The vaccination certificates have been granting people the right to travel freely and safely within the European Union despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
However, as soon as the Council of the European Union approved new rules regarding the validity of vaccination certificates, Europeans were once again put against another requirement.
After concluding that two-dose vaccinations do not provide sufficient protection against the virus, the EU Commission recommended that all European countries agree on a uniform acceptance period for vaccination certificates while advising that the certificates remain valid for a period of 270 days.
While some countries immediately decided to follow this recommendation, others imposed a different validity period.
Below you may find a thorough list of each EU country’s vaccination certificates’ validity and other rules regarding booster shots.
Austria is one of the first EU countries to announce that the validity of vaccination certificates would get shortened. The Austrian authorities announced that from February 1, vaccination passes would remain valid for only a period of 180 days.
This means that all persons who have completed their primary vaccination more than 160 days ago need to receive a booster shot in order for their certificate to remain valid when reaching Austria. Once the booster shot is received, the pass will remain valid for a total of 270 days.
However, even though the vaccination certificates’ validity has been shortened, the authorities highlighted that those who have received their last dose within the last 270 days will still be permitted entry to the country.
“Two-dose vaccinations are valid for 270 days to enter Austria. However, to prove your “2-G” status during your stay IN Austria, from February 1, 2022, the validity of your 2nd vaccination will be reduced to 180 days,” the statement of Austria’s official travel portal reads.
Children are exempt from the requirement to receive an additional vaccine dose.
Belgium: Differently from Austria, the Belgian authorities decided to impose a shorter validity period on the vaccination certificates. At a meeting that was held on January 21, Belgium decided to shorten the vaccination passes’ validity from 270 to 150 days from March 1.
“This means that anyone who was vaccinated with one dose before October 1 must have had a booster shot before March 1. Otherwise, the validity of the vaccination certificate will expire,” the Committee noted in a press release.
As for the booster shots, the authorities haven’t decided yet on a validity period.
Bulgaria: In contrast to all EU/Schengen Area countries, Bulgaria has not put an expiry date on the vaccination certificate. The Bulgarian Chief State Health Inspector, Angel Kunchev, said earlier in January that vaccination certificates will continue to remain valid for 12 months.
The same said that those who receive an additional dose will have an indefinite validity period.
Croatia follows the EU’s recommendation and recognizes only vaccination certificates issued within the last 270 days. Those who have taken the last vaccine dose more than nine months ago need to receive a booster shot as they are considered unvaccinated, and thus, need to follow entry rules.
Cyprus: Vaccination passes remain valid for 270 days (nine months) in Cyprus too. Persons over the age of 18 are required to receive another dose if their last one was taken more than nine months ago.
Czechia: In line with the Commission’s recommendation, Czechia has introduced a nine-month expiry period for vaccination certificates. This means that persons over the age of 18 need to receive a booster dose for their pass to remain valid.
Denmark is one of the EU countries that has set the shortest validity period.
According to an official statement made by the Danish authorities, only vaccination passes that indicate that the holder has received the last vaccine dose within the last five months will be recognised as valid proof of immunisation.
This means that two-dose vaccination certificates are valid for five months when reaching Denmark, suggesting that everyone needs to receive a booster shot in order for their certificate to remain valid.
“After the second dose, your corona passport is valid for five months. If your vaccination course consists of only one dose, your corona passport will be valid after 14 days,” the statement of the Danish authorities reads.
Estonia: Special rules regarding the validity of vaccination pass also apply when reaching Estonia. The Estonian government announced earlier this month that starting from February 1, vaccination certificates indicating only primary vaccination would remain valid for a period of nine months.
Those who have been vaccinated more than nine months ago are required to follow additional entry rules when entering the country as they are considered unvaccinated.
Nonetheless, the authorities have revealed that special rules apply to minors. According to a press release issued by the government of Estonia, the validity of vaccination certificates will be prolonged from nine to 15 months for minors aged from 12 to 18 years old.
Finland currently has a 12-month validity of the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The country is yet to announce whether it will follow the EU’s recommendation and shorten its validity.
France: In contrast to the countries mentioned above, France has shortened the validity of vaccination certificates to three months. “The recall time limit is estimated at three months after the last injection or the last infection at Covid-19,” the French government emphasised.
This means that 90 days after the last dose, everyone needs to receive a booster shot to be considered fully immunised.
Germany: Following the Commission’s recommendation, the German authorities recognise only vaccination certificates that prove that the holder has received the last vaccine dose within the last nine months.
This means that Germany has shortened the validity of vaccination passes from 12 to nine months. Persons who receive an additional dose will have the validity extended. However, the authorities haven’t made an official announcement yet regarding the matter.
Greece: The Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris announced on January 5 that the country plans to shorten the validity of vaccination passes. According to him, only certificates indicating full vaccination within the last seven months will be recognised when entering the country.
This suggests that everyone who has received their last vaccine dose more than seven months ago needs to receive a booster shot for their certificate to be considered valid.
Hungary: Similar to the majority of EU countries, Hungary will shorten the validity of vaccination certificates to 270 days (nine months). The head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Gergely Gulyás, confirmed that an additional vaccine dose would be needed for the document to remain valid.
