OBSOLETE COVID THREAD How to Obtain a COVID Pass in Spain as a Foreigner

[jsalt]

Could somebody point me in the right direction of how to get a “Covid Pass” if I pitch up in Spain soon (with all my documentation) from a thousand miles away?

 

[wayfarer]

I think this is what you are looking for.

Spain Travel Health

www.spth.gob.es

fill in your details and proof of vax.

 

[henrythedog]

As referenced above it’s straightforward, providing you’re fully vaccinated. Currently that’s two vaccinations (but that may change to three).

Equipped with the QR code which you are sent having completed the online form, you’ll pass through passport control as normal and then find serried ranks of staff from the Spanish health service who will check your documentation.

Your airline will probably check your health pass at check-in as, if denied entry, you’re partially their problem.

I’ve been to Spain several times under this regimen and it’s always been efficient and good-natured.

 

[Former member 95219]

Can I just clarify what you mean! There is the ‘entry pass’ which had been referenced here that gets you into Spain! Then you need a ‘proof of vax’ pass to enter some places within Spain, which is the QR code that was issued in your own country post 2nd vax.

 

[wayfarer]

Can I just clarify what you mean! There is the ‘entry pass’ which had been referenced here that gets you into Spain! Then you need a ‘proof of vax’ pass to enter some places within Spain, which is the QR code that was issued in your own country post 2nd vax.

You fill in the details from your own Covid cert into the Spanish Covid cert application referenced above, you then present that at point of entry in Spain.

 

[henrythedog]

Can I just clarify what you mean! There is the ‘entry pass’ which had been referenced here that gets you into Spain! Then you need a ‘proof of vax’ pass to enter some places within Spain, which is the QR code that was issued in your own country post 2nd vax.

My last experience was November 21. Whilst I carried multiple copies of my home country QR code with me physically and electronically, as well as several copies of the Spanish QR code; I was asked for neither once I entered the country. There were, and still are, only those two documents for someone not resident in Spain.

 

[naplesdon]

I have my QR code for the French Pass Sanitaire which took months to obtain and when I applied for the same thing in Spain I was told not to apply until several days before my travel. Meanwhile, I paid some government entity $60USD for the application in Spain and several people have responded that I was probably scammed by some bogus site.

 

[Kathar1na]

Some of you are talking about the QR code that you need to obtain when you fly to Spain and some of you are talking about the pasaporte Covid that is required by some Spanish regions for entering some places depending on the region, see this recent article https://www.rtve.es/noticias/202201...ocio-nocturno-otras-actividades/2234080.shtml

It's not clear what @jsalt's question refers to. If the question refers to the pasaporte Covid my guess is that it's probably enough in Spain when she shows whatever vaccination documentation she has obtained in South Africa IF - big IF - she is in a region and wants to go somewhere and at a time where a pasaporte Covid is required. If the question refers to the Spanish QR airport entry code, then the question is answered by the link to the SpTH (Spain Travel Health) website.

 

[Kathar1na]

see this recent article https://www.rtve.es/noticias/202201...ocio-nocturno-otras-actividades/2234080.shtml

There's a map of the Spanish regions in this article. Move mouse or finger to a region to see under which circumstances a pasaporte Covid is currently required in this region. Covid-19 related requirements change all the time and they are never the same everywhere. It's January 2022 now, folks.

 

[wayfarer]

The Spanish QR entry code can only be issued within 72 hrs of arrival in Spain.

 

[henrythedog]

And if, following @Kathar1na s links you determine that you need a pasaporte covid,,this official EU site might tell you that your home countries QR is valid. Or not.

EU Digital COVID Certificate

The Commission has instigated a programme of digital vaccine certificates to facilitate the re-opening of economic and social activity as well as travel.

ec.europa.eu

 

[Kathar1na]

tell you that your home countries QR is valid. Or not.

New Zealand is on the list of countries with EU compatible QR codes ... that maybe useful to know for potential pilgrims. It means that their vaccination QR code can be scanned and recognised by the scanning apps that restaurants, museums, shops, hotels use in individual EU countries - i.e. in those countries that use checking apps, for example in France and quite a few others. I am not sure whether they scan in Spain or just check visually.

South Africa is not on that list.

 

[Former member 95219]

You fill in the details from your own Covid cert into the Spanish Covid cert application referenced above, you then present that at point of entry in Spain.

