Northern Ireland To Implement Mandatory Covid Vaccine Passports

14 Apr 2022, 14 mins ago

Northern Ireland To Implement Mandatory Covid Vaccine Passports

Starting December 13 2021, Covid vaccine passports, or a negative Covid test result, will be compulsory in Northern Ireland to obtain access to certain types of venue or event

The Covid passport will be familiar to those who have used it to travel abroad and return to the UK. In Northern Ireland, the Covid passport has been updated for domestic purposes, and users will be issued a separate certificate to access designated domestic venues.

If you are not from the UK or you had your vaccination overseas, you can apply for a digital covid certificate as evidence of your vaccination status. You can do this using EU travel certificates, as well as the NHS vaccine certificates used in Scotland, England and Wales.

Travel certificates from other countries may also be accepted as long as they have a QR code meeting EU/ WHO standards and there is a bilateral agreement in place with FCDO. See here for details about the digital covid certificate.

Proof of a negative Covid test result or the domestic certificate – in the form of a QR code – will be scanned and used for people wishing to gain entry to designated venues such as:

  • Nightclubs;
  • Hospitality venues which serve food and drink:
  • Cinemas, theatres, concert halls and conference centres;
  • Indoor events with 500 or more attendees with some or all of the audience not normally seated;
  • Outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees with some or all of the audience not normally seated;
  • Events where more than 10,000 people will be present regardless of whether they are seated.

While the Covid passport reflects harsher restrictions being imposed in Northern Ireland, it was also announced that international travellers vaccinated with vaccines on level 4 of the Vaccine Recognition Framework of the World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) will now be recognised as fully vaccinated when arriving into Northern Ireland. If you are planning on traveling to Northern Ireland or have any queries on traveling there, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.

In England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has so far refrained from introducing Covid passports. However, there have been discussions about implementing Covid passports in the event that the NHS comes under greater pressure this coming winter.

Policy and guidance with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic is subject to change at short notice and travellers are advised to consult the official Government guidance before travelling.

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The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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