Last updated: 16/02/2022
Proving your vaccination status has become another item to tick off on your checklist when planning an overseas trip.
Many countries have eased border entry rules for travellers who can prove they’re fully vaccinated. For this critical purpose, international vaccination certificates issued by countries around the world, including Australia’s International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC), are widely accepted. All you need to do is make sure you meet your destination’s definition of fully vaccinated, as this may differ from Australia’s definition.
So your ICVC will allow you to leave Australia and enter your destination. But beyond the border is where things can get a little more complicated.
Some countries need proof of vaccination as a condition for using services such as public transport. They may also need it for entering restaurants, shops, theatres and other venues. This is often done through ‘vaccine passports’, which are issued by local authorities and linked to local smartphone apps, similar to Australia’s domestic COVID-19 Digital Certificate and state check-in systems.
These systems have generally been designed for local residents, not international travellers. If you’re just visiting a country for a short stay, you may not be able to get a local vaccine passport. And the local smartphone app might not be able to read the vaccination certificate you brought from Australia.
Australians are not alone in this. Apps used in Europe aren’t configured to read digital certificates from North America, and vice versa. The same applies to most certificates from Asian countries.
Governments around the world are working hard to iron out these issues. Some have already put workable digital solutions in place. But it will be some time yet before we’re moving around overseas countries as smoothly and conveniently as before the pandemic.
Vaccine passports aren’t an issue everywhere. In many countries, it’s enough just to show a printout of an Australian ICVC. In some countries, you only need to prove your vaccination status at large events. And many countries don’t require vaccine passports at all.
But rules can change quickly. It’s important to know the requirements of your destination and keep up to date so you don’t get caught out.
Travel to Europe
European countries have relatively widespread vaccination checks.
The local vaccine passport is the European Union’s Digital COVID Certificate (DCC), also known as a ‘Green Pass’.
EU apps that scan and verify DCCs haven’t been configured to read other certificates. Travellers with vaccination certificates from Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, India, Brazil and other locations can sometimes face difficulties. Australia is working with other countries to encourage the European Commission to address this.
In the meantime, individual European countries are taking steps to minimise inconvenience to travellers. Some will recognise a print-out of an Australian ICVC. Others will let you use your ICVC to apply for a local vaccine certificate, which may be recognised in other EU countries. Before travelling to any EU country, make sure to check what it will accept before you leave Australia.
Our embassies continue to advocate to streamline processes further with other governments, wherever travellers face difficulty accessing domestic services and venues. But understanding what the requirements of each country are before you travel there is the best way to avoid unexpected problems.
Before you travel
It’s your responsibility to know all the rules and requirements for Australia and all your destinations before you travel.
- Stay up to date with all of the latest proof of vaccination requirements by reading the travel advice for your destination and transit locations. Understand what your destination means by “fully vaccinated”.
- Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of the countries you plan to visit, to confirm what proof of vaccination is required.
- Check whether your airline has COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements.
- Read our step-by-step guide to travel during COVID-19 to find out what else you need to think about before you plan your trip.