.

Adults - SwissTours if they ask will be happy with PS on TAC. What about GVA???? Will we get into airport even with a PS on TAC but generated from a QR from UK vac cert?

I know several folk all leaving on Sat via GVA to various UK airports. Will any of us get in??

Help! Any info on process at GVA since 25th would be great.

PS if we do get into GVA I'ld like to go into the lounge as usual, but that's small beer in comparison to getting home!
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@midgetbiker, I can't speak with certainty on the uk angle but aiui if it's on your TAC the Swiss will be happy enough.
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@midgetbiker, there are confusingly different rules for entry to Switzerland vs entry to bars, restaurants etc in Switzerland. For the former your NHS app proof of vaccination is fine. For the latter you need a Swiss or EU issued COVID certificate. However, my experience of Swiss (Basel/Zürich) Airports has been that once you are airside they don’t ask for your certificate at any restaurants etc.

I don’t see any issue with entry to or flying from GVA as you are all vaccinated/tested. Maybe small possibility that you can’t use the lounge. I don’t see why the bus would be an issue especially if you’ve loaded your NHS certificates into TAC.
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@under a new name, Thx, I'm hoping that's true but would really like some real world experience since the 25th. It was said (either on this thread or elsewhere in sHds) that a UK vax cert QR is rejected in CH even if is read after being imported into the TAC app.
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@Gämsbock, cheers.

I'm hoping your right. I'm just a bit concerned that my mate who left last weekend had to scan TAC as he entered the airport, went into a resto and at the boarding gate. He was fine as this was before the 25th. IF our UK cert (even via TAC) didn't work we'd be at GVA but unable to enter the airport.

I'm in Bonneville on Thursday, I'm a bit tempted to drive onto GVA in the car and see if I can scan into the airport as a test.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@midgetbiker, above my paygrade I'm afraid.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@midgetbiker, no idea if this would work but
swiss covid cert checker
may be worth trying...
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IF this is a problem (and it's still an IF) then three possible solutions:

Get CH cert by paying 30CHF, but it looks like the timelines are too tight now.
Get LFD test at pharmacy in Chx for the adults as well as the 15yr old, this generates a French TAC cert (not just a UK cert viewed through TAC) but I'm not sure if a test will suffice in CH as the text on the CH website quoted above says 'vax cert' specifically.
Enter GVA from the French side of the airport, but is it open again now, and will they want to scan as you transfer sides?

Not sure if any of the above are viable.
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@pieman666, thx, I'll try that now.
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@midgetbiker, from GVA website, Swiss COVID certificate only required for landslide restaurants, not entry to the airport or airside restaurants.

Quote:
Do I have to show a Covid certificate at the entrance to restaurants and cafés at Geneva Airport?

Following a decision by the Federal Council, all persons aged 16 and over must present a Covid certificate to enter restaurants and cafés in the landside area from 13 September 2021, including inside the Food Court area. The Covid certificate requirement does not apply to terraces (Food Court Terrace and Panorama Terrace) or to take-away restaurants.


This page documents the requirements for entry to Switzerland and also explains the difference between proof of vaccination vs COVID certificate and what you need them for.
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende.html#231667184
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@midgetbiker, note that @telford_mike tried the certificate conversion via the TAC and it did not work but also note the BAG link above by which you don’t need it (unless visiting a landslide restaurant is critical).
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@Gämsbock, you're a star.
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@midgetbiker, Little Angel
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Gämsbock wrote:
@midgetbiker, note that @telford_mike tried the certificate conversion via the TAC and it did not work but also note the BAG link above by which you don’t need it (unless visiting a landslide restaurant is critical).


I also just tried this, using a fresh NHS cert, into TAC (which said all good) but then checked vis the Swiss checker linked to above. The checker came back that the cert did not have a valid sig. So that is good for folk to know in regard to general access to bars/restos etc.

All a moot point for us though as the CH Gov website info you link to means we are ok.

Thx all for the help, I shall disseminate to those others leaving this weekend.
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@Gämsbock, actually now I've had time to absorb the info I have to say it's still equivocal. The quote (which actually I'd read before) says you need to cert for landside restos etc, but nothing linked to says you don't need a cert to enter airport (I know it's sort of there by implication, but consequences are not good if it's not true). Real world experience says that a few days ago my mate was asked for his pass in order to get through the airport doors. He was fine at the time as it was pre 25th, but if the same happens to us now then we won't be.

I know we can enter CH, but can we enter GVA?


Last edited by After all it is free Go on u know u want to! on Wed 27-10-21 10:22; edited 1 time in total
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midgetbiker wrote:
Gämsbock wrote:
@midgetbiker, note that @telford_mike tried the certificate conversion via the TAC and it did not work but also note the BAG link above by which you don’t need it (unless visiting a landslide restaurant is critical).


I also just tried this, using a fresh NHS cert, into TAC (which said all good) but then checked vis the Swiss checker linked to above. The checker came back that the cert did not have a valid sig. So that is good for folk to know in regard to general access to bars/restos etc.


Thanks very much for checking this and reporting back; several people have been wondering about this recently including me for an upcoming visitor.
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To summarise:

I know we are ok entering CH (done it several times since Covid) and will do a CH PLF even though only transiting for very limited period.

I know we are no good in regular CH bars and restos (including landside at GVA).

Despite being 99% sure we are ok entering GVA I cannot get 100% certainty, despite reading the links above and also reading the various scenarios on the GVA page here:

https://www.gva.ch/en/Site/Passagers/Questions-Reponses-FAQ/COVID-19#f25ae348-3fe8-4e48-a6ef-58737d308f6c

The very fact that despite all the scenarios listed entry into GVA building isn't covered makes me think we'll be ok. For example if you were in one of the groups who need to test at the airport then how would you do that if you couldn't get into the building?

Still 100% surety would be nice.
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