COVID-19

Getting Your COVID-19 Green Pass After You Arrive In Vietnam

What is a “Green Pass”?

Note:  The following post is focused primarily on those expats who have been vaccinated overseas, have arrived recently in Vietnam, and need to obtain their Green Pass.

As the COVID-19 crisis in Vietnam progresses, there have been several programs and apps developed to try and manage the movement and vaccination status of residents.  Due to the recent severe outbreaks specifically in Ho Chi Minh City and the South, these apps and registration portals have become a necessity for residents to be allowed to enter various areas such as supermarkets, shopping centers, office buildings, etc.  Although these systems are far from “user friendly” and their implementation is inconsistent, it’s important for all residents, especially those in Ho Chi Minh City, to register on government online portals and install recommended apps on their mobile.

The key verification required currently is the so-called, “Green Pass”, which shows proof of an individual’s full vaccination status.  This Green Pass is obtained by registering on the government’s online portal, and then installing the correct government-approved app on your phone.  Once successfully installed and vaccination status is linked, you can simply open the app on your phone and show your Green Pass whenever requested.  The mobile app also has a built-in QR code scanner which may also be requested upon entry to various areas in order to register your movements.

It should be noted that this is not a perfect system, and even for Vietnamese, it can be frustrating to understand how to register, which app to use (there is more than one), and how to ensure that their full vaccination status actually shows up on the app (in some cases, a fully vaccinated person’s status may not show in the app).

For those foreigners arriving in Vietnam who have already been fully vaccinated overseas, the process is less clear and little documentation is available to provide clear directions on how to register a foreign vaccine certificate in order to get the “Green Pass”. [Note:  If you have received your vaccinations in Vietnam, it is more straightforward than if you have gotten them overseas as it seems you are registered by your phone number after receiving your shots locally and registration can be automatic].  For overseas vaccinated individuals, through some trial and error, however, we have successfully been able to obtain the “Green Pass” for clients who have overseas’ vaccination certificates.  We cannot guarantee this process will work in all cases as there remains no official instruction.   We provide below basic instructions on registering online your foreign vaccination certificate as well as setting up the mobile app “PC-Covid”.

We recommend for incoming foreigners who have been fully vaccinated overseas to try and register online and upload their foreign vaccination certificates (you must have gotten a local VN SIM card/mobile number first).  Once registered, you should then download the recommended iOS and Android app named “PC-Covid”.  Simply search the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for “PC-Covid” and download it to your phone.  This seems to be the most commonly used app.  Both the website link and app are mostly in English.

It’s important to note that this is an ongoing process with regard to the development policies and requirements to register and obtain the “Green Pass”.  At this time it is most important in Ho Chi Minh City to obtain your “Green Pass” to be able to move around freely.  In other cities such as Hanoi, it is not required as strictly to enter various buildings or areas.

Notes on Obtaining Your “Green Pass” (for those vaccinated overseas)

• You must have a Vietnam mobile number to register and use the “Green Pass” app installed on your phone.  Overseas numbers will not work.
• Whenever registering online or setting up the “Green Pass” app, your phone number, name, passport number, and birthdate must match exactly and be consistent throughout.  If your name is different in the online portal compared to what you have entered on the app, the system may not link properly.
• Each adult member of the family should have registered separately under their own Vietnamphone number and have their own phone to store the app.  At this point, it is not clear how to register unvaccinated children under 18.
• When registering on the online portal, you will be asked to select the type of vaccine you have received overseas from a dropdown list.  At the time of this writing, this list only includes Astra Zeneca, Vero Cell, Moderna, Sputnik, and Pfizer.  If you have received some other type of vaccination, (such as Johnson and Johnson), we are unable to advise at this stage since there are no clear directions on how to register.
• In case you are not able to register or obtain a “Green Pass” due to issues with the system, it is a best practice that you take photos of your overseas vaccination certificates and keep them on your phone.  Showing these certificates to the guards may be enough proof in order for you to be allowed to enter a supermarket, medical center, or another place of business.  Unfortunately, the online portal and apps are difficult to get support to fix any issues and Resident Vietnam is limited with our ability to clarify further.

Instructions on Obtaining Your “Green Pass” (for those vaccinated overseas)

Step 1.  Register Your Vaccinations Online

• Click HERE to go to the registration page and follow the instructions.  Make sure to have your Vietnam mobile phone handy, as well as scans or good photos of your overseas vaccine certificates ready.
• We recommend watching our Youtube instructional video on how to register and upload documentation. Click HERE

Step 2.  Download PC-Covid App and install

• Search the Google Play Store or Apple App store for “PC-Covid”.  Install the app on your phone associated with your VN mobile number.
• We provide some instructions for the initial setup of this app.  View/Download instructions HERE.

Step 3.  Check the PC-Covid App periodically to see if your “Green Pass” is displayed and information is linked.

• It may take some time (perhaps a week or more) for the online portal registration to link up with the app.  Again, this is not a clearly detailed process by the government so it is best to continue to check for successful registration.  In the meantime, make sure to carry images of your overseas vaccination certificates.

Source: Resident Vietnam