What is the Difference Between a Vaccination Certificate and a Vaccination Certificate for International Travel? Is it Mandatory?

A double vaccination certificate is growingly becoming a mandatory requirement in multiple Indian states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, etc., and also for entering various privately owned public spaces such as malls, theatres, hotels, and temples in various other states.  This is especially true in terms of travel. 

However, the vaccination certificate differs for both domestic and international travel. Here, the main point of difference is the inclusion of birth date. While a domestic vaccination certificate (or simply a vaccination certificate as we know it), marks only an individual’s age, the international mandate requires the certification to have the full date of birth in YY-MM-DD format as declared by the World Health Organisation. 

You can download the vaccine certificate either or both through multiple websites such as Co-WIN (cowin.gov.in), 

or applications portals, such as AarogyaSetu, Umang, DigiLocker, PristynCare, etc. The steps of the download are very simple. You can read more about the same here.

FAQ

1. Is COVID vaccination certificate mandatory for domestic travel in India?

No. As of now, not the COVID vaccination certificate, but a negative covid test report is mandatory for domestic travel in India.* However, you may be exempted from the test if you have the fully vaccinated report. 

(*The rules are open to change with the rise in patient numbers.)

2. Is COVID vaccination certificate mandatory for international travel?

Yes. COVID vaccination certificate is mandatory for international travel along with a negative COVID test report taken within 72 hours.  

3. Which vaccinations are accepted for international travel?

• The latest mandate by the WHO (World Health Organisation) accepts the following vaccines as proof of vaccination under its Emergency Use Listing Procedure (EUL):

• Janssen/J&J (single dose)
• Pfizer-BioNTech (double dose)
• Moderna (double dose)
• AstraZeneca (double dose)
• Covaxin (double dose)
• Covishield (double dose)
• BIBP/Sinopharm (double dose)
• Sinovac (double dose)
• Novavax/Covovax (double dose)

4. When are we considered ‘fully vaccinated’ for international travel?

• International mandate considers you fully vaccinated after the following:
• 14 days (2 weeks) after the vaccine dosage of the WHO accepted single-dose vaccine
• 14 days (2 weeks) after the second vaccine dosage of the WHO accepted 2-dose series.

5. What are the acceptable proofs of vaccination for international travel?

The international mandate accepts both digital and paper modes of vaccination certificate. However, the document must have:

• Personal identifiers (This includes the individual’s full name along with the full date of birth or passport number)
• Name of the official source issuing the vaccine record (It may either be public/ private health agency, government agency, or any other authorized vaccine provider)
• Details of the vaccine manufacturer and the date(s) of vaccination

6. Which COVID tests are required for international travel?

Different countries accept different types of COVID tests for international passage. While some only accept molecular tests (commonly known as RT-PCR test), others also accept rapid antigen test. To confirm the same, we suggest you check directly at the official website of your arrival country. Also, note that these tests are done at multiple points and come along with a series of guidelines. Typically, countries require a minimum of three tests. One, to enter the departing airport, the second, at the airport, and the third, on arrival. The eventual guidelines include 7-14 days of quarantine on arrival.

Also, Read-
– Is carrying a Covid Vaccination Certificate mandatory?
– How to request a correction in the vaccine certificate?
– All You Need To Know About Fake Covid Vaccination Certificate?
– How to verify the CoWIN vaccination certificate?
– How to download the COVID-19 vaccine certificate?