Thank you l! Yes understand that! What I was getting at was was the same point that @Kathar1na made. Once is Spain you can pretty much use the QR code from your own country anywhere in my experience (subject to @Kathar1na note). But please check for South Africa. Some places just do a visual check and some scan. So I have my QR from UK. I have downloaded the apps from Italy (Green Pass), Germany (Luca) France (PS) and the EU Covid passport and scanned my QR code into their apps for ease but you don’t need to as UK version is sufficient! I haven’t seen a dedicated Spain version. I think they just use EU version but my other versions all work in Spain. I have used my UK or EU version across at least 10 other countries too in last three months such as Bulgaria and Romania and also non EU countries such as Bosnia. I guess to a scanning machine a QR is just a QR code irrespective of where issued?

It’s a fairly mixed bag as to whether you are asked to show it. Not as regimented as certain countries buy more so than others!

 

[jsalt]

It's not clear what @jsalt's question refers to. If the question refers to the pasaporte Covid

Thanks, yes, I was referring to the pasaporte Covid, which may be required to enter restaurants, etc.

 

[Kathar1na]

I have downloaded the apps from Italy (Green Pass), Germany (Luca) France (PS) and the EU Covid passport and scanned my QR code into their apps for ease but you don’t need to as UK version is sufficient!

You have been getting around quite a bit, @ Chef66. You must be by far the forum member with the widest experience in presenting your vaccination QR code in various countries. For the time being, it looks like this is going to stay. Perhaps it’s useful to explain it a bit further because the terminology is confusing?

There is the QR vaccination code. It is a technical standard in all EU countries, and there are a number of non-EU countries, among them the UK and New Zealand, who issue a vaccination QR that corresponds to the same technical standards as the EU standard. This means that everyone who got vaccinated in an EU country or countries like the UK or New Zealand are “good to go” and don’t need to do anything, except carrying their QR on paper or on their mobile phones with them in case they need to show it.

Numerous EU countries have developed a national app where people can download, store and display their vaccination QR. These apps have different names: Pass Sanitaire or Tous Anti Covid in France, Covid Safe Ticket in Belgium, Pasaporte Verde or Certificado Verde in Italy, Luca App or Impfpass in Germany, and so on. When a restaurant or hotel is obliged by law to check the vaccination status of their customer, the staff often say that they want to see this app but all they need to see is the QR code. I don’t know whether Spain has such an app that can be used to display one’s vaccination QR.

Numerous EU countries have developed another national app which restaurant or hotel staff use to scan the customer’s vaccination QR code to verify that it is valid and to see the customer’s name. As far as I can tell, Spain has not developed such a national scanning app. I was a bit amused to see that one Spanish region advises to use the scanning app developed and used in Luxembourg and another region advises to use the Swiss scanning app.

As @Chef66 has observed, it’s a mixed bag overall. Although it may be the law that say restaurant staff have to check your vaccination status, they may not do so at all; or only ask you whether you have the QR code or the app and you say ”yes”; or want you to show the code to them on your mobile phone; or scan it and verify that the app says “OK”; or scan it and also check your ID.

Spain does not seem to have embraced this system as fervently as other EU countries have done. Some Spanish regions like Castilla y Leon don‘t check vaccination status at all for access to restaurants, hotels and albergues. That means no hassle of this kind during a big chunk of the Camino Francés.

i know that in France and also in Germany, people can obtain a digital QR code if they present their ID and their vaccination card in a pharmacy. France offered this possibility also online to foreign visitors but this option is currently not available. I don’t know whether pharmacies in a Spanish region would be able to do the same for pilgrims from countries like South Africa or the USA or Canada for example. Anecdotal evidence indicates that, at least in the past and when required, they just had to show their foreign vaccination cards for access to restaurants, hotels and albergues.

Apologies for the length of this post! And Buen Camino to @jsalt.

 

[Former member 95219]

You have been getting around quite a bit, @ Chef66. You must be by far the forum member with the widest experience in presenting your vaccination QR code in various countries. For the time being, it looks like this is going to stay. Perhaps it’s useful to explain it a bit further because the terminology is confusing?

