Article: Europe Doesn’t Recognise Australian Vaccination Certificates

[Duffa]

Thanks! I guess that's the only option. Although I hear finding a pharmacist in france sometimes takes a couple of goes. I wonder if GPs in Italy are similar. And I wonder if this still applies since the new policy came into play.

That was not our experience last week. Pretty much any French pharmac_ will happily relieve of your 36 Euros for an EU Covid pass!

 

[flyingchicken]

That was not our experience last week. Pretty much any French pharmac_ will happily relieve of your 36 Euros for an EU Covid pass!

That's great to hear. Pity we've got 3 weeks in Italy before we get to France. Sounds like it would have been easier going the other way for us.

 

[jrfsp]

Dont expect reciprocity anytime soon...Dutton on Sky News critical of Europe's response to Russia

Reported by ABC

 

[burmans]

Dont expect reciprocity anytime soon...Dutton on Sky News critical of Europe's response to Russia

Reported by ABC

Picking fights with everyone at the moment!

 

[SYD]

That's great to hear. Pity we've got 3 weeks in Italy before we get to France. Sounds like it would have been easier going the other way for us.

Some updates on Italy. Not sure if this is any better/worse for AU Covid cert….

Italy Relaxes Entry Requirements On March 1, 2022

Italy relaxes entry requirements on March 1, 2022, and vaccination against Covid-19 is no longer mandatory to enter,

loyaltylobby.com

 

[SYD]

Any recent experiences in Germany getting Oz -> EU certificate at a pharmac_ etc?

The German embassy in Australia says to do there conversion once in country but no guarantees as they don’t have a formal process…

Coronavirus / Covid-19: FAQ

Please be advised that the information provided below is subject to change and no liability assumed. Travellers should keep themselves informed of any changes by regularly checking websites listed…

australien.diplo.de

We’re going to Berlin in April and pondering options now that the Swiss tourist method is closed and we’re not planning on ”staying” in Geneva in the meantime. Kicking myself I didn’t apply at the time this thread started but we consciously waited until after our booster - alas getting Omicron for Christmas delayed that . Actually, I thought about getting the free FR pass when it first opened last year….regrets…

The article at post #179 suggested that some of the restrictions might be gone by the end of March anyway but if they’re not and we can’t get into anything without an EU pass, a Plan B (another destination) is required!

Alternatively, we’re in the UK for a few weeks first and while there’s no requirement for a pass there, what are the Brits doing when they travel within the EU? Is there a way to get into their equivalent system?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Any recent experiences in Germany getting Oz -> EU certificate at a pharmac_ etc?

The German embassy in Australia says to do there conversion once in country but no guarantees as they don’t have a formal process…

Coronavirus / Covid-19: FAQ

Please be advised that the information provided below is subject to change and no liability assumed. Travellers should keep themselves informed of any changes by regularly checking websites listed…

australien.diplo.de

We’re going to Berlin in April and pondering options now that the Swiss tourist method is closed and we’re not planning on ”staying” in Geneva in the meantime. Kicking myself I didn’t apply at the time this thread started but we consciously waited until after our booster - alas getting Omicron for Christmas delayed that . Actually, I thought about getting the free FR pass when it first opened last year….regrets…

The article at post #179 suggested that some of the restrictions might be gone by the end of March anyway but if they’re not and we can’t get into anything without an EU pass, a Plan B (another destination) is required!

Alternatively, we’re in the UK for a few weeks first and while there’s no requirement for a pass there, what are the Brits doing when they travel within the EU? Is there a way to get into their equivalent system?

I think post 22 might be the most "recent"

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/page-2#post-2336095

and previous to that post 12

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/#post-2336022

post 48 and 55 talk about a Germany specific app Luca

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/page-3#post-2336971

 

[SYD]

I think post 22 might be the most "recent"

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/page-2#post-2336095

and previous to that post 12

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/#post-2336022

post 48 and 55 talk about a Germany specific app Luca

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/threads/article-europe-doesn’t-recognise-australian-vaccination-certificates.103150/page-3#post-2336971

Yeah, I saw those. I meant to mention that peeps had mentioned the pharmac_ route in Germany but it doesn’t seem to get as much mention here as France.

