Update on vaccination travel certificate
Date published:
The COVID Certification Service issues certificates for people travelling abroad, digitally via the ‘COVIDCert NI’ app, via pdf, and in print.
Since the service was launched on Friday 2 July, over 220,000 certificates have been issued to citizens in NI, supporting international travel.
Travel certificates are now being issued without any date restrictions. In addition, certificates now auto-renew once they reach expiry, without any need to re-apply.
If you are planning a holiday overseas at any time over the next 12 months, the advice is to apply now, ahead of any holiday season rush.
Dr Eddie O’Neill said: “Given the very strong demand for the certificates in the summer, we had to limit applications to prioritise those who were about to head off for their holidays.
“Such date restrictions no longer apply – anyone who wants a COVIDCert NI certificate is free to apply for one right now.
“If you intend to travel abroad at any point in the next 12 months, you should apply as soon as possible.
“I can also confirm that the certificates in the COVIDCert NI app now auto renew, without users having to take any further action. Renewed pdf certificates can also be accessed via your nidirect account online.”
The COVIDCert NI certificate provides official confirmation that you have been fully vaccinated – having had both doses of a UK approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Applications for the certificate can be made via NI Direct.
Notes to editors:
- The COVID Certification Service was launched on 2 July , after a number of countries introduced proof of vaccination as a condition of entry. It is available as an app for mobile phones, as well as in pdf format, via an nidirect account. To date, 221,187 travel certificates have been issued.
- Work is continuing to finalise a new version of the ‘COVIDCert NI’ app enabling voluntary domestic use within Northern Ireland, as well as production of a NI verification scanning app.
- Final decisions on whether such a domestic certification scheme would be introduced in certain NI settings would be taken by the NI Executive. The NI Executive’s newly published Covid-19 autumn/winter contingency plan sets out a number of potential contingency measures which the Executive may decide to use including “the potential to deploy COVID status certification in higher risk settings if considered appropriate and necessary”.
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