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Italy’s Covid health pass will cover most venues and cultural sites in the country when the new rules come into effect on August 6th.

From that date, you’ll need to show a ‘green pass‘ to access many places that typically attract tourists, such as museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, sports stadiums, theme parks, indoor swimming pools, spas, and indoor seating areas at bars and restaurants.

READ ALSO: Italy makes Covid ‘green pass’ mandatory for restaurants, gyms, cinemas and more 

The certificazione verde is available to anyone who has been vaccinated in Italy, including those who have only had the first of two doses. 

People who have recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months or who tested negative for the coronavirus within the previous 48 hours can also claim it.

So if you were vaccinated in the UK, Italy’s Covid health pass currently doesn’t recognise your shots.

When will this change?

Since France begun to independently recognise proof of vaccination in the UK, people wanting to travel to Italy for tourism, to make long-postponed trips to family or to attend weddings have been asking when Italy will follow suit.

France is allowing UK visitors who were vaccinated to upload their NHS certificates to the French health pass app, TousAntiCovid.

This recognition isn’t mutual, but the UK government is shortly expected to make an announcement on EU-administered vaccinations being accepted for entry into the UK.

Whether or not more countries might start recognising each others’ health passports may depend on whether apps are compatible with each other, as much as on international agreements.

EXPLAINED: When, where and why will you need a Covid health passport in Italy?

If you were vaccinated somewhere else than the UK, click here to see how it affects you when visiting Italy.

Although Italy and the UK have not yet made an announcement on when the NHS Covid pass will be recognised in Italy, one is due shortly.

The director of prevention at the Ministry of Health, Giovanni Rezza, told reporters at a press conference, “There is no reason for this situation to persist.”

Being unable to access the ‘green pass’ if you were vaccinated in the UK “is being resolved”, he confirmed.

Referring to Italians living in the UK who want to return home for summer visits, the Italian Embassy in London shared Rezza’s announcement on social media.

“‘The problem of the green pass for Italians who have had a vaccination cycle in Great Britain, where two vaccines were given like we have done [in Italy], is being resolved’. This was said by Giovanni Rezza, director of prevention at the Ministry of Health,” the tweet read.

(AGI) – Roma, 23 lug. – "E' in via di risoluzione il problema del Green pass agli italiani che hanno fatto il ciclo vaccinale in Gran Bretagna dove si sono utilizzati due vaccini come da noi". Lo ha detto Giovanni Rezza direttore della prevenzione del ministero della Salute.

— Italy in UK (@ItalyinUK) July 23, 2021

Rezza pointed out that vaccines administered in the UK are recognised by the European Medicines Agency and so should be accepted in Italy.

Travellers continue to wait for a confirmed date on when this will come into force, following Rezza’s comments last week that a decision would arrive within a day or two.

Reader question: Can I use a foreign vaccination certificate to access Italy’s ‘green pass’?

What can I do until then?

If you’re travelling to Italy from the UK, you’ll need to follow the current travel restrictions, which include a 5-day quarantine and double-testing requirements.

However, these are due to expire at the end of the month and are presently under review.

Until then, once you’re in Italy and have completed quarantine, there’s one sure way to obtain Italy’s ‘green pass’ – by getting a coronavirus test in Italy. Find out how to get tested in Italy here, and learn how to download the green pass using your test number here.

What about returning to the UK?

Anyone vaccinated under the NHS can currently return home to the UK after a trip abroad without facing a quarantine period – though people who were vaccinated in Italy would still face quarantine in the UK under current ‘amber’ list rules.

An announcement from the UK government is expected on Wednesday, which may drop quarantine for vaccinated EU arrivals as well, however.

The Local will continue to follow the travel restrictions closely. Please check our homepage or travel news section for the most recent reports on any changes to the rules.

For more information about the current coronavirus-related restrictions on travel to Italy please see the Foreign Ministry’s website (in English).