Morrison government release vax certificate for international travel

Internationally-accepted Covid-19 vaccination certificates will become available to Australians ahead of the nation’s borders reopening on November 1

Employment Minister Stuart Roberts says Australia is leading the world when it comes to providing ‘simple and secure’ proof of vaccination. Picture: Evan Morgan

Internationally accepted Covid vaccination certificates will become available to Australians ahead of the nation’s borders reopening on November 1.

From Tuesday, citizens and visa holders with a valid passport, and who have received at least one jab, can obtain the internationally recognised certificate. The federal government requires people to have two doses to travel.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday declared the end of the “hermit kingdom”, unilaterally ending all quarantine – hotel or at home – for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in NSW. Under Phase C of the national plan, returning Australians were expected to undergo seven days of home quarantine.

While Scott Morrison poured cold water on the return of all international arrivals, Mr Perrottet’s quarantine call has opened the floodgates for people in NSW to again travel freely.

The certificates will be able to be downloaded through Covid travel apps, such as International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass. Proof of vaccination will be in addition to domestic vaccine passports available through Services Australia.

The international certificate will be accepted by border control systems across the globe, providing an international certificate version number and a unique vaccination certificate identifier.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert said Australia was leading the world when it came to providing “simple and secure” proof of vaccination. “Australians have done the right thing by rolling up their sleeves and getting the jab, we have worked to ensure they can now get back out into the world safely through a secure proof of vaccination,” he said.

“Providing this new proof of vaccination is all about sticking to the national plan and giving Australians the tools they need to get their lives back.”

In line with Mr Perrottet’s announcement, Qantas brought forward its planned restart date – initially November 14. From November 1 out of Sydney, the first international routes will include Los Angeles and London.

Flights to Singapore, Fiji and Vancouver will come online from December 18.

On Friday, the Prime Minister said the resumption of international travel would reunite families who have been separated for 18 months. “This is a further sign of the national plan coming into effect and allowing Australians to start reclaiming so many of the things that have been taken from them throughout this pandemic,” Mr Morrison said.