Hi Fernbrook,

Depending on when you arrive in Europe, it´s the question if you need such a pass. Europe is finally opening upp bit by bit and as long as we don´t get a new wave, the summer of 2022 looks good. The Scandinavian countries for example have already scrapped all the covid rules. I think the rules in other countries will be revised this spring.

Rögnvaldur

Not just when, but where. I'd give up on Russia for a while now... but not for pandemic reasons.

Folks, I received an answer a few days ago from the Australian Passport office regarding their approach to entering overseas countries using our Covid certificate. Their letter to me is dated the 15th of March, 2022. I have to credit them with replying extremely swiftly to my queries (see my original comments in conversations above).I summarise the main points in their letter to me, below.

!.Covid-19 vaccination certificates across the world come in a range of formats. Australia's uses the International standard developed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.It is accepted in most countries around the world, including in Europe.
2. EUDCC'S (EU Digital Covid certificate program) uses a unique format administered by the European Commission. The Commission has been encouraging non-EU countries to join the EUDCC program by applying for 'equivalence'. However, this process only recognises, as equivalent certificates, those issued in the EU format-not other formats.To obtain equivalence, countries issuing certificates in other formats would have to oversee a number of changes to processes to re-issue EU format certificates.
3. Australia (along with other countries) is trying to encourage the European Commission to develop a Europe-wide solution for acceptance of certificates in other formats.
4. France, Belgium and Latvia allow travellers to obtain an EUDCC by showing a foreign vac. certificate. Other countries e.g. Cyprus, Finland and Malta accept foreign certs. without an EUDCC. In the UK, proof of vaccination is seldom or never required to enter venues.
5. Changes are afoot in Europe. The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland have dropped Proof of Vaccination requirements.
Cheers Fernbrook.

Be a bit careful with this advice. As far as I know the UK is pretty unique in abandoning all covid precautions, and is seeing rocketing case numbers as a result. From the above list, I looked up France as an example and sure enough they do have proof of vaccination requirements.

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/covid-...ational-travel

In fact in France a vaccine pass is required to get into many venues.

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/co...ed/#sommaire_3

Folks, a brief comment. The Passport office maintains that the Australian authorities are trying to get the European Commission to accept other vaccination formats, such as Australia's. Nothing has happened to date in that regard I gather, so I think many travellers will make alternative arrangements to enable entry to Europe, assuming the Aust vaccination certificate is not accepted in some countries of Europe. This is the obvious course of action I think. I wonder how the NZ government managed to enable their passport holders to enter Europe? Nuff said about the matter!

Estonia as well. No need to show covid passes any more, but masks still required indoors.

In practice, people with non-EU covid passes could just show them (printed out) and they were generally accepted. That's not so much for borders, but certainly for entry into events, restaurants etc.

I (an Australian) have been in UAE, Italy, Malta and Tunisia this year. i have been vaxed 3 times before leaving Aus, I have the medicare app on android and a copy of the offline international covid certificate with the QR code within the App. They try to scan the,QR code, it doesn't work but they then read the details. Has worked everywhere.I tell them the QR won't work. Also I tried a paper copy but they prefer government logo of the app

hope this helps

Mark