EU COVID Digital Certificate: what is it, how and where to order the European vaccination “passport”?


The EU Digital COVID Certificate, commonly known as COVID passport, will enter into force this Thursday, July 1 in all member states. In this way, the EU hopes that, little by little, normality in the movement between countries will be restored.

And although there are already pilot programs in many Autonomous Communities to start granting it, you may still not know exactly what this accreditation is about. Can I travel with it? Can I ask for it if I am not vaccinated? Does it cost anything? In ConsumoClaro we have summarized the main keys of this new document that, among other things, hopes to be a first step towards the old normality.

What exactly is the Certificate?

It is an official document that certifies that a person is either vaccinated or has passed the COVID-19, or has tested negative in a PCR test. In other words, and in the words of the commission itself, it is a certificate “of vaccination, diagnostic test and recovery”.

Is it free?

Yes, according to the European Commission, all member states must offer the COVID Certificate completely free of charge.

Who can ask for it?

Anyone within the European territory, including children.

What are the requirements to obtain a COVID Certificate?

Depending on the type of accreditation, there are different requirements:

  • Of vaccination: the person must have received any of the, so far, four vaccines approved by the EU -Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen-. The Certificate reflects whether the full regimen has been administered or is in process.
  • Diagnostic test: having obtained a negative result in an antigen test in the last 48 hours or in a PCR test in the last 72 hours.
  • Recovery: tested positive on a PCR test more than eleven days ago, but less than six months ago.

What does the Certificate consist of?

Both in digital and paper format, the COVID passport has a QR code that, when scanned, allows access to the accreditation. This QR code also has a digital signature to avoid forgery.

In addition to the code and signature, the Certificate will have “the necessary data”, i.e. full name, date of birth, the issuer of the certificate and an identifier. Depending on the case, it will also show:

  • Accreditation of vaccination: the type of vaccine, its manufacturer, the number of doses administered and the date of each jab.
  • Accreditation of diagnosis: the type of test, the date, time and place it was performed and the result (positive or negative).
  • Accreditation of recovery: date of a PCR test result and the period of validity.

The European Commission provides a basic design template.

Is it a prerequisite for travel?

It is not a passport as such, since, according to the official vaccination website of the Spanish Government, “it does not condition or restrict the right to free movement” within the borders of the European Union. The purpose of this document is to facilitate the travel process “avoiding possible controls such as quarantines or additional tests”.

This point is especially emphasized by the European Commission, which states: “having been vaccinated will not constitute a prerequisite for travel […] the objective of the EU Digital COVID Certificate is to facilitate free movement, but it does not constitute an impediment”.

How long is the document valid?

The European COVID Certificate has a validity period that varies according to the type of accreditation:

  • For vaccination: “no maximum validity” is foreseen for this case.
  • Diagnostic test: between 48 and 72 hours, depending on the Member State.
  • Recovery: the maximum period is 180 days.

What will happen to all personal data?

The personal medical data will continue to “belong to the Member State that has issued” the COVID Certificate, that is to say, the country we visit will not keep our medical information. In addition, as indicated by the European Commission, within the database available to EU members -to consult the QR-, will not allow information to be exchanged between them.

How can I ask for it?

From the official website of the Ministry of Health you can request the COVID Digital Certificate. There, we will be asked for the Digital Certificate or the access through Cl@ve (the permanent key), if we do not have any of the two options we will need the Autofirma program.

You can also apply directly to each Autonomous Community, either through the website or the official app:

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