With the spread of the dangerous variety, the green passport comes into force in the EU: 15 things you need to know

The EU digital COVID certificate is a single document for the entire EU that provides information on human coronavirus vaccination, disease incidence or negative tests.

15 minutes provides answers to 10 key questions you need to know about this document and travel:

Who can get it?

The EU COVID digital certificate is available to EU citizens and legal residents who are:

• vaccinated COVID-19 vaccine (there may be a vaccine, in which case it will be necessary to download a new certificate after the second vaccine);
• persirgę PCR-confirmed COVID-19 disease (invalid rapid antigen test result for COVID-19 disease);
• after a negative test result for COVID-19 disease (PCR assay). The Ministry of Health explains that for the moment, the EU digital COVID certificate with the test result will be generated only after the PCR test. It will be possible to have a certificate with the result of a rapid antigen test when technical changes are made. When traveling abroad, the certificate of negative result of an antigen test available so far can be used.

How to get it?

In Lithuania it can be downloaded from esveikata.lt. It’s all pretty easy, but if you can’t find it, you will find instructions. HERE or the video below. You can have the certificate on your phone, you can print it out on one sheet.

Does that mean I can travel freely with him?

Definitely not! It is just a document that will simplify travel procedures, to make it easier to prove immunity against COVID-19 or a negative test result.

Although the European Parliament has called for the same travel rules to apply across the EU, it has not been successful. There is still a strong recommendation not to impose additional requirements on those traveling with a certificate, but each country can set its own requirements for arrivals if it considers it needs them due to the epidemiological situation.

This means that before planning a trip and just before leaving, you still need to check what rules the other country has.

How do you know what rules another country applies to arrivals?

If you are traveling with a tour operator, they will provide you with all the relevant information. If you are traveling on your own, my practice shows that it is more convenient to find all the rules on two pages (and certainly not in the FB groups):

⇒ reopen.europa.eu/lt

⇒ keliauk.urm.lt/

Basically the information they contain is the same, but it is best to check both sources to make sure you really have no trouble traveling. If you have specific questions and cannot find the answers, check the website and Facebook page of the Lithuanian Embassy in the country you are going to. Answers to frequently asked questions are often posted there. If you are still not sure if you can come without problems, ask at the embassy itself.

And the spread of the delta variety?

It is already openly said that the new variety, which originated in India and is spreading very rapidly, will be a test of the unity of the EU and of the COVID digital certificate project itself.

It was only during the negotiations on the certificate that a substantive debate took place on whether each country would still have the possibility to decide on travel rules. Germany and France, for example, have strongly advocated so-called “emergency brakes”, while tourism in Greece has been campaigning for uniform travel rules.

The European Commission, MEPs, are still urging countries to apply the EC recommendations to travelers, especially exemptions for people who have been fully vaccinated and are recovering. Still, the reality is different.

Germany, for example, banned flights this week not only from Russia but also from Portugal, where the delta strain of the COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc. Only citizens and residents will be able to come from these countries, and it will also be possible to isolate themselves. It doesn’t matter if travelers are vaccinated / sick or not.

As the variety spreads to other countries on the continent, countries may re-introduce special restrictions for travelers, as was the case at the beginning of the pandemic.

Due to the delta variety, it is advisable and more careful to plan trips for your health. For example, Rolanda Lingienė, director of the Vilnius region of the National Center for Public Health calls on Lithuanians to refrain from traveling abroad.

Will all EU countries already recognize it?

There are a number of technical challenges involved in implementing a common system. European aviation representatives resent this certificate the inspection system is still too fragmented. In the absence of a common scan and control strategy (at least 10 of your ACI Europe references), long queues at airports are warned, unless EU countries quickly agree.

EU countries are implementing the EU digital COVID certificate at different speeds. The Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that the EC has allowed the implementation of national requirements for reading and verification of data from the EU digital COVID certificate on the pilot information platform. Lithuania is one of the first countries that has already uploaded its national standards to the EU platform, which is currently being tested. As far as SAM knows, Germany has also embarked on this process. Other countries in the European Union still plan to increase their data.

What rules does Lithuania apply to returnees and arrivals?

It depends where you come from. Every Friday, the Health Ministry publishes an updated list of affected countries, and the changes take effect on Mondays. Whether you need a COVID-19 test, isolation or maybe just one of them or nothing at all will depend on the zone to which the country you are coming from to Lithuania is assigned.

You can always find the latest list NVSC Page.

Can I get it for a child?

Yes, but it is not necessary for children under 16 years old. Countries continue to apply slightly different rules to minors, most of whom are not vaccinated. Some children may also request a negative COVID-19 test, so again, these rules need to be checked on the previous pages before traveling.

Can I travel without an EU digital COVID?

Yes. There can only be more red tape – you’ll still have to prove you’ve been vaccinated, sick, or have a negative COVID-19 test when you go to another country. If you do not want a green passport, you will need to prove these facts with other documents. The EU digital COVID certificate is simply a more convenient way and you will spend less time at the border.

Are the EU digital COVID certificate and the passport of opportunity the same?

The EU digital COVID certificate in Lithuania replaces the Opportunity Passport, but the Opportunity Passport does not replace the EU certificate. The Opportunity Passport is simply for freer access to services within the country, and the EU Digital COVID Certificate is for travel to other countries. Our Passport of Opportunity will mean nothing in other states.

SAM also mentions some differences:

Opportunity passport takes effect after: • 4 weeks after the first dose of Vaxzevria; • one week after the second dose of Comirnaty and Moderna; • two weeks after the dose of the Janssen vaccine.	EU digital COVID certificate takes effect two weeks after full vaccination with Comirnaty, Moderna, Vaxzevria or Janssen.
The incidence of COVID-19 in the passport is recorded after a positive PCR test or a rapid antigen test.	In the EU Digital COVID Certificate, the occurrence of COVID-19 is recorded only after a positive PCR test.
The opportunity passport must be updated every 7 days, since the validity of the passport is established in the document itself.	There is no need to renew the EU digital COVID certificate and it will be validated in a verification applet.

Is it necessary to renew the certificate, like the passport of opportunity?

An update is required if you have downloaded it until June 22. (technical changes have been made) and in cases where factual information changes. For example, if a second dose of the vaccine has been administered or if a new case of COVID-19 has been reported. Of course, and for the PCR test.

Can I get a certificate if I have been vaccinated abroad?

If you have been vaccinated in an EU country, simply take it according to the instructions published by that country, as your vaccination information is in that country’s information system.

If you are vaccinated outside the EU, there are many problems ahead. Currently it is not possible to integrate vaccination data into eHealth. as 15 minutes wrote, convinced Lithuanian Cargo Airline Pilot Vaccinated in USA. Ironically, it ships the much-needed vaccines to Lithuania. The Department of Health (SAM) ensures that after a while such an opportunity will arise. When is not clear.

Is it valid only in the EU?

The certificate can be used in all EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Work is underway to make it available also in Switzerland.

Can I use it if I only have one dose?

In Lithuania, the EU digital COVID certificate is issued even after receiving only one dose of vaccine, although two are required. However, going to other countries is probably not enough: the vast majority require a full vaccination.

The exception is if you have a history of COVID-19 and have only been offered a two-dose dose of the vaccine as a result. In this case, the vaccination certificate must indicate that the vaccination cycle has been completed after a single dose.

Where can I find more information?

You will find the answers to many questions on a special SAM page: sam.lrv.lt/lt/koronavirusas/informacija-visuomenei/es-skaitmeninis-covid-pazymejimas

Also on the European Commission website: ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/lt/QANDA_21_2781