New COVIDCert NI App Released

The Department of Health has announced the launch of a new version of the COVIDCert NI app, offering separate vaccination certificates for both foreign travel and domestic use.

These QR codes provide official confirmation that you have had both your Covid-19 vaccine doses.

Encouraging people to download the app, the Dept said: "Now is a good time get both certificates on your phone or other mobile device. We have set up a dedicated helpline, and have staff ready to help you, should you have any problems getting through the process. It makes sense to get on board in the next month while things are less busy.

"You no longer have to be travelling abroad within a set time period to apply. You can be planning a holiday next month, next year or even further ahead. The app will automatically renew itself, so you only have to download it once. It's likely to be in greater demand ahead of holiday periods – Christmas, half-term, Easter, summer. So you can beat the rush by getting the app now."

Hospitality and entertainment venues in NI are being encouraged to use domestic vaccination certificates on a voluntary basis. Having the domestic certificate on your phone is user friendly and more reliable than using the printed vaccination cards. It also means you don't have to produce separate proof of ID.

Decisions on whether domestic certification would be introduced on a compulsory basis in Northern Ireland settings will rest with the NI Executive. The Executive's recently published Covid-19 autumn/winter contingency plan sets out a number of potential contingency measures which the Executive may decide to use including "the potential to deploy COVID status certification in higher risk settings if considered appropriate and necessary".

The Cert Check NI app is free to download and can be used on a smartphone or tablet device.