It has been announced that British tourists will be able use the NHS Covid card to prove their vaccinations at borders, bars, restaurants and other locations in the EU and 18 additional countries.
According to the European Commission, the UK certificates will be recognized as equivalents to the bloc’s vaccine passport beginning Friday.
A number of EU member states have already recognised the British certificate but today’s decision means it will be automatically accepted across Europe, The Guardian reported.
British tourists will finally be able use the NHS Covid card to prove their vaccinations at borders, bars, restaurants and other locations in the EU and 18 additional countries.
These new rules mean that holidaymakers from countries like the Netherlands won’t need to take daily tests to be able to access hotspots, such as museums and bars.
Didier Reynders is the EU commissioner for justice. He stated that safer travel is possible because of the EU digital Covid certificate. This is the global standard. The system is currently used by 45 countries on four continents. More will be added in the coming weeks and month. We are open for other countries to join the system.
The approval of the UK’s application by the commission took three months. However, passes for Switzerland, Turkey, North Macedonia, and Ukraine were granted in five to eight weeks.
These new measures will allow other nations to access the vaccine status of Britons and test their results at the border.
Austria has not yet accepted the NHS app. Portugal only recently approved it. This makes life difficult for British tourists.
The Foreign Office currently advises about travelling to Austria: ‘Although we understand that the UK’s proof of COVID recovery and vaccination status is being accepted in practice, Austria has not yet officially confirmed this.
“We recommend that you contact the nearest Austrian Embassy for advice about entry requirements.
“Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centers is not intended to be used for proof of vaccination.”
Hungary only accepts a locally issued certificate for proof of vaccination. In Italy, however, holidaymakers had trouble entering bars or restaurants using the NHS app.
British tourists were also told by the Czech Republic and Latvia that they needed a paper document.