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How to Link Passport With Vaccine Certificate?: Complete Guide

Team AckoFeb 27, 2024

The world came to a standstill in 2020 in the throes of the contagious and deadly COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of the pandemic, the medical industry formulated a life-saving vaccine that was able to mitigate the rising number of deaths and prevent further casualties. During the pandemic, countries around the world imposed blanket bans on travel, to prevent the spread, and keep their citizens and travelers safe.

In the wake of a post-pandemic world, travel restrictions are being lifted, as the world slowly hobbles back to some semblance of "normalcy". One of these travel measures still in effect is linking your passport and your COVID-19 certificate of vaccination for international travel. Learn more about your COVID-19 vaccination certificate from the CoWin portal, and how to link a passport with a vaccine certificate.

how-to-link-passport-with-vaccine-certificate

Contents

How to Link Your Vaccine Certificate with Passport Number in India
Linking Your Vaccination Certificate to Your Passport
- Update Your CoWin Passport Details
Why You Need to Link Your Vaccination Certificate to Your Passport
Downloading a Copy of Your Vaccination Certificate Linked to Your Passport
Frequently asked questions

How to Link Your Vaccine Certificate with Passport Number in India

Register on the CoWIN app by selecting your passport as your photo ID and entering your mobile number to receive a One Time Password (OTP) for security purposes
Fill in your passport details in the photo ID section field
- Once your application is verified via OTP, you will proceed to the registration page
- Fill in your name, gender, age, photo ID type, and other information
- Choose the 'Passport' option as your photo ID type, and enter your passport details
On the COWIN portal, schedule a vaccination appointment to get vaccinated
- Under the 'Book Appointment for Vaccination' page, you can look up vaccination centers close to you
- Select 'Book' when you find a vaccination center close to you

Get your initial COVID-19 vaccination, as well as your follow-up dose on the appointed time. After you complete your 2 vaccinations, you will need to get booster doses to keep the efficacy of the vaccines going.

Linking Your Vaccination Certificate to Your Passport

If you already registered on the CoWIN portal, and received your COVID-19 vaccines, you have to update your passport details. You can link your passport with the vaccine certificate in the COWINPortal.

Update Your CoWin Passport Details

Step 1: Add passport number in COVID vaccine certificate
- Log in to your CoWIN account, click on 'Account Details', and select the 'Raise Issue' option. Then choose 'Add Passport Details' and enter your passport number in the 'Enter Beneficiary's Passport Number' section. Once you enter your passport number you will not be allowed to modify it, so check thoroughly .
Step 2:Confirm and submit changes
- Enter your passport number and tick the declaration box. Go ahead and click on the 'Submit Request' button.
Step 3:You’ll receive a text message confirmation

Your registered phone number with your CoWIN account will get a text notification confirming your request. You should also receive another message stating that your request has been successfully updated. It may take a few minutes to receive this message.

Why You Need to Link Your Vaccination Certificate to Your Passport

If you're planning on traveling overseas, you will need to link your vaccination certificate to your passport to prove that you are fully vaccinated against the contagious COVID-19 coronavirus strain. Without a vaccination certificate, you may be denied entry to several countries, and may be deemed a health threat, ultimately being deported or forced to quarantine. You will need to submit other relevant medical certificates including COVID-19 test to confirm you are healthy enough to travel. Even as COVID-19 shows signs of fully letting up, not all countries will allow you to travel without a vaccination certificate, COVID-19 tests, or other similar medical clearances.

Some countries have rolled out vaccine passports, where the passports are proof of being vaccinated. In India, you only need to link your vaccination certificate to your existing passport for seamless travel.

Downloading a Copy of Your Vaccination Certificate Linked to Your Passport

You can download your vaccination certificate and link it to your passport. To do this, visit the COWIN website and click on the 'Account Details' section. Select the 'Certificate' where you added your passport details. When you choose to download, your vaccine certificate will be automatically linked to your passport.

