Vaccine passports: How they are helping countries open up

As Australia endures lockdowns, vaccine passports are helping many countries welcome back international visitors. See the list.

More and more countries are opening up to travellers who can prove they have immunity or are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Which countries are now open to travellers who have been jabbed?

CANADA

Following the easing of restrictions to Americans starting August 9 – including the elimination of three-night quarantine – Canada will reopen its border for vaccinated international travellers on September 7, 2021.

All travellers are still required to have negative Covid-19 tests, 72 hours prior to entry or be fully vaccinated for 14 days prior to entry.

Vaccines not currently accepted for fully vaccinated status in Canada:

Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)

Cansino (Convidecia, Ad5-nCoV)

Gamalaya (Sputnik V, Gam-Covid-Vac)

Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, Sinopharm-Wuhan)

Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)

Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona)

UK

England, Scotland and Wales will allow fully vaccinated travellers from the US and Europe (excluding France) to arrive without quarantine, starting August 2.

Travellers must provide proof of vaccination, such as the European Union’s vaccine passport or US state-level verification.

In the UK, patrons of nightclubs and other mass indoor venues must present proof of full vaccination. Picture: Getty Images

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that from the end of September, English nightclubs and other mass indoor venues would require patrons to present proof of full vaccination on the NHS Covid Pass app.

EUROPE

The European Union implemented a vaccine passport system that allows anyone who is fully vaccinated with any of five Western-made vaccines to travel freely within the bloc.

Individual countries are also bringing in domestic measures that give privileges to vaccinated people.

Spain let people from anywhere in the world who are vaccinated against Covid-19 enter the country from 7 June, hoping to trigger a recovery in the devastated tourism sector.

France introduced a “health pass” for entry to cinemas, museums, or venues and events catering to more than 50 people, and might be extended to restaurants, cafes and shopping centres.

People wait in their cars next to sign that reads as "obligatory Covid-19 health passport" at the entrance of a safari park in central France. Picture: AFP

Italy announced that proof of vaccination or immunity would soon be mandatory for activities including indoor dining and entering places such as gyms, pools, museums and cinemas.

Greece has made a vaccination certificate mandatory for entry to indoor restaurants and bars.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden all now accept the EU digital coronavirus certificate, and Iceland is allowing fully vaccinated foreign citizens to enter with no quarantine rules. Many who are not fully vaccinated can also travel to the Nordic country, however, guidelines apply.

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Switzerland are also welcoming jabbed travellers.

MIDDLE EAST

Israel has led the world in the vaccine rollout and is already implementing booster shots. Israel also was the first country to introduce a temporary system called the “green pass” earlier this year – a QR code that people showed to prove their vaccination status.

The green pass allowed access to gyms, venues, hotels, theatres, restaurants and bars and was available to people who had been vaccinated or who had recovered from Covid-19. It welcomed jabbed travellers as of 23 May, ahead of most other countries.

Israel was the first country to introduce a temporary system called the “green pass” earlier this year – a QR code that people showed to prove their vaccination status. Picture: AFP

Qatar is open to fully vaccinated travellers to visit as long as the vaccine is approved by the state and the traveller has been vaccinated for at least 14 days prior to arrival.

Egypt requires a QR-coded vaccination certificate from all tourists, as the desert nation tries to revive its travel sector.

Lebanon and Morocco also welcome jabbed travellers.

AFRICA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN

While Africa is a Covid-19 hotspot right now, a few nations are welcoming vaccinated travellers: Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania; and 1700kms east of the African coast, the tropical paradise of the Seychelles has announced it’s welcoming vaccinated tourists from most countries. Quarantine has been lifted, however there is a curfew in place from 11pm to 4am.

ASIA

Since relatively early in the pandemic, China has had a domestic “health code” system accessible within the WeChat app that can store vaccine information for locals.

However, China also started rolling out a digital vaccine passport in March that appeared to be primarily for international travel.

Despite rumours that the country would only grant travel visas to people who had been jabbed with the Sinovac vaccine, the Chinese embassy in the United States has confirmed that travellers jabbed with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines would also be eligible.

Coronavirus cases are rising in Thailand, but Phuket has created a travel-friendly oasis for fully vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries. International visitors can travel to the island if they follow strict guidelines including staying there for 14 days. After staying at Phuket for two weeks, tourists can travel beyond the island into the rest of the country, where just 18 per cent of the nation is vaccinated.

CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICA

The Caribbean island of Grenada welcomes fully vaccinated tourists to enjoy its tropical beaches.

The islands of Anguilla, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, St. Bart’s, St. Lucia, all known for either their white or pink sand, and their turquoise waters, are inviting fully vaccinated travellers.

As fairly typical of requirements, the Bahamas welcomes travellers who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, or AstraZeneca vaccines. The Bahamas also welcomes unvaccinated travellers but requires them to show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken no more than five days before arriving, complete a daily health questionnaire, and take a rapid antigen test on the fifth day of their trip.

While Central America’s Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala are all battling high case numbers of coronavirus, they are enthusiastically welcoming vaccinated travellers.

Originally published as Vaccine passports: How they are helping countries open up