It want entitle clear if the “Luca” app was official or 3rd party… Presumably you could use any EU app once you have a QR code?

 

[11sjw]

Definitely watching the "Italy" part of this thread with interest. Booked for December this year.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all… I thought this issue was discussed somewhere but I can’t seem to find the thread… does the Aussie vaccine certificate work across passports for dual citizens? I know I can attach or reference my Aussie passport with the certificate, but if I need to enter another country on my other passport?

 

[Telemachus]

Hi all… I thought this issue was discussed somewhere but I can’t seem to find the thread… does the Aussie vaccine certificate work across passports for dual citizens? I know I can attach or reference my Aussie passport with the certificate, but if I need to enter another country on my other passport?

A few of us have ventured down this rabbit-hole. Short(-ish) answer is that you can obtain more than one ICVC via the AIR, each one linked to different passports you may hold. But it still can’t be done online through MyGov except for Australian passports and for foreign passports containing an Australian visa: for dual citizens you have to ring up the AIR, jump through various ID verification hoops on the phone and wait for a paper copy of the ICVC linked to your foreign passport to arrive in the post.

When I described my experience of doing this another AFF member asked ‘why would you?’. My answer was that the Australian Government had designed the system this way so I was doing what seemed to be expected in order to (in my case) enter the UK on a UK passport while submitting an ICVC carrying the same UK passport number. But in truth I suspect it may not matter i.e. you would be fine as a dual citizen using your foreign passport to enter that country, in conjunction with an ICVC showing your Australian passport number. I expect someone will be along shortly to confirm that this has worked for them.

For some of the previous discussion see my posts #11,990 and #12,023 in this thread.

 

[Telemachus]

Alternatively, we’re in the UK for a few weeks first and while there’s no requirement for a pass there, what are the Brits doing when they travel within the EU? Is there a way to get into their equivalent system?

Yes, the UK NHS Covid Pass (Travel version) is recognised as equivalent to the EU DCC because the UK has joined the EU Gateway scheme which means reciprocity not only between the EU27 but also 33 other countries that have signed up. For ease of use the Covid Pass can be uploaded into various EU country apps such as the French TAC.

However, it’s not simple to convert your Australian ICVC into an NHS Covid Pass and most Australians won’t qualify. Prerequisites are to have a UK address, be registered with a UK GP, and have an NHS number and login. The scheme to register foreign vaccinations in NIMS (UK equivalent of our AIR) is not designed for tourists but for UK citizens/residents who happen to have received one or more of their jabs outside the UK. Worse, you can't complete the registration remotely: you have to make an appointment to attend at one of only 16 designated vaccination centres in England (there may be more by now: it only started from 9/12/21) and then wait between 3 days and 4 weeks for various databases to be populated before the international travel version of the Covid Pass is accessible within the NHS app. See link here.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A few of us have ventured down this rabbit-hole. Short(-ish) answer is that you can obtain more than one ICVC via the AIR, each one linked to different passports you may hold. But it still can’t be done online through MyGov except for Australian passports and for foreign passports containing an Australian visa: for dual citizens you have to ring up the AIR, jump through various ID verification hoops on the phone and wait for a paper copy of the ICVC linked to your foreign passport to arrive in the post.

When I described my experience of doing this another AFF member asked ‘why would you?’. My answer was that the Australian Government had designed the system this way so I was doing what seemed to be expected in order to (in my case) enter the UK on a UK passport while submitting an ICVC carrying the same UK passport number. But in truth I suspect it may not matter i.e. you would be fine as a dual citizen using your foreign passport to enter that country, in conjunction with an ICVC showing your Australian passport number. I expect someone will be along shortly to confirm that this has worked for them.

For some of the previous discussion see my posts #11,990 and #12,023 in this thread.

