Portugal started in mid-June issuing and sending the first vaccination certificates as part of the European Union’s Digital Covid Certificate. This certificate aims to allow circulation between countries with the assurance that the tourist will not present any risk, which is essential especially at this stage when vaccination is still ongoing in most countries.
Obtaining the certificate is very simple and it is applied in 3 different cases: for those who have had the complete vaccination scheme for over 14 days, for those who have a negative result in the last 72h (PCR) or 48h (antigen), or for those who have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 6 months. To obtain the Certificate, the citizen must access the SNS 24 portal, follow the instructions, and choose the type of certificate he/she wants. After validation of the request, the document is made available on the portal or can be sent, later, to an indicated e-mail.
The Digital Covid Certificate is useful for travel within the European Union, for circulation within the national territory, for access to some cultural events (inside: more than 500 people/outside: more than a thousand people), as well as for giving access to family events such as weddings, christenings and the like, with more than 10 people. The presentation of the certificate can be in digital or paper format.
“The Digital Covid Certificate is an excellent initiative to boost tourism nationally and internationally. With the vaccination process underway, besides being an important motivation for more people to get vaccinated, it is a security for the countries that have opened their borders and are receiving tourists coming from several parts of Europe. At LovelyStay we can already feel the impact of the increase in tourism in the amount of bookings we receive daily, which is excellent for the industry” says Miguel Marinho Soares, Head of Business Development at LovelyStay
Recently, we talked about the rebound in tourism for the summer. Want to know more? Check the link!
The EU Digital Covid Certificate is optional, and it facilitates freedom of movement throughout the European Union during the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, possession of the EU Digital Covid Certificate will not be a precondition for being able to travel, which is a fundamental right in the EU. Citizens who do not possess or choose not to apply for this document may still travel, however, they may be subject to additional measures, such as testing procedures and mandatory prophylactic quarantine/isolation, upon arrival in the destination country.
For more information, access the SNS24 link.
Translated by Miguel Marinho Soares
