This guide highlights the critical role of health certificates and additional health documents required for international travel, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It details the purposes of health certificates, new health requirements due to COVID-19, necessary health documents for travel, costs associated with obtaining health certificates, information collected on travel health certificates, health declaration forms, COVID-19 vaccine requirements, issuance of health declaration forms, and final considerations for travelers. This document serves as a comprehensive resource for individuals planning to travel abroad, ensuring they are well-informed about health-related travel requirements and documentation.
Table of Contents
What Are Health Certificates Used For?
Are There New Health Requirements?
What Health Documents Do I Need To Travel?
How Much Does Obtaining a Health Certificate Cost?
What Information Is Collected On Travel Health Certificates?
What Are Health Declaration Forms?
Do I Need The COVID-19 Vaccine To Travel Abroad?
Who Issues Health Declaration Forms?
The Bottom Line
Health certificates are official documents that provide needed input on thehealth status of an individual. For these documents to be official, they mustbecompleted online in most cases. Basic health information like height,weight, history of the disease, etc., are included in the health certificate.
Health certificates are sometimes required before a visa for travel can beauthorized or issued to the person under review.Now that you know some preliminary information on health certificateslet’s dive in and explore the additional health forms you may need totravel abroad.
What Are Health Certificates Used For?
The purpose of a health certificate in the context of travel is to ensure thatthe health of the person is well enough to fly and enter into another country.Health certificates are needed to review a person’s health status beforea visa can be issued.
Health certificates are often required for pets to travel via flight. Healthcertificates are used for school documentation,insurance purposes, and other contexts where verification of one’s health is necessary.
Are There New Health Requirements?
As you may have guessed, because of COVID-19, there are additional healthrequirements that passengers are expected to meet before they can travel toanother country. Countries around the world are adopting these measures toensure safe travel and to reduce the spread of disease.
Contact your local embassy to find out which health documents are required inorder to travel to your intended destination.
What Health Documents Do I Need To Travel?
To travel abroad, you may need a health certificate for visa purposes and afit-to-fly certificate. Fit-to-fly certificates affirm that the individual hastested negative for COVID-19 as of late.
These certificates ensure that the person is physically well enough to visitanother country and that their wellness is backed by a medical professional.The certificate also promises that the individual has not shown signs ofcoronavirus before the departure.
Health certificates are growing requirements for many different countriesbecause of the pandemic. Depending on where you plan to travel, thesecertificatesmay be requested before boarding, on arrival at checkpoints,etc.
How Much Does Obtaining a Health Certificate Cost?
Travel health certificates vary based on the requested testing and vitalchecks required by the country. Different forms of COVID-19 testing and vitalchecks can increase or decrease the overall cost. Additionally, somecountries require that the travelercomplete a medical screening to prove that they are in good healthbefore traveling abroad is granted.
What Information Is Collected On Travel Health Certificates?
The information requested will vary on location, but the basic informationrequested is as follows:
- Name
- Nationality
- Birthday
- Gender
- Passport information (number, nationality, expiration).
Additional information may include travel plans and contact information.
The traveler may also need to answer a series of medical questions pertainingto COVID-19 symptoms. If you plan to travel to different countries in a shortperiod of time, be sure to keep track of the places you’ve been over atwo-week period. Sometimes, health certificates require that you list thecountries and dates of arrival and departure pertaining to your travels.
What Are Health Declaration Forms?
In response to COVID-19, the number of health forms that are being requestedby countries has grown. In addition to health certificates and fit-to-flycertificates, the traveler may need tosign a health declaration form in order to enter anothercountry. Health declaration forms are proclamations via the traveler’ssignature that they are not experiencing coronavirus-related symptoms.
Do I Need The COVID-19 Vaccine To Travel Abroad?
Depending on where you visit, the vaccine may be necessary. Along withvaccination, the individual must complete the vaccine certificate forCOVID-19. This certificate officially deems that the traveler has beenvaccinated and has proof of negative test results as well as a signed healthdeclaration. Contact your local embassy to find out if your destinationrequires these additional health documents.
Who Issues Health Declaration Forms?
If you need a health certificate, you must first gather your COVID-19 testresults from a government-approved laboratory.You can obtain your form online at the government websitepertaining to your destination. Print out a copy to presentto the authorities upon arrival.
The Bottom Line
The health documents you’ll need for your trip will depend on where youplan to visit. If you’re concerned about contracting diseases abroad,make sure to reach out to your health provider to see if any required servicesare covered.
