How to get Switzerland’s immunity card in your canton
Getting Switzerland’s Covid-19 immunity pass differs from canton to canton. Here’s what you need to know.
On Monday, June 7th, Switzerland finally released its Covid-19 certificate, which will provide certain rights and privileges to holders for travel and events.
The Covid-19 certificate – otherwise known as the Covid-19 pass or the green pass – is available in paper and digital form.
According to the Swiss government, the pass “provides documentary evidence that you have had a COVID-19 vaccination, have had and recovered from the disease or have tested negative”.
Generally speaking, someone who is vaccinated, has recovered or who tests negative will receive a paper certificate with a QR code confirming their status.
Once they receive this, they can scan it into the Covid Certificate App - which then enables them to use their phone to store their status and show it where necessary.
The app, which is linked to the certificate, is available for free. Here is the link for the Apple App store here, and that for Android.
READ MORE: How to get Switzerland’s Covid-19 health pass
The certificates themselves however are issued by the cantons, meaning that the steps you need to take differ from place to place.
Here’s a breakdown of how to get the app in the largest cantons. More official information is available here.
Zurich
In Zurich, fully vaccinated people will need to register with the VacMe portal and will receive a text message with a link to their Covid certificate after their vaccination.
The certificate will then be sent by post if they have not received it at the time of vaccination, however a person must agree that their vaccination data be passed on in order to create the vaccination card.
Those who have not agreed will need to call +41 84 833 66 11 to have the certificate sent by post.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
Geneva
Geneva kicked off a test phase for issuing the certificates on June 14th, with the government saying anyone who has been vaccinated is entitled to apply for one, i.e. they may not receive it automatically.
If you have not received your certificate and you were fully vaccinated before the 8th of June, you need to contact the general information line on 0800 909 400.
From there, you will need to undergo a process of receiving four different SMS messages - yes, four - in order to get a digital Covid certificate.
More information about the rather complicated process is available here.
If you were fully vaccinated after June 21st, you will receive a certificate of vaccination at the vaccination centre in either paper or digital form.
Basel
People vaccinated in Basel City before June 21st should have already received the certificate via letter or the post.
If your second vaccination is after the 21st, you should have received paper evidence or digital evidence upon getting your second shot.
In Basel Country, the same process must be followed by the relevant date is June 30th.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
Bern
Like in Zurich, fully vaccinated people will need to have been registered with the VacMe app in order to receive the certificate.
Once you have provided your consent to your data being passed on, you may download the certificate from the VacMe platform.
Those who did not use the VacMe platform will receive the certificate in a letter.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
What about the rest?
We've detailed the largest Swiss cantons on the basis of population above.
Generally speaking, the process will be the same for proving recovery in most if not all Swiss cantons.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
To get your certificate, please contact cantonal authorities in your Swiss canton using the following link.
Comments
See Also
On Monday, June 7th, Switzerland finally released its Covid-19 certificate, which will provide certain rights and privileges to holders for travel and events.
The Covid-19 certificate – otherwise known as the Covid-19 pass or the green pass – is available in paper and digital form.
According to the Swiss government, the pass “provides documentary evidence that you have had a COVID-19 vaccination, have had and recovered from the disease or have tested negative”.
Generally speaking, someone who is vaccinated, has recovered or who tests negative will receive a paper certificate with a QR code confirming their status.
Once they receive this, they can scan it into the Covid Certificate App - which then enables them to use their phone to store their status and show it where necessary.
The app, which is linked to the certificate, is available for free. Here is the link for the Apple App store here, and that for Android.
READ MORE: How to get Switzerland’s Covid-19 health pass
The certificates themselves however are issued by the cantons, meaning that the steps you need to take differ from place to place.
Here’s a breakdown of how to get the app in the largest cantons. More official information is available here.
Zurich
In Zurich, fully vaccinated people will need to register with the VacMe portal and will receive a text message with a link to their Covid certificate after their vaccination.
The certificate will then be sent by post if they have not received it at the time of vaccination, however a person must agree that their vaccination data be passed on in order to create the vaccination card.
Those who have not agreed will need to call +41 84 833 66 11 to have the certificate sent by post.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
Geneva
Geneva kicked off a test phase for issuing the certificates on June 14th, with the government saying anyone who has been vaccinated is entitled to apply for one, i.e. they may not receive it automatically.
If you have not received your certificate and you were fully vaccinated before the 8th of June, you need to contact the general information line on 0800 909 400.
From there, you will need to undergo a process of receiving four different SMS messages - yes, four - in order to get a digital Covid certificate.
More information about the rather complicated process is available here.
If you were fully vaccinated after June 21st, you will receive a certificate of vaccination at the vaccination centre in either paper or digital form.
Basel
People vaccinated in Basel City before June 21st should have already received the certificate via letter or the post.
If your second vaccination is after the 21st, you should have received paper evidence or digital evidence upon getting your second shot.
In Basel Country, the same process must be followed by the relevant date is June 30th.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
Bern
Like in Zurich, fully vaccinated people will need to have been registered with the VacMe app in order to receive the certificate.
Once you have provided your consent to your data being passed on, you may download the certificate from the VacMe platform.
Those who did not use the VacMe platform will receive the certificate in a letter.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
Click the following link to see which documents are sufficient to prove recovery.
UPDATED: How do you prove you’ve recovered from Covid in Switzerland?
What about the rest?
We've detailed the largest Swiss cantons on the basis of population above.
Generally speaking, the process will be the same for proving recovery in most if not all Swiss cantons.
If you have recovered from the virus need to fill in the following form (Switzerland wide), with evidence of a positive test.
To get your certificate, please contact cantonal authorities in your Swiss canton using the following link.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.