There is the QR vaccination code. It is a technical standard in all EU countries, and there are a number of non-EU countries, among them the UK and New Zealand, who issue a vaccination QR that corresponds to the same technical standards as the EU standard. This means that everyone who got vaccinated in an EU country or countries like the UK or New Zealand are “good to go” and don’t need to do anything, except carrying their QR on paper or on their mobile phones with them in case they need to show it.

Numerous EU countries have developed a national app where people can download, store and display their vaccination QR. These apps have different names: Pass Sanitaire or Tous Anti Covid in France, Covid Safe Ticket in Belgium, Pasaporte Verde in Italy, Luca App or Impfpass in Germany, and so on. When a restaurant or hotel is obliged by law to check the vaccination status of their customer, the staff often say that they want to see this app but all they need to see is the QR code. I don’t know whether Spain has such an app that can be used to display one’s vaccination QR.

Numerous EU countries have developed another national app which restaurant or hotel staff use to scan the customer’s vaccination QR code to verify that it is valid and to see the customer’s name. As far as I can tell, Spain has not developed such a national scanning app. I was a bit amused to see that one Spanish region advises to use the scanning app developed and used in Luxembourg and another region advises to use the Swiss scanning app.

As @Chef66 has observed, it’s a mixed bag overall. Although it may be the law that say restaurant staff have to check your vaccination status, they may not do so at all; or only ask you whether you have the code and you confirm; or want you to show the code to them on your mobile phone; or scan it and verify that the app says “OK”; or scan it and also check your ID.

Spain does not seem to have embraced this system as fervently as other EU countries have done. Some Spanish regions like Castilla y Leon don‘t check vaccination status at all for access to restaurants, hotels and albergues. That means no hassle of this kind during a big chunk of the Camino Francés.

i know that in France and also in Germany, people can obtain a digital QR code if they present their ID and their vaccination card in a pharmacy. France offered this possibility also online to foreign visitors but this option is currently not available. I don’t know whether pharmacies in a Spanish region would be able to do the same for pilgrims from countries like South Africa or the USA or Canada for example. Anecdotal evidence indicates that, at least in the past and when required, they just had to show their foreign vaccination cards for access to restaurants, hotels and albergues.

Apologies for the length of this post! And Buen Camino to @jsalt.

Thank you @Kathar1na ! Yes I spend most of my time in Spain but am just at the end of a 3 month Interrail pass and would have been more countries if a few trains hadn’t been cancelled! I did plan to do the VdLP in October but decided to do the train trip!

Spain doesnt seem to have a dedicated app along the lines of say Italy. I am not an expert by region but for example was in Gijon Thursday night, went in one bar and not asked for anything, next morning different place for breakfast and I was.l asked. Back in Madrid now and not been asked at all. Spain does seem more relaxed than say Italy who are very strict along with France and Germany!

I smile as on my phone I have a dedicated ‘covid pass’ area with the apps from UK, France, Germany, Italy and the EU one… building quite a collection! These have all been downloaded by me with no assistance from pharmacies or other parties.

It all works very smoothly to be fair. I went to a lot of football matches in Italy last month and they always scan the QR code and check iID and you won’t get in wthout the scanner showing a ‘green tick’! I have been to a lot of matches here in Spain but nothing has been asked for!

If you are non vaxxed or for reason struggling with the QR code you can still probably ‘get by’ in Spain. I wouldn’t say that for Italy, Germany or France. But it’s a whole lot easier to be fully compliant!

 

[Kathar1na]

Here, for example is a long and detailed explanation how you can obtain your Covid passport or Covid Certificate in Sevilla and generally in Andalusia - “in only five minutes and with your mobile“ but the requirement is that your are enrolled in the Spanish health system and have the required identification data. There is no information for non-EU visitors with non-compatible vaccination data:

Cómo descargar el pasaporte o certificado Covid en Andalucía en solo cinco minutos y con el móvil

Una de las mejoras introducidas en la web de ClicSalud+ permite descargar el Certificado Covid desde un ordenador o un teléfono móvil de forma rápida y fácil

sevilla.abc.es

Note: la Junta de Andalucía ha implantado hasta el próximo 15 de enero la exigencia del certificado Covid para el acceso de usuarios mayores de 12 años al espacio interior de establecimientos de hostelería, ocio y esparcimiento tras recibir el aval del Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucía (TSJA).

So Andalusia had introduced this requirement recently but only until 15 January (as far as I can tell).

