Italy, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland Allowed
Simplified Quarantine Procedures for Korea
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The COVID-19 vaccination certificate to be issued by the Japanese government starting from the 26th of this month is expected to be usable for entry into five overseas countries. These countries are Italy, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Poland.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 22nd, applications for the so-called 'vaccine passport' proving vaccination will be accepted from the 26th. Applicants need to present the application form, vaccination certificate, and passport. The five countries where the vaccine passport will be applicable are Italy, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Poland.
Although the vaccine passport will not be applicable for entry into Korea, the entry procedures will be simplified. When submitting the vaccine passport upon entry to Korea, it will be recognized as one of the documents required for quarantine exemption applications, thereby simplifying quarantine procedures. Estonia has also agreed to recognize Japan's vaccine passport and simplify quarantine procedures.
Presenting the vaccination certificate during visa issuance and immigration screening will exempt travelers from waiting measures and PCR testing after entry.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun forecasted, "Since procedures will be omitted, the burden of entry and exit due to COVID-19 will be reduced, which will also help activate business trips."
In countries such as the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, presenting vaccination certificates issued by other countries does not, in principle, ease entry and exit requirements. Therefore, even if travelers carry vaccination certificates issued by the Japanese government when going to these countries, they must undergo self-quarantine and testing for a certain period.
The vaccination certificates accepted from the 26th will be issued in paper form for the time being, and the issuance of electronic certificates using smartphone apps is also being considered. The vaccination certificate will display the vaccination date, vaccine type, passport number, name, and date of birth in both Japanese and English.
The application procedures for vaccination certificates will vary slightly depending on the local government. Shizuoka City accepts applications only by mail, and it will take about five days to issue the certificate. Minato Ward in Tokyo accepts applications by mail or online in principle, but in urgent cases, procedures can also be completed at the counter. Reservations can be made until the day before application. If there are no missing documents, the certificate will be issued within 30 minutes.
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