Government eyes October roll-out of vaccine certificates for international (and possibly domestic) travel

Digital vaccine passport app in mobile phone for travel during Covid-19 pandemic. The mobile phone, passport, protective face mask, hat and sunglasses are on a suitcase.
By Travel Weekly


More details around the federal government’s plan for the resumption of international travel have emerged, with vaccine certificates set to be rolled out in the next couple of months.

Under the plan submitted to the government’s expenditure review committee last week, international vaccine certificates would be available for Australians to attain via the MyGov website by October, according to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Aussies would be able to access their vaccine certificate, which would essentially be a QR code, by either downloading it on their electronic device or printing it out on paper.

The Nine-owned mastheads reported that the vaccine certificates are being developed by Services Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and will use a ‘Visible Digital Seal’, which is backed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

This technology will be linked to a ‘Digital Passenger Declaration’ developed by the Department of Home Affairs to collect the relevant health information of travellers, but how this all comes together is still being worked out by the government.

SMH and The Age reported that the government’s multi-million-dollar plan to reopen borders and recommence quarantine-free international travel could also see the vaccine certificates used domestically.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is pushing for it to be extended to domestic travel in the hope that it will speed up the National Cabinet’s four-step reopening plan. However, a number of conservative MPs are reportedly not so keen.

According to the Nine-owned news outlets, the vaccine certificates are a key part of the government’s negotiations with other countries on the establishment of travel bubbles.

However, ScoMo and his team are yet to decide whether certificates for vaccines other than those approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration will be allowed.

Featured image source: iStock/Onfokus

Latest News

  • Tourism

Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs

Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull is departing the agency with effect from Friday May 10. Over the past three years, Turnbull played an instrumental role in driving growth, with one of the agency’s most significant achievements being the increase in visitor spend. Under her leadership, Tourism WA achieved a record breaking $17.7 billion in […]

  • Travel Agents

DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign

DriveAway has launched its Brit-Euro Blitz: Explore the UK, Europe & Ireland campaign, designed to inspire travellers to uncover the beauty and diversity of those destinations during May and June. The campaign arrives amidst a surge in popularity for destinations across the UK, Europe and Ireland, with year-to-date increases averaging around 30%. Notably, cities such […]

  • Road & Rail

Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern

Great Southern’s Fly and Stay Free special offer will have travellers taking in the views along the east coast between Adelaide and Brisbane next summer. This bright orange locomotive chases the summer sun, sharing the incredible coastline with those who want to experience it by train. The journey reflects the best of Australia, from charming […]

  • Tourism

Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips

Gen Z travellers prefer to limit alcohol when overseas and have an increased reliance on TikTok when planning a trip, according to a report by StudentUniverse, the world’s largest online travel retailer for young people. The State of Student & Youth Travel Report for 2024 delved into the latest travel sentiments amongst those aged 18-25 […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]