 

[Former member 49149]

I have my QR code for the French Pass Sanitaire which took months to obtain and when I applied for the same thing in Spain I was told not to apply until several days before my travel. Meanwhile, I paid some government entity $60USD for the application in Spain and several people have responded that I was probably scammed by some bogus site.

You probably were. It is not necessary to pay for this type of document. I think you can accept and move on from that. I just got my new Irish certificate, and glad to have it, although it may be quite some time before I waste any time or energy trying to use it to get out of the country!

edit: In October, I had need to get from Spain to London, and then Dublin. The amount of stress due to bureaucracy was vast. In the end, if I had shown a picture of dear Mickey Mouse, it would have been the same. NothiNg was asked for at point of departure or entry. No need to tell you that this is anecdote. When it is time to travel, that is when to kick in the worry nerve ends.

 

[Kathar1na]

Just to be clear: This is not about requirements about travelling between countries.

It is about requirements for going into a restaurant, into a shop, or staying in a hotel or in an albergue.

As @Chef66 has said, there are huge differences between countries like Spain, France, Germany or Italy as to current requirements of this kind and how they are applied in practice. I think that it is safe to say that during December things got more dicy and stricter. However, in Spain, these requirements are not as strict and as common as in some other countries.

For example, I spent a day in a German region in November and in December. In November, cafés and restaurants had signs saying that guests needed a Covid passport but control was haphazard or non-existent. In December, in each and every shop and every restaurant where I went i had to show QR code and ID, and they scanned and checked. And refused access to people who didn’t comply.

 

[Kathar1na]

@jsalt will travel to Spain very soon and needs to know the current situation about requirements for access to bars, restaurants and albergues in Spain now.

We don’t know what the future will bring. For France, I noticed recently that the reservation website of the Refuge Orisson has this note (for April 2022 and beyond): “Complete vaccination or a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours will be probably mandatory to stay and eat”.

 

[natefaith]

However, in Spain, these requirements are not as strict and as common as in some other countries.

Thanks for the great information on all of this. And yes, let's clarify the terms, between the SpTH QR code needed just for entry into Spain and the EU Digital Covid Passport QR Code (henceforth EU Digital Passport), which has your vaccine information but which is hard to obtain for foreigners.

Spain is becoming more strict with asking for the EU Digital Passport, in line with what I've heard from other countries, but it's still not across the board.

Recently we went to a movie and they required it. Some of us only had CDC paper cards, and they said they'd admit that just this one time. They were really looking for the EU Digital Passport with the flags on it, signifying it was good for all of the EU.

And the other day a McDonald's in the mall also required the EU Digital Passport IF you were dining in. If you were carrying out, you didn't have to show it. We went to another restaurant in the same mall and they didn't ask for anything.

The problem is how to obtain a digital EU Digital Passport, acceptable and able to be scanned in Europe, if you're a foreigner with only a paper vaccination certificate. I still haven't seen an answer to that in Spain, but they need to figure it out soon because tourism is going to start picking up again. I know in the summer and fall restaurants and albergues did accept the CDC card and other non-digital versions (if they asked for something at all). But now with the govt requiring restaurants to ask for the EU Digital Passport all day long, restaurants may be reluctant to accept diners who don't have it.

(Edited to be more clear )

 

[Former member 95219]

Thanks for the great information on all of this. And yes, let's clarify the terms, between the SpTH QR code needed just for entry into Spain and the EU Digital Covid Passport, which has your vaccine information but which is hard to obtain for foreigners.

Spain is becoming more strict with asking for the EU Digital Covid Passport. Recently we went to a movie and they required it. Some of us only had CDC paper cards, and they said they'd admit that just this one time. They were really looking for the EU Digital Covid Passport with the flags on it, signifying it was good for all of the EU.

And the other day a McDonald's in the mall also required the EU pass IF you were dining in. If you were carrying out, you didn't have to show it.

The problem is how to obtain a digital EU pass QR code, acceptable and able to be scanned in Europe, if you're a foreigner. I still haven't seen an answer to that in Spain, but they need to figure it out soon because tourism is going to start picking up again. I know in the summer and fall restaurants and albergues did accept the CDC card and other non-digital versions (if they asked for something at all). But now with the govt requiring restaurants to ask for the EU Digital Covid Passport QR code all day long, restaurants may be reluctant to accept diners who don't have it.

