Facts on the EU Digital COVID Certificate

As the Schengen countries continue their individual efforts to vaccinate their domestic populations, the European Union has launched the EU Digital COVID Certificate. Known alternatively as the “EU Vaccine Passport” and the “Green Certificate,” the travel aid continues to be accessible to EU citizens and residents of the 27-state strong block. Launched by the European Commission with the goal of aiding free movement throughout the zone, the official EU Digital COVID certificate allows individuals to display proof of having been vaccinated (among other proofs of immunity). Individuals who obtain what is essentially a government-issued coronavirus certificate can use it to bypass country-specific travel restrictions and entry requirements imposed throughout the zone by other Member States. Keep reading to find out more basic facts about the EU Digital COVID Certificate, including how it works, how much it costs, and how to obtain it.  

Basic facts about EU Digital COVID Certificate

• 1. The EU Digital COVID Certificate shows that the holder has evidence of one of the following: vaccination, COVID recovery, or negative test result.
  • Even though the Digital Covid Certificate is known as the “EU vaccine passport” it doesn’t exclusively show evidence that the holder is vaccinated. 
  • But how can unvaccinated citizens get the certificate? If you haven’t been vaccinated, you can still carry the certificate, provided you have evidence that you recently recovered from coronavirus OR that you currently test negative for the disease. As long as you have evidence of one of these three conditions, you may obtain the certificate.  
• 2. The coronavirus certificate is digital in form.
  • While you can obtain a physical copy of it, most citizens will access the certificate online, either through a website or application. 
  • The certificate has a QR code, which can be scanned by the relevant authorities. Additionally, bears the holder’s digital signature. 
• 3. The certificate displays the following facts: 
  • Basic biographical info (name, birthdate). 
  • Person-specific identifying number. 
  • EU Digital COVID certificate activation date.
  • Information about your COVID status (either vaccinated, immune due to prior infection, or currently negative test status). 
• 4. The Digital COVID Certificate verifies the individual electronic imprints of the hospital, medical facility, or other national vaccine-issuing entity where the holder obtained his or her vaccine. In this way, the certificate is verified as authentic by the respective EU member state that is scanning it.
• 5. The personal information presented on your EU Digital COVID Certificate is secure.
  • When your digital certificate is scanned by the relevant authorities of the foreign country you are entering, your personal information is not transferred to any sort of data base (i.e. it is not kept by the country you are trying to enter). Instead, that country simply checks whether the certificate is valid. 
• 6. When your certificate is scanned, the individual QR code is verified, proving that the information provided on the certificate is legitimate.
• 7. The EU Digital COVID Certificate is offered by individual European countries.
  • How can citizens get the certificate? The certificate is available through country-specific applications and websites. For example, if you are French, you can obtain the EU Digital COVID certificate by downloading the mobile application “TousAntiCovid” from various mobile app stores. 
• 8. The EU Digital Certificate is available to all EU citizens and residents.
  • You don’t need to be an EU citizen in order to access the green certificate—anyone who is legally residing in the zone can access it as well.   
• 9. The EU Digital Certificate can also be access by citizens and residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
• 10. The EU “vaccine passport” is 100% free.
  • The European Commission is offering the EU Digital Certificate for free; there is no cost to access the certificate online—the various national apps are also available for download for free. 
• 11. The certificate is accessible in English and in the national language(s) of whatever country you obtain it from.
  • If you are a French citizen or resident, you will obtain the French language version of the EU Digital COVID certificate (or, alternatively, the English version, as all the European states are currently offering it in English as well). 
• 12. There are multiple ways to use the certificate including the following: 
  • You can use the certificate in order to avoid being tested for COVID. 
  • You can use the certificate to avoid being quarantined upon arrival in an EU country. For example, some countries, like France, require unvaccinated individuals arriving from certain countries to self-isolate for a week after entering French territory. However, if you have the EU Digital COVID Certificate, you are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate, and need only obtain the sworn declaration via the French Ministry of the Interior.   
• 13. Only certain vaccines are recognized by the EU Digital COVID Certificate.
  • In order for you to be recognized as fully vaccinated, you must have a vaccine that is officially accepted by the EU. These include Moderna, BioNTech and Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. 
  • If you received the Sputnik vaccine or another vaccine not mentioned above, you may not be recognized as fully vaccinated. For help figuring out whether your vaccination status entitles you to an EU Digital COVID Certificate, contact us here. 
• 14. You can receive a Digital COVID Certificate even if you are not fully vaccinated.
  • If you get a single shot of a vaccine that requires two or more doses, you can still obtain a Digital covid certificate. However, the certificate that you receive will show that you have only received a single dose of your shot, meaning that, while you will have a certificate, you will not be able to use it to circumvent any entry restrictions. It is only when you are fully vaccinated (and your certificate shows evidence of this) that you will be able to use your certificate to bypass COVID restrictions. 
• 15. The Digital COVID Certificate is available to people of all ages, including children.
  • Children as young as 12 can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, meaning that they can also obtain the Digital COVID Certificate.
  • If your child is too young to be vaccinated, he or she could also theoretically be tested for COVID-19 or have proof of having previously been infected with the virus (both conditions which can be displayed by the digital certificate). 
• 16. In the future, the EU Digital COVID Certificate will likely become available to non-EU citizens and residents.
  • At the moment, EU Digital COVID Certificate activation is limited to residents and citizens of EU Member States. However, there has been talk of expanding the scope of the certificate and including foreign (non-EU/non-Schengen) travelers. That hasn’t happened yet, but it likely will happen going forward on a country-specific basis.