EU COVID Passport Goes Live

As of 1 July 2021, all European Union citizens and residents, as well as specific categories of travellers from third party countries, will be able to hold a COVID passport that will allow unrestricted travel throughout the Schengen Area on the grounds of health status. The scheme, in its current form, is set to run until 31 June 2022.

The EU Commission, the executive branch of the EU, completed the procedural and legislative framework for implementation of the health status passport by the beginning of June and now all 27 EU member states, except Ireland, have started issuing it. In the case of Ireland, which is not a part of the Schengen zone, the delay in issuing the EU COVID passport, also referred to as the Digital Green Certificate, is down to technical reasons, and the Irish Health Service Executive intends to start issuing the document shortly.