Sorry I don’t understand! I scanned my UK NHS pass QR into the EU version and added to Apple Wallet. If that fails can’t you just l, say, download the Italy Green Pass (for example) and scan into that and will be usable in Spain! Maybe I am missing something but as long as you had a QR code from a ‘valid’ country you are good tomgo. It all’s feel very smooth and easy? Maybe it’s more tricky for non Europeans buf would be interested to see if someone could scan their non Europe QR code into, say, Italy Green Pass!?

 

[Former member 95219]

I am in Madrid today, followed by Malaga (Andalusia) tomorrow, followed by Barcelona (Catalonia) for 3 days after that so will report back any observations! Obviously anecdotal and subject to change!

 

[Kathar1na]

I am in Madrid today, followed by Malaga (Andalusia) tomorrow, followed by Barcelona (Catalonia) for 3 days after that so will report back any observations! Obviously anecdotal and subject to change!

What a great reason to eat and drink in as many different establishments as you possibly can!

 

[natefaith]

Sorry I don’t understand! I scanned my UK NHS pass QR into the EU version and added to Apple Wallet. If that fails can’t you just l, say, download the Italy Green Pass (for example) and scan into that and will be usable in Spain! Maybe I am missing something but as long as you had a QR code from a ‘valid’ country you are good tomgo. It all’s feel very smooth and easy? Maybe it’s more tricky for non Europeans buf would be interested to see if someone could scan their non Europe QR code into, say, Italy Green Pass!?

Good question!

Some citizens, for example Americans, only have a paper certificate of vaccination, not a digital one, so they can't scan any QR codes into any EU apps! I think your solution might be workable if Americans got a QR code from America to begin with, but they don't .

 

[Former member 95219]

What a great reason to eat and drink in as many different establishments as you possibly can!

Ha ha yes. Maybe I can apply for sponsorship funding as in best interests of all us good folk!

 

[Former member 95219]

Good question!

Some citizens, for example Americans, only have a paper certificate of vaccination, not a digital one, so they can't scan any QR codes into any EU apps! I think your solution might be workable if Americans got a QR code from America to begin with, but they don't .

Ah ok! Am surprised you cannot scan a paper copy onto a digital app irrespective of geography. I just assumed a QR code was a QR code with no geographical properties! You certainly can in Europe but don’t doubt your knowledge! Hope not being rude but have you tried scanning to say Italy green pass useable in Spain.

 

[natefaith]

On the paper vaccination card from America, there is no QR code at all. Is that what you mean - to just scan a photo of the paper card (even if it doesn't have a QR code) into the Italy pass?

 

[Kathar1na]

Am surprised you cannot scan a paper copy onto a digital app irrespective of geography. I just assumed a QR code was a QR code with no geographical properties!

I think I can explain this: The American CDC cards do not contain a barcode or a square QR code. They contain only text that is printed and/or hand written. That is why the checking apps used in the EU cannot scan CDC cards and cannot check them, and why you cannot scan them into the vaccination passport apps.

In contrast, the NHS provides a QR code and that code is now compatible with the EU system. It wasn't the case earlier last year.

A bit like you, I have - or rather had as I've zapped most of them - a formidable collection of scanning apps from various EU countries and I have scanned the NHS code of my English visitors and English family members with them to see whether and how it works . And I can confirm that it works just fine now as you know yourself ... And as you said you can scan any vaccination QR that has been issued by an EU country or by a country on the 'compatible' list from a paper printout into any of the vaccination passport apps of the various EU countries but it is not necessary.

 

[Former member 95219]

I think I can explain this: The American CDC cards do not contain a barcode or a square QR code. They contain only text that is printed and/or hand written. That is why the checking apps used in the EU cannot scan CDC cards and cannot check them, and why you cannot scan them into the vaccination passport apps.

In contrast, the NHS provides a QR code and that code is now compatible with the EU system. It wasn't the case earlier last year.

A bit like you, I have - or rather had as I've zapped most of them - a formidable collection of scanning apps from various EU countries and I have scanned the NHS code of my English visitors and English family members with them to see whether and how it works . And I can confirm that it works just fine now as you know yourself ... And as you said you can scan any vaccination QR that has been issued by an EU country or by a country on the 'compatible' list from a paper printout into any of the vaccination passport apps of the various EU countries but it is not necessary.

