With the increasing uptake of vaccinations worldwide, governments are looking for a potential solution to restart international travel once more with the implementation of “vaccine passports”.
But what does that mean for you? Read on to learn more!
What is A “Vaccine Passport”?
While the regulations differ from country to country, the general concept of a vaccine passport are similar. It is essentially an official record (usually digital) to prove that the individual has been fully vaccinated, tested negative, or recovered recently from the virus.
The ideal state? That travellers with vaccine passports will no longer be required to get tested when entering borders or self-quarantine as per current requirements.
How Different Countries Have Adopted Vaccine Passports
Keen to travel in the near future? Make sure you check out the vaccine passport conditions for the particular country that you are looking to travel to.
To get you started, here are some of a few examples for reference:
Singapore:
As of 1 May 2021, Singapore’s health and border authorities have started to accept the International Air Travel Association (IATA)’s mobile travel pass for entry into the country.
The IATA Travel Pass acts as an authenticated digital health certificate that securely stores and shares information of the traveller’s pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test results to airlines as well as upon arrival in the destination country.
Learn more about how it works here.
Australia:
Australians who are fully vaccinated (with both doses of approved vaccines – Pfizer or AstraZeneca) will now have a COVID-19 digital certificate automatically generated on their Express Plus Medicare app.
While it is currently just proof of health, the Australian government is hoping that it offers an opportunity to open up domestic as well as international travel in the near future. Some of the plans underway include setting up a travel bubble based on a digital vaccine passport system between Australia and other countries like Singapore, New Zealand, and Fiji.
UK:
In the UK, the government has rolled out a proof of vaccination, termed the “NHS Covid Pass”. It is currently available to citizens via the NHS website or app.
Anyone who fulfils the specific conditions is allowed to request one via the system, one of which includes being fully vaccinated, two weeks after the second dose of approved vaccines (Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Janssen).
Currently, its application for travel include:
- Allowing individuals with the pass to avoid quarantine when returning from amber-list countries
- Being the authorized proof of vaccination for entry to up to 30 countries (check specific country entry requirements here)
The Future of Travel
Planning on relocating in the foreseeable future? Make sure you go through the due diligence to acquiring a valid vaccine passport to ensure a smooth process.
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For more interesting articles about international relocation tips and advice, check out our blog.