Iceland: Unlike other countries, Iceland has already been applying updated rules on vaccination certificates. Since January 15, the country has been recognising only vaccination certificates indicating that the last vaccine dose has been taken within nine months.
“From January 15, vaccination certificates will be valid for nine months instead of 12 months,” the Icelandic authorities noted in a press release.
Italy: Until January 31, 2022, the vaccination certificates have been valid for nine months when entering Italy. However, in line with the new rules that entered into force on February 1, vaccination certificates remain valid for six months only in Italy.
Travellers who have received their last vaccine dose more than six months ago must receive an additional vaccine dose if they want to avoid entry restrictions when reaching Italy.
Ireland: Unlike the country mentioned above, Ireland has shortened the validity of vaccination certificates to 270 days (nine months).
“Since February 1, 2022, the DCC based on primary vaccination will expire after 270 days (9 months). Vaccine certificates based on the booster and additional doses are not time-limited,” the Irish authorities said earlier this month.
In addition, the same will now recognise Novavax.
Latvia has also set an expiration date on the vaccination certificates. Latvia now recognises only vaccination certificates that prove that the holder has been fully immunised within the last 270 days.
This means that those who have received their last vaccine dose more than nine months ago will be subject to additional entry rules when entering Latvia. The validity rule does not apply to children under the age of 18 since booster shots are not currently available for them.
Lithuania: Vaccination certificates are valid for seven months in Lithuania. This means that those who have been fully immunised more than seven months ago are considered unvaccinated when entering Lithuania.
“As of December 28, the National Certificate (Covid passport) and its alternative documents will no longer be valid for those residents who were vaccinated under the full vaccination schedule more than seven months ago,” the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania disclosed.
Everyone needs to receive a booster shot for their pass to remain valid.
Luxembourg: Like many other EU/Schengen Area countries, Luxembourg has shortened the validity of vaccination certificates to 270 days. Those who receive a booster shot can prolong the certificate’s validity. It has been emphasised that the booster shot does not have an expiration date.
Malta: In contrast to all the other countries, Malta has the shortest vaccination certificates’ validity. The Maltese authorities announced earlier in January that vaccination passes will remain valid for only three months.
The decision of Malta to shorten the vaccination passes’ validity to three months was highly criticised. The International Airport of Malta called on the country’s health authorities to reconsider the decision.
EU also asked Malta to clarify their update as the measure does not align with the newly adopted EU rules. Under EU rules, the Member States should accept vaccination certificates issued within nine months.
The Netherlands has also announced new rules on the validity of vaccination certificates. Since February 1, the Netherlands recognises only vaccination certificates that indicate that the holder has taken the last vaccine dose within the last nine months.
Persons who receive a booster shot will be able to enter the Netherlands without having to undergo strict entry rules such as testing and quarantine requirements, as long as the epidemiological situation does not worsen.
Norway: Similar to the Netherlands, Norway has shortened the validity of vaccination certificates to 270 days (nine months).
“If the validity period on the certificate is about to expire, a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be required in order to extend its validity,” the Norwegian government noted.
Poland: Just like the above-mentioned country, Poland has shortened vaccination certificates’ validity to 270 days.
“From February 1, 2022, the validity of UCCs issued after primary vaccination will be reduced to 270 days from the date of completion of primary vaccination,” the Polish Ministry of Health stated.
Portugal: On their latest update, the Portuguese authorities announced that the country had also decided to shorten the validity of vaccination certificates.
Portugal accepts only vaccination passes that indicate that the holder has been fully vaccinated within the last 180 days. To extend the validity, everyone is required to get an additional vaccine dose.
“Vaccination Certificate – proves that the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19 and is valid 14 days after full vaccination and up to 180 days (6 months), and it is necessary to order another one before the end of that period (the new one will be valid for another six months),” the Portuguese authorities noted.
Romania: Vaccination certificates remain valid for 270 days after the last dose in Romania. The validity can be extended by receiving a booster shot.
Slovakia is part of the group of the countries that have decided to follow the recommendation of the EU Commission. Slovakia announced that the vaccination certificate would remain valid for nine months after the completion of full vaccination.
Slovenia accepts a vaccination certificate only if the last vaccine dose has been taken within nine months. Those who have completed their vaccination process more than 270 days ago are considered unvaccinated when reaching the country.
“The vaccination condition is met if a person was vaccinated against COVID-19 with a second dose and no more than 270 days have passed since the second dose,” the Slovenian government noted.
Spain: Similarly, since February 1, Spain recognises only vaccination certificates indicating that a person has been fully immunised against the virus within the last 270 days. Persons who wish to extend their vaccination certificate’s validity are required to receive a booster shot.
Sweden: A vaccination certificate is valid for 180 days from the date of the last dose for entry to Sweden. Travellers who have been fully immunised more than six months ago are subject to entry rules unless they have received an additional vaccine dose.
Switzerland now accepts only vaccination certificates issued within the last 270 days. Such a decision was taken by the Swiss Federal Council and means that citizens of the country, as well as travellers, need to receive an additional vaccine does for their pass to be accepted.
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