Thank you! That’s very clear! And clearly the reason!! Sorry was not doubting anyone was just a little
Mystified!

 

[natefaith]

Sorry was not doubting anyone was just a little
Mystified!

No worries at all. This is only ONE aspect of why this whole concept raises questions and confusion!

 

[Former member 95219]

No worries at all. This is only ONE aspect of why this whole concept raises questions and confusion!

Indeed and thank you! Probably worth adding that there is a huge sense of self compliance in Spain with the Covid rules! Whilst checks may not be as high as other countries am led to believe that vaxxed take up is very high >90%. Maybe this explains lesser checks! The rule of outdoor mask wearing (which probably is the most debatable) is hugely complied with! A quick look just now and it was everybody in the centre of Madrid!

 

[VNwalking]

The problem is how to obtain a digital EU Digital Passport, acceptable and able to be scanned in Europe, if you're a foreigner with only a paper vaccination certificate.

The American CDC cards do not contain a barcode or a square QR code. They contain only text that is printed and/or hand written.

This is the boat I'm in, from a SE Asian country.
If at some point you stumble across an answer to this, @Kathar1na , I'd love to know it.
Gracias!

 

[Kathar1na]

Here's a fun activity, maybe even for @jsalt to try out? If you do have a vaccination QR (square filled with white and black small squares), try it ... it may work even when not officially declared compatible or equivalent with the EU system. As already mentioned, the various EU countries have developed scanning/checking apps that the staff at restaurants use when they are legally obliged to check the vaccination status or testing status of their customers. You can download them from the usual app stores. In Spain, some regions, for example Catalonia, have installed a web based app for scanning and verification.

So, if you have a vaccination QR, print it out on a piece of paper, take your mobile phone, go to https://verificacovid.gencat.cat, allow access to the camera of your device and hold the camera lens over your vaccination QR code and wait a bit. And voilá, that's what you may see on the screen of your mobile phone, either in Catalan or in another language provided you had chosen it:

PS: .gencat.cat is an official website of the Regional Government of Catalonia.

 

[natefaith]

Thanks for the example to try, @Kathar1na !

And haha, "Not Validated - Vaccination not completed." would make me angry! Since I AM vaccinated; it's just that the app can't verify my vaccination status for itself. It's a poor, non-mollifying choice of words.

 

[MickWexford]

As referenced above it’s straightforward, providing you’re fully vaccinated. Currently that’s two vaccinations (but that may change to three).

Equipped with the QR code which you are sent having completed the online form, you’ll pass through passport control as normal and then find serried ranks of staff from the Spanish health service who will check your documentation.

Your airline will probably check your health pass at check-in as, if denied entry, you’re partially their problem.

I’ve been to Spain several times under this regimen and it’s always been efficient and good-natured.

I have my covid19 with booster from ireland so do I need to get a Spanish one? I think EU and freedom of movement applies? I am heading in April.

 

[Former member 95219]

It applies! It’s nothing to do with freedom of movement btw or being part of EU.

 

[Kathar1na]

I have my covid19 with booster from ireland so do I need to get a Spanish one? I think EU and freedom of movement applies? I am heading in April.

First of all, April is a long way off. Assuming that nothing changes between early January 2022 and April 2022 - unlikely, everybody expects things to be better by then -, you will have to apply for the Spanish Travel Health QR code (online or app). Everyone who flies to Spain has to do this.

You will not have to present a Spanish pasaporte Covid should you find yourself in a town and in a situation where this is required. When Spaniards present their passport Covid, you present your Irish vaccination QR. Preferably the one you got for the booster jab.

In a nutshell: National health requirements in public health emergency situations trump freedom of movement (says EU law).

 

[Kathar1na]

@jsalt, I put your question to the chatline on www.bilbaoturismo.net and on www.sansebastianturismoa.eus. San Sebastian did not react but Bilbao replied. (Translation from ES): Please contact the South African embassy in Spain for further information +34 91 436 37 80 / madrid.embassy@dirco.gov.za

This may be worth pursuing or else you just wait until you are in Spain and find out there whether you need to do something for your convenience or whether it is not necessary. Buen Camino again!