Correcting Errors in Your Vaccination Certificate

You can edit errors in your vaccination certificate such as incorrect name, date of birth, gender or photo ID number. To correct errors, visit the COWIN website to edit details on your vaccine certificate. You can only correct these errors once! Be careful when you update your details, because this is an official document that will help you travel easily.

When you edit the errors, your old vaccination certificate will be rendered null and void. Your new and updated vaccination certificate replaces your old one.

Steps to Correct Vaccination Certificate Errors

Visit the COWIN Portal and sign in
Enter your registered mobile number and tap to get an OTP
Enter the OTP to verify and proceed
Request the "raise an issue" to choose the Correction in Certificate option
You can choose the fields you want to correct in your vaccine certificate
You can edit any 2 fields from:
1. Name
2. Date of birth
3. Gender
4. Aadhaar card number/PAN card/passport number
Make the corrections and enter submit

About the Vaccination Certificate

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare division of the Indian Government issues a vaccination certificate to people who have successfully received their COVID-19 vaccination. Each subsequent dose is assigned a relevant certificate. Upon receiving all doses of the vaccination, you will receive a certificate that verifies you are fully vaccinated. This may be 2 doses for Covishield or 1 for Sputnik variants of the vaccine, for instance. You can show these vaccination certificates when you travel, to prove your vaccination status.

The Indian Government assigns these vaccination certificates depending on what you have received:

First Dose
Second Dose
Precautionary (Booster) Dose
Fully vaccinated certificate for all doses

By linking your certificate to your passport, you can travel to many countries for work, education, or leisure purposes. Be careful not to share your COVID-19 vaccination certificates publicly and with people you do not know, however. Your vaccination certificate has important personal data including your name, age, gender, and details of your vaccination.

Registering on the COWIN Portal

The CoWIN online portal was set up by the Indian government's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to help people find and register for COVID-19 vaccination appointments, and to receive the vaccine certificate upon completion of the vaccination. Before you can link your COVID-19 vaccination certificate to your passport, you will need to register your vaccine(s) on the COWIN portal. Skip this section if you already registered on the COWIN portal.

Benefits of Vaccination Certificates

Download your vaccination certificate right after receiving your vaccination. The vaccination certificate offers you a host of benefits, including hassle-free travel and confirming your vaccination status.

COVID vaccination proof
Specific information about type of vaccine (Covaxine/Covishield) or doses received
Proof to enter public places, including shopping malls

Frequently asked questions

Here are some answers to the most common asked questions related to how to link passport with vaccine certificate.

Why do I need a vaccination certificate?

You need a vaccination certificate as proof of your vaccination. In addition, you can establish that you have been vaccinated during traveling.

Is it mandatory to link passports with vaccination certificates?

Yes, you need to link your passport with your vaccination certificate. The Indian government's COVID-19 vaccine rules and regulations cover people traveling overseas to work, study, or on vacation to obtain the CoWin vaccination certificate and link it to their passport.

Where can I download passport linked vaccine certificates?

Sign into your COWIN portal account. Click on ‘Account Details' and select 'Certificate'. Press download, you can then check that the certificate will be successfully linked to the passport.

The name mentioned on my passport and my CoWin vaccine certificate is different - will this cause an issue while traveling overseas?

In case the name on the certificate is not similar to the name on the passport, a name correction can be requested for as well. Requesting a name change is only possible once! Ensure there are no mistakes while entering these details.

I forgot to use my passport as ID proof while registering. Can I link it to my passport on COWIN?

You can still linkvaccine certificates to passports on the COWIN Portal, without any issues.

Can I download my passport linked vaccination certificate without a mobile number?

No. You have to provide a mobile number in order to receive and download a vaccination certificate. Providing a mobile number also helps you sign in and receive OTPs.

Disclaimer: The above content is sourced from secondary sources on the internet and is meant for informational purposes only. It is subject to changes. It is recommended to take the help of an expert before making any related decision.

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