Good news: Singapore vaccine certificates now equivalent to EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC)

If you’re hoping to visit Europe in the near future, here’s some great news: the European Commission has announced that from 25 November 2021, Singapore vaccination certificates will be granted equivalency with the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

This means that travellers who have been vaccinated in Singapore can use their certificates when traveling across the EU (and other participating countries) to gain access to vaccinated-only venues and events.

Prior to this, Singaporeans had to approach an EU member state for conversion– this was possible for France and Switzerland, but at a fee. Germany offered conversions for free, though on-ground experiences at pharmacies could be hit or miss. 

This latest development also means that quarantine-free travel to Denmark is back on the cards again. This was temporarily suspended when Denmark introduced a new rule imposing a 10 day self-isolation on travellers from Singapore, unless they could present an EUDCC. 

What is the EUDCC?

An EUDCC is proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19.

It is valid across all EU countries, as well as 24 non-EU countries (and territories) which have joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system.

•    Albania
•    Andorra
•    Armenia
•    Switzerland
•    Faroe Islands
•    Georgia
•    Israel
•    Iceland
•    Liechtenstein
•    Moldova
•    Monaco
•    Morocco
•    New Zealand
•    North Macedonia
•    Norway
•    Panama
•    San Marino
•    Serbia
•    Singapore
•    Togo
•    Turkey
•    Ukraine
•    United Kingdom
•    The Vatican

COVID vaccination certificates issued in these 24 countries (and territories) are accepted in the EU under the same conditions as the EUDCC. Likewise, the EUDCC is accepted by those 24 countries.

When travelling, the EUDCC holder should in principle be exempt from free movement restrictions: Member States should refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions on the holders of an EUDCC, unless they are necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health. 

Storing and displaying your EUDCC

Once Singapore gains EUDCC equivalency, you should be able to scan and store your Notarise vaccination certificate (don’t use HealthHub- it has no QR code to scan) using one of the following apps:

• COVID Certificate App: Android | iPhone 
• Luca: Android | iPhone
• TousAntiCovid: Android | iPhone

If you prefer not to install a separate app, you can visit getcovidpass.eu and convert it into a digital copy that can be added to your Android or iPhone mobile wallet. 

Do note that the technical implementation has yet to happen, so sit tight. I expect some sort of app update will be required before Singapore certificates are recognised. 

This does not override individual country vaccine recognition

An important point to note. Even though the QR codes on Singapore vaccination certificates will now be readable by EUDCC scanners, this does not override individual country vaccine recognition.

For example, Germany and France do not recognise Sinovac. A Singaporean who has received Sinovac can have his certificate scanned, but the venue still reserves the right to reject him once they read the data and see exactly what vaccine he has received. 

In other words, Singapore vaccine certificates now speak the same language as EUDCCs, but the content of that conversation still matters. 

Conclusion

With Europe on the cusp of a fourth wave, vaccine passport requirements are highly likely to be tightened across the continent, which makes having an EUDCC that much more important. Anecdotally, Singapore vaccination certificates are already accepted without issue in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, but it doesn’t hurt to make it official.

Moreover, equivalency opens the doors for quarantine-free travel to Denmark once again, and decreases the likelihood of further restrictions being imposed on vaccinated travellers from Singapore.