 

[traveler]

I have been walking the camino in Spain for the past (that includes 5 days of recovery from a twisted knee) and we have only been asked for vaccination status twice, once at a restaurant and once at a pension. In both cases they readily accepted our paper vaccination from the US.

Today, we checked into a pension and there was no question about Covid paper or QR code. There was no question at breakfast and we’re currently eating lunch - we were never asked.

When we were in Portugal most places asked but all accepted our paper forms.

Based on this, I don’t think having a QR code is critical.

 

[Phoenix]

Good question!

Some citizens, for example Americans, only have a paper certificate of vaccination, not a digital one, so they can't scan any QR codes into any EU apps! I think your solution might be workable if Americans got a QR code from America to begin with, but they don't .

Some states (one of which is my state of residence) maintain a database and offer a QR code verifying vaccination within that state. I have paper CDC card, and an electronic card and QR code issued by the state. Is that sufficient to get/work the EU apps?

 

[traveler]

Some states (one of which is my state of residence) maintain a database and offer a QR code verifying vaccination within that state. I have paper CDC card, and an electronic card and QR code issued by the state. Is that sufficient to get/work the EU apps?

No - we have that. It doesn’t work anywhere and no one likes it.

 

[traveler]

We have been told but haven’t confirmed that we could take our paperwork to a farmacia in Spain and that they could get us a QR code. But we’re not certain about this and haven’t bothered to explore it. It would interesting if anyone else has heard this.

 

[Phoenix]

No - we have that. It doesn’t work anywhere and no one likes it.

Thanks. I didn't think showing a QR code from a state in the US in most places would be sufficient. More so, asking if the QR code from the US can be scanned into the various EU apps to generate an acceptable EU QR code.

 

[traveler]

Thanks. I didn't think showing a QR code from a state in the US in most places would be sufficient. More so, asking if the QR code from the US can be scanned into the various EU apps to generate an acceptable EU QR code.

Several places tried to scan ours without success.

 

[Kathar1na]

Thanks. I didn't think showing a QR code from a state in the US in most places would be sufficient. More so, asking if the QR code from the US can be scanned into the various EU apps to generate an acceptable EU QR code.

Just to clarify again: The various EU vaccination apps don't generate codes or convert non-EU codes. You don't even need to have such an app. All that is needed for scanning and automatic verification is an EU issued or an EU recognised vaccination QR code - just the black and white square on paper or on screen.

People who live in the EU and are vaccinated in the EU have these apps mainly because they allow them to download their vaccination QR code from the health administration where they are enrolled.

 

[MickWexford]

Thanks all

 

[Kathar1na]

@Phoenix, if you are curious and you want to scan and check your QR code yourself to see whether it would work or not, you can download a scan+verification app from the app stores. You can use any of these (and there are more): TAC Verif (French government - Tous Anti Covid Verification), CovidScanBE (Belgian government), Covid Certificate Check (Swiss Government), CovidCheck.lu (national app for Luxembourg), Passe Covid (official Portuguese validation app) and also Verificacovid (web based app, online at https://verificacovid.gencat.cat, Spanish/Catalonia government).

 

[Phoenix]

@Phoenix, if you are curious and you want to scan and check your QR code yourself to see whether it would work or not, you can download a scan+verification app from the app stores. You can use any of these (and there are more): TAC Verif (French government - Tous Anti Covid Verification), CovidScanBE (Belgian government), Covid Check (Swiss Government), CovidCheck.lu (national app for Luxembourg), Passe Covid (official Portuguese validation app) and also Verificacovid (web based app, online at https://verificacovid.gencat.cat, Spanish/Catalonia government).

Thank you.

 

[trecile]

Good question!

Some citizens, for example Americans, only have a paper certificate of vaccination, not a digital one, so they can't scan any QR codes into any EU apps! I think your solution might be workable if Americans got a QR code from America to begin with, but they don't .

I recently discovered that the "portal" that my health care provider uses now has a QR code with my vaccination status.
I will try @Kathar1na's method to see if the QR code is the correct format.

 

[jsalt]

Wow, thank you so much for all your informative replies, much appreciated!

We don’t have anything like a “covid pass” in South Africa (just our digital vaccination certificates after two jabs), so I didn’t know what I had to do once I arrived in Europe, as I was hearing about “covid passes” for Italy and France, and I realized that Spain might have one too.

