EU Digital Covid Certificate for Tourists

The only reports of U.S. travellers getting the EU Digital Covid Certificate are from the French, where they refer to it as the "Pass Sanitaire." For France, you need to uploads documents and apply online. Response times vary greatly.

For a while one could be obtained in Germany from a corner pharmacy by presenting your CDC card, but I believe that is no longer the case. I don't believe it is possible in Italy. I do not know re: Spain or other countries.

If you are a resident of California, Washington, or a handful of other states you may be able to get a QR code certificate from your state health department, which the locals may accept in lieu of the CDC card. The US QR codes encode the same information, but the format is completely different (I'm a retired SW engineer and I dug through the specifications).

Most travellers reporting back here are saying their CDC card works just fine, although it a is a pain to keep hauling out with their passport everywhere. There have been sporadic reports of locals refusing to accept the CDC card.

Thanks! I am planning to go to France as part of my trip so I'll get my application in.

There are many good discussions about the French Passe Sanitaire on this forum. A good starting point would be
[https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/our-experience-applying-for-the-passe-sanitaire]

As of now, the EU does not accept U S QR codes.

I am not aware that there is such a thing as a EU Digital Covid Certificate. Each country has its own system.

So, I am afraid you will just have to find out for each individual country you plan to visit.

For a while one could be obtained in Germany from a corner pharmacy by
presenting your CDC card, but I believe that is no longer the case.

The corner pharmacy digitizing is still in effect, but I can't say if they can digitize US certificates. It seems that it has worked for some people on the forum.

Doesn't really matter though because a paper certificate will work just as well.

Is there anyway for non-EU citizens vaccinated outside the EU to get the EU Digital Covid Certificate?

As I read it, what Bill references is for EU citizens, not tourists.

You must be an EU resident - either a citizen or visa-enabled resident - to secure an EU Digital Covid Certificate. As Americans living in the Netherlands with a long-term Dutch resident visa, we do have the EU Digital Covid Certificate. The Netherlands is the only EU country I know of which has its "own version" of the EU Certificate. (We have two segments - a Netherlands QR code and an International (EU) QR code).

You're right Bill - I generalized and was responding to NA Travelers and did not add in "the exceptions." We have friends from Norway who DO have the EU Certificate!

@Bill: Thanks! I actually wasn't aware of that. I guess this for some reason hasn't been in the media much in Germany.

I've been trying to gather info on this as well for a trip to Italy/France Sept 2022. I live in California and was able to download a digital Covid vaccination card with a QR code today from this site https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov if that helps anyone. But as I read above, if the EU doesn't recognize US QR codes, what good is it? Hard to believe we can't get a system together that provides more valid proof of vaccination.
Please, anyone with more info or recent experience using just a CDC card in EU countries - please post it.

Regarding the "EU Digital Covid Certificate/QR Code". I think it is best to say that there is no "EU Certificate", but a common format used by multiple countries, initiated by the EU countries, whereby record of vaccination can be validated. Might seem all semantics, but the "EU" does not issue the certificates, Countries (including now some Non-EU countries who have agreed to use the common format) issue the certificate at their discretion.

To my knowledge, France has included non-residents in it's issuance, Germany has and has not issued them, Switzerland (not EU but uses the common format) has issued digital certificates to visitors as well. Spain, Portugal, and Italy will not issue Digital Certificates to non-residents. Belgium set up a program to issue a digital certificate to non-residents, however, it is only good for 30 days and only good in Belgium. The Netherlands has launched something similar for visitors, but I am not sure of the details, and if the certificate will work outside of the Netherlands.

The codes issued by various US states are not compatible, Canadian QR codes have not been, not sure if they have come to an agreement to collaborate with the EU.

Further, any third party website, not affiliated with a common format nation, offering to create a QR code for you, is, to put it bluntly, a scam.

Sept 22?.... it's very unlikely you'll need a QR Certificate, not because the pandemic might be over but because currently there are no plans to 'renew' the scheme. EU QR Certificates expire 9 months after being issued (rule as of Feb 1st 2022). That means that unless there are new vaccinations in the fall, all certificates will be expired. Furthermore, they are not needed right now, AFAIK nowhere they're in use. Still, review the issue at a later stage, the pandemic might return (in one form or another) in the fall -much like the seasonal flu.

The French are no longer issuing health passes / EU Digital Certificates as of today to foreigners, because they are no longer requiring the pass for entry to restaurants, cafes, bars, museums, etc.