| Update: Implementation will take place on 7 December 2021, so you’ll only be able to use your Singapore vaccination certificate with EUDCC scanners on or after that date. Check out this article for more information. |
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:
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.
This is fantastic! I was looking to do via Switzerland, but that will now be unnecessary! Hurrah!
Could we expect reciprocity to be applied and holders of EUDCCs to be “exempt from free movement restrictions” to travel freely to and within Singapore?
Quite a DUH question?
Great news!
Do you know if this is equivalent to the Passe Sanitaire for France?
The Passe Sanitaire of France is “stored” as part of their TousAntiCovid app; the certification issued by any of the EU member states’ health authorities, or any of the countries which have joined this system, is valid and equivalent to it. So if you have such a certification, you should use the app and scan the certification to be “stored” in the app, which then forms your Passe Sanitaire. Apparently, Singapore’s notarised certification will be able to be scanned and “stored” as a valid certification this way too, by 7 Dec.
This is great news. Hope to see a Single Recognition of this Certificate across the globe so that travel to any country is easy.
anyone managed to add their Singapore notarised vaccine cert to the various apps mentioned above?
Nope, not working (yet)…
Nope.
seems not yet. maybe later today or tomorrow
Still not working yet with new qr on Oct 25th 0810 GMT+1. I wonder if the qr scanners will change to understand Singapore’s qr, or will we need to renotarise to get s Singapore qr that they will understand…
Why am I not able to convert my singapore Notarised Covid Cert on apps recommended in the article above and on getcovispass.eu?
its not working yet
Hi, I tried the 3 mentioned Apps & the link mentioned in your article. All not accepting my Notarize QR Code. Is it because it’s too early on Nov 25 and will it be accepted later today ?
yes, need to wait a few days for technical details to be sorted out, by right should auto import into the 3 apps
Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) on the equivalence of COVID-19 certificates issued by non-EU countries | European Commission (europa.eu)
This is still a draft
Sounds like technical tests done since Sep, so it’s a matter of turning it on – probably to add the notarise signing certs into a whilelist.. The EUR-Lex document has a lot of interesting information for the tech geeks.
(Also, it’s in force already – See Article 3: This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Done at Brussels, 24 November 2021.)
(6) On 30 September 2021, following a request by the Republic of Singapore, the Commission carried out technical tests that demonstrated that the COVID-19 vaccination and test certificates are issued by the Republic of Singapore in accordance with a system, the ‘HealthCerts’, that is interoperable with the trust framework established by Regulation (EU) 2021/953, and allows for the verification of the authenticity, validity and integrity of the certificates. The Commission also confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccination and test certificates issued by the Republic of Singapore in accordance with the ‘HealthCerts’ system contain the necessary data.
If you look at the EU website, digital verification of a Singapore QR is not supported. So technically the QR code is accepted but can not be digitally scanned and verified in the EU or imported in any of the apps listed. Maybe it will change but I do not expect anytime soon.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en#who-can-get-the-eu-digital-covid-certificate
Go to the map, move to Singapore, zoom in and then click on Singapore in green.
BTW, this also shows that proof of recovery from COVID is not supported by SG either.
I applied for the Swiss QR about a week ago and will use that one on my travel.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spore-to-issue-and-accept-covid-19-certificates-compatible-with-eus-system-from-dec-7?utm_campaign=stfb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR28iz2F_BrwIzcqX8n8IObGdXKlmvG7kJeUM3IsQ-DKKNXNv3weePanl-M
Should be able to convert to EUDCC starting 7 Dec.
Well, 7 Dec 12.51am SG time. generated my vax cert on Notarise again, tried using the getcovidpass website to generate my EUDCC and it says EXPIRED.
Geez. Has anyone had any luck? Thanks!
Nope no luck. Tried at 8am SGT and mine says that the certificate is not recognised.
swiss one works now. see latest post for more options.
Same. I tried on the french app also. The decoded data from the QR code doesn’t include the “Expiration Time” field – could be why it’s seen as expired when verifying it.