How To Get an International Vaccine Certificate, aka Yellow Card

For many Filipinos, traveling overseas is not just for leisure but also for work—which is why the Philippines is among the early adopters of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) vaccination certificate standards since it was finalized last July 27, 2021. Apart from work and leisure requirements, many countries have been requiring the international vaccine certificate to control the transmission of COVID-19.

Fully-vaccinated Filipinos can now apply for the international certificate of vaccination and prophylaxis (ICVP), better known as “yellow card”, given they are inoculated with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. However, the yellow card is limited to fully vaccinated Filipinos with confirmation of overseas contracts or international flight bookings. The ICVP will serve as proof that an individual is fully vaccinated.

The Department of Health (DOH)’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) recently launched an online booking system https://boq.pisopay.com.ph/ where Filipinos can secure a unique QR code that verifies the authenticity of vaccine certificates.

To apply for the ICV, Filipinos must follow the following steps:

● Go to the BOQ OBS website and pick the location where you want to get your ICV. BOQ offices are available in the Manila Main office, SM Mall of Asia, Batangas, Subic, Cebu, and Davao.

● Agree to the Terms and Privacy

● Fill in your email address and submit

● Click “Select Service” and choose “Certification”.

● Pick the “International Certification of Vaccine for COVID-19” and click “Next”.

● Choose an appointment schedule and answer the personal information sheet

● Upload the required documents like COVID-19 vaccination cards

● Choose your preferred payment method and pay the processing fee of PhP300 and PhP70 convenience fee. The cost also depends on the chosen mode of payment. Methods of payment are Gcash, Paymaya, LBC, 7-Eleven, credit card, and online banking.

The following are the steps to verify your appointment status:

● Go to https://boq.pisopay.com.ph/ and click on your chosen location. Click “View Appointment Status”

● Fill in your reference number and date of birth

● Submit and wait for your appointment status

Present your screenshot of the confirmed appointment and payment to the BOQ personnel during your appointment at your preferred location.

Filipinos can register via the mobile app and portal VaxCertPH, developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for DOH. VaxCertPH is yet to be fully operational, but it is set to go live in a few weeks after LGU operators are done training under the directives of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Not all countries require an ICV. To avoid confusion, check the travel requirements of your destination first before setting an appointment for vaccination cards.

Visit Yoorekka Consumer Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Batangas and Southern Luzon!