Make your travel more streamlined by knowing which vaccination apps you might need on your next international trip.
A number of companies and governments around the world have stepped up to make travel abroad easier with the introduction of vaccination passport apps.
These apps require identifying personal information and use security measures – including encryption and blockchain technology – to protect user data.
Users can then plug in their COVID-19 credentials – vaccination records, recovery, or negative test results, depending on the app – to show authorities and to satisfy entry requirements into countries.
In addition to downloading the Blacklane app to take care of your ground transportation needs in the country you’re visiting, it’s a good idea to know what other smartphone apps can make your trip abroad easier.
As always, please be sure to research your destination country’s entry requirements before traveling, as travel advisories can change from day to day.
For the frequent flyers
If you’re a frequent international traveler, these smartphone apps could come in handy.
VeriFLY
Trusted by American Airlines and British Airways, VeriFLY can host proof of vaccination, negative lab tests, and certified health questionnaires all in-app.
Created by biometrics company Daon, the app uses biometric authentication and can be downloaded and used by anyone, regardless of location.
In October, British Airways signed a long-term agreement with Daon to cover its entire route network by the end of 2021.
IATA Travel Pass
A number of airlines have signed up to trial the IATA Travel Pass, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Etihad Airways on select flights.
Developed by the International Air Transport Association, the pass includes two global registries – one for health requirements for a user’s upcoming trip and one for the location of testing and vaccination centers at their departure location.
Certified test and vaccination certificates are sent directly to the app, which verifies the results meet entry requirements.
Destinations
United States
There’s no federal vaccine passport app set up in the U.S., which means there’s a patchwork of requirements across the states, so it’s best to check your destination state before traveling.
Acceptable proof of vaccination for entering the U.S. includes vaccination certificates or digital passes with a verifiable QR code attached, a print out of a vaccination certificate, or digital photos of a vaccination certificate from an official source.
EU
In Europe, there’s the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which helps free movement and travel within the EU for citizens and non-EU nationals residing in EU countries.
While the certificate is not mandatory to enter Europe, having a digital pass is helpful in certain cities where entry to some establishments requires digital proof of vaccination, recovery, and/or test results.
Foreign travelers can reach out to their destination country’s government to request an EU Digital COVID Certificate if they have all the necessary information, including proof of vaccination. However, keep in mind the country is not obliged to provide the digital certificate.
As always, be sure to check each EU country’s entry requirements and restrictions before making travel plans.
England
England has dropped plans to introduce vaccine passports for access to large events and nightclubs for now, although they could be introduced later in the year if cases surge.
English nationals can prove their COVID-19 status via the NHS App, although the app is not accessible to foreign tourists.
Other UK countries have their own regulations on vaccine passports, so it’s best to check requirements before traveling to the region.
UAE
The UAE uses the Al Hosn Green Pass, which shows a person’s vaccination status and the validity of their PCR test. Each emirate determines its usage.
In Abu Dhabi, tourists who want to visit public places limited to vaccinated people can do so via the green status (fully vaccinated and with a negative PCR test every 30 days) in the Al Hosn app or by using the official app of their country of residence to show proof of vaccination.
The app requires a Unified Identity Number (UID) to set up. For tourists, the UID can be found on the entry stamp in the passport, on the visa page, or from immigration authorities.