Will keep monitoring the situation, as per your pointers, thank you!

The airline has just cancelled one leg of my trip (in Europe, not the return long haul sections . . . yet), so at least I know that I can now cancel the full ticket and get a full refund if I decide it’s better not to go.

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

I am currently in Marbella, Spain, the Costa del Sol. As US citizens, we needed to fill out the SPth online form. When we arrived at Malaga airport, all passengers were checked that they had filled out the form and that they had vaccination proof. We showed our CDC paper cards and were waved into Spain. In Malaga, 99% wore masks inside and outside. Every restaurant and indoor museum asked to see vaccination proof inside, but not outside. They all accepted the CDC card. I also had a French pass sanitaire that I had managed to get mid- August online, and that qr code was also accepted. (My husband never received his passe sanitaire even though he applied when I did!!!) In Marbella, we are surprised at the number of people NOT wearing masks outside. We have not ventured inside an establishment so don't know if they do wear them inside or how strict they are about vaccination proof.

 

[Rick M]

I recently discovered that the "portal" that my health care provider uses now has a QR code with my vaccination status.
I will try @Kathar1na's method to see if the QR code is the correct format.

I have been trying this on and off for a while. Up until last week, at least, the QR codes issued in NA by various state/provincial authorities do NOT scan with the EU system, they are based upon different technical standards and the access system into the various state run data bases doesn't work with the EU scanner. Thats fair enough, the Canadian scanners won't read an EU QR code either. Government working groups swear that this will all be remedied, perhaps by 2043 when the grand unified scanner gets released at the Global IT plenary session in Geneva. Just kidding of course, but the interoperability of the four different QR code standards used around the world is still, for the moment, an annoying work in progress. Not really an issue in Spain at the moment, but very much an issue in France where enforcement is rigorous. For pilgrims planning to do anything in France in the near term, plan a trip to a pharmacy the day you arrive to get your passe sanitaire which IS a QR code usable all over Europe.

 

[trecile]

I recently discovered that the "portal" that my health care provider uses now has a QR code with my vaccination status.
I will try @Kathar1na's method to see if the QR code is the correct format.

Not surprisingly, my QR code wasn't compatible.

 

[natefaith]

Not surprisingly, my QR code wasn't compatible.

Good to know. That's too bad, but thanks for trying it out.

 

[design4life]

Question for those of you from the US: Did you carry your original CDC card or a photocopy? We all know how valuable that little card has become and what a pain it is to replace it.

 

[trecile]

Question for those of you from the US: Did you carry your original CDC card or a photocopy? We all know how valuable that little card has become and what a pain it is to replace it.

When I go I will bring the original.

I keep mine in a plastic holder like these from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0919N7Y51/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

In Spain the last 3 weeks, my husband and I carried the original CDC card protected in a clear plastic envelope. We also had a scan of it on our phones and numerous photocopies! There was no issue with showing our CDC card in place of an EU qr code anywhere we went. Requests to produce proof of vaccination were variable in restaurants but always necessary in museums. For those of you from the US, our health provider gave us a qr code, but it does not work outside the United States. I had not heard that Spanish pharmacies would issue you a qr code, but French pharmacies off and on have been able to do this. Most recently, they are the only place where US citizens can convert their CDC information to a qr code and they charge a fee of about 38E. Since rules to enter Spain change Feb 1 and are changing again in France (they no longer call their document a passe sanitaire!), I suggest anyone planning to travel to Europe keep current up to the date they travel!!! And thanks, Katherina, for a very complete summary that we can all benefit from reading.

.

 

[design4life]

In Spain the last 3 weeks, my husband and I carried the original CDC card protected in a clear plastic envelope. We also had a scan of it on our phones and numerous photocopies! There was no issue with showing our CDC card in place of an EU qr code anywhere we went. Requests to produce proof of vaccination were variable in restaurants but always necessary in museums.

Thanks for sharing your very recent experience. I'm assuming that as more US visitors arrive this spring, more locals at hotels, restaurants, museums, etc. will become familiar with our CDC card.
As a NYC resident I was able to get a record of all my recent shots, including covid, flu, pneumonia, etc. https://myvaccinerecord.cityofnewyork.us/myrecord/# Perhaps other municipal and state health departments provide this. I like it because it's typed, very clear and easy to read. A good backup document.