Thanks! I shall read the previous discussion in those posts you linked.

But it sounds like I could in theory enter the USA and UK on my UK passport, and have my Aussie passport + vaccine certificate to show separately?

I will try for the paper copy, but with Australia post it may take a while to get here.

 

[Anna]

you would be fine as a dual citizen using your foreign passport to enter that country

Well not always. Not if a visa is required in the foreign passport, and not if you want to stay longer than visa-free tourist entry would permit. Also some countries require citizens to enter on that passport, eg USA require their citizens to enter USA on their US passport and will refuse to issue a visa to enter the US on any other passport (as non US citizen parents of US-born children find out when they want to have the whole family enter the US on the same citizenship and not get separated at immigration).

 

[jrfsp]

Thanks! I shall read the previous discussion in those posts you linked.

But it sounds like I could in theory enter the USA and UK on my UK passport, and have my Aussie passport + vaccine certificate to show separately?

I will try for the paper copy, but with Australia post it may take a while to get here.

Likely for the USA you will need your international vaccine cert linked to the same passport that your ESTA / Visa is on.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well not always. Not if a visa is required in the foreign passport, and not if you want to stay longer than visa-free tourist entry would permit. Also some countries require citizens to enter on that passport, eg USA require their citizens to enter USA on their US passport and will refuse to issue a visa to enter the US on any other passport (as non US citizen parents of US-born children find out when they want to have the whole family enter the US on the same citizenship and not get separated at immigration).

I think the reference to foreign passport meant ‘local passport’… ie you could use your foreign (uk) passport to enter the UK together with your Aussie passport + vaccination certificate on the side.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Likely for the USA you will need your international vaccine cert linked to the same passport that your ESTA / Visa is on

Gosh… what have i got myself in for? So complex to travel these days

I just had a look at the CDC website and it seems to suggest that a verifiable vaccination record is good as long as it has at least one matching element with the passenger… such as DOB or passport information. So it seems the vaccination certificate can be linked or attached elsewhere, as long as the identity of the person is clear.

 

[jrfsp]

Gosh… what have. got myself in for? So complex to have to travel these days

I just had a look at the CDC website and it seems to suggest that a verifiable vaccination record is good as long as it has at least one matching element with the passenger… such as DOB or passport information. So it seems the vaccination certificate can be linked or attached elsewhere, as long as the identity of the person is clear.

For the sake of ease at the border id be doing it on the same one, least to avoid questions around dual passports / nationality. The Americans used to be a bit funny about that - not sure if still the case. Depends if you previously entered the country on the other passport

 

[Telemachus]

Well not always. Not if a visa is required in the foreign passport, and not if you want to stay longer than visa-free tourist entry would permit. Also some countries require citizens to enter on that passport, eg USA require their citizens to enter USA on their US passport and will refuse to issue a visa to enter the US on any other passport (as non US citizen parents of US-born children find out when they want to have the whole family enter the US on the same citizenship and not get separated at immigration).

From your reply I can see that my wording was ambiguous. When I wrote ‘you would be fine as a dual citizen using your foreign passport to enter that country’ I meant a non-Australian passport. The context of the discussion is whether it’s OK to enter the US or UK on a passport of one of those countries while using an ICVC that includes an Australian passport number. I am less knowledgeable about US immigration but am pretty confident it would be fine for UK entry – though in my own case as described I went to the trouble (perhaps unnecessarily) of obtaining a second ICVC showing my UK passport number.

I think most dual citizens are clear that as a general rule they should use their Australian passport to leave and enter Australia and their other passport(s) to enter and leave any other country for which they hold a passport.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For the sake of ease at the border id be doing it on the same one, least to avoid questions around dual passports / nationality. The Americans used to be a bit funny about that - not sure if still the case. Depends if you previously entered the country on the other passport

That’s the thing… I’m pretty much tied to an ESTA on my UK passport. The advice online suggests *not* getting multiple ESTAs across different nationalities.

The most recent ESTA application asked for all details of other passports anyway…