The EUDCC Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) can be used for travel originating within the EUDCC and EEA (the EU, plus Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland). It is a standardised record of a medical event which took place in an EU country. Your EUDCC can be used in either digital or paper format. If you plan to travel abroad, you should check the testing and quarantining requirements of the country you are travelling to. The EUDCC is accepted throughout the EEA as proof that you have been vaccinated, tested or have recovered from COVID-19. However, EEA countries have their own restrictions and quarantine requirements.
Extended validity of the EUDCC digital COVID certificate :
Since 1 February 2022, EUDCC vaccine certificates for primary vaccination series will not be accepted for travel if more than 270 days (9 months) have passed since the final dose in the primary vaccine series. Vaccine certificates based on booster and additional doses are not time limited. From 6 March 2022, all COVID-19 travel restrictions are removed for travellers to Ireland. You no longer need to complete a passenger locator form European health pass. You also no longer need proof of vaccination or recovery, or a COVID-19 test. On 13 June 2022, the Council and the European Parliament agreed on the extension of the regulation establishing the EUDCC digital COVID certificate. On 28 June 2022, the Council adopted this regulation.
From when is the EUDCC digital COVID certificate active?
The EUDCC certificate is active from 1 July 2021 and is free. Initially valid for a period of one year only, on the 13 June 2022 the validity was extended for one more year, until 30 June 2023. From 1 February 2022 the acceptance period of the EUDCC digital COVID certificate which is Europe green pass, will be 9 months (270 days), starting from the date of administration of the last vaccine dose.
How do I obtain my EUDCC digital COVID certificate?
There are three ways to obtain an EUDCC digital COVID certificate:
- vaccination
- recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection
- tested negative for COVID-19
Note: Tests recognised under the certificate include Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) tests, such as RT-PCR tests, and rapid antigen tests (RAT). Travellers should always check the applicable rules, i.e. which test is accepted to waive free movement restrictions, at the points of transit and destination. Antibody testing is not recognised, though this may change after the system is launched.
EUDCC citizens who were vaccinated in a non-EU country can request the EUDCC digital COVID certificate from the member state of their nationality or residence. For further information, please address your member state of nationality or residence.
How does it work if I want to travel from outside the EUDCC?
According to the Council recommendation on non-essential travel into the EUDCC (last updated on 13 December 2022), no restrictions should be imposed for people travelling from non-EU countries to the EUDCC. However, the recommendation keeps some safeguards in case of a deteriorating epidemiological situation or appearance of a new variant of concern. Where the EUDCC is satisfied that a non-EU country issues certificates in compliance with standards and systems, which are interoperable with the EU system, the EUDCC can adopt a decision on the basis of which such non-EU country certificates would be accepted according to the same conditions as EUDCC. So far, a number of non-EU countries and territories joined the EUDCC digital COVID certificate system. This means that the certificates issued in those countries and territories are accepted in the EUDCC .
How can I arrange a Covid certificate for travel within Europe?
To be able to travel to other countries in the European Union/Schengen area, you sometimes need a Covid certificate (DCC). This can be based on a negative test result, proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from Covid-19. When travelling within the EU/Schengen area, you can present your Covid certificate using the CoronaCheck app. Follow these 6 steps to generate a Covid certificate (DCC) for travel within the EU/Schengen area.
EU Digital COVID Certificate Self Service Portal :
If you can’t find what you need or need additional help, you can call our Helpline on 1800 807 008 or +353 1 903 6437 from outside Ireland. The helpline opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. With the successful roll-out of booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines in Ireland, work is underway to issue EU Digital COVID Certificates reflecting these additional doses. Certificates will be issued from the 6th January 2022 to members of the public who have received a booster dose in Ireland, and the certificates will be delivered on a phased basis over the coming days. Please note EU regulations establishing a 9 month validity period on primary certificates of vaccination for travel within the EU will come into effect on the 1st of February.
Implementation :
The EUDCC is a digitally-signed document.[10] It is usually supplied in the form of a QR code, either contained in a PDF file, or as a printout. There are various mobile apps available to store and display the EUDCC (such as the Corona-Warn-App); alternatively, the EUDCC can be presented on paper. To check the validity of the EUDCC, a special software is required which scans the QR code and verifies the digital signature. Technically, the QR code contains JSON document with the information payload. This JSON document is serialised using Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR), and digitally signed according to CBOR Object Signing and Encryption (COSE). The resulting data is compressed with zlib and encoded into the final QR code.
