The agreement between EU ministers to introduce expiry dates on Covid-19 passports was discussed and decided back in December. However, the Netherlands had not introduced this new measure yet. It will come into force from February 1, so what does it mean for Dutch residents?
An individual’s coronavirus passports will only be valid for 9 months after the last covid-19 vaccine was administered to them. This will, in effect, mean that 9 months or less after the second dose of a vaccine people will have to get the booster in order to obtain a new Covid passport.
This will require a change in the law and the amendment will soon be sent to parliament but some countries already require boosters for entry. For example, Austria requires those who have not received a booster to quarantine upon arrival.
So, after 9 months an individual’s Covid passport will need refreshing, but there is currently no plan that requires it to be refreshed after a booster has been administered to that person. This is because the efficacy of the booster jab over time hasn’t been figured out yet. So, one refresh after the booster jab, and then you should be able to use the new Covid-19 passport for the foreseeable future.