MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina announces issuance of Digital Vaccination Credential

The digital pass is available through the Mi Argentina app, which has over 10 million users

The Government of Argentina has announced that effective Sept. 6, nationals going abroad shall be able to produce the Digital Vaccination Credential (CVD), available through the Mi Argentina app, as an official travel document.

Argentine authorities have also said the decision had been notified to migrations officials worldwide as well as border health authorities so that it becomes accepted. In return, Argentina called on the rest of the world to submit samples of their own health passes to be added to the requirements for foreign travellers wishing to enter Argentina.

The CVD has been developed by the Cabinet Chief's Secretariat of Public Innovation and presented last July. After joint work with the Ministry of Health, the Directorate of Migration, the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its implementation as an official document, the bilingual digital card was developed with a QR code which points to the official database of the national health authority, where information on vaccination against COVID-19 for each citizen can be accessed.

The digital document, which is available to all Argentine citizens who have been vaccinated, is generated through the data uploaded at the Federal Register of Nominalized Vaccination (Nomivac). It includes which vaccine was applied, its batch, dose and place of inoculation.

The Foreign Ministry sent a note to Argentine consulates and embassies worldwide to inform foreign ministries, migration directorates and health authorities of the countries in which they are located about the implementation of the new Argentine vaccination credential. In the same document, foreign authorities are requested to send and report their vaccination accreditation models to advance in the verification of the documentation of travellers who wish to enter Argentina.

However, Argentina's Health Ministry has recommended that “taking into account that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet ruled on a certification of global scope,” Argentines wishing to travel abroad are recommended to consult in advance the current sanitary measures and the travel documentation required by their country of destination.

In addition to the digital document, citizens are encouraged to keep the paper credential issued at the time of vaccination.

The Mi Argentina app already has over 10 million users and can be downloaded from the official site of the national government.