Coronavirus: where and how to get a COVID certificate

You can get an overview of the different certificate types here. Find out under which conditions and where you can apply for a COVID certificate.

The certificate requirement within Switzerland was lifted on 17 February 2022. For travel outside Switzerland, depending on the measures in place in the country in question, COVID certificates may still be required. For this reason, certificates are still being issued. With the return to a normal situation, the authority to order potential measures is once again held by the cantons.

Overview of certificate types

The following table provides an overview of all certificate types. What COVID certificates are available? Under which conditions can I get which COVID certificate?

Certificate	Condition	Period of validity in Switzerland
For a COVID-19 vaccination	You were vaccinated in Switzerland.	270 days from when the last vaccine dose was administered (with the exception of the Janssen vaccine: period of validity commences on the 22nd day after the vaccine dose is administered)
For a COVID-19 vaccination	You were vaccinated abroad AND you are a Swiss citizen or have a residence permit in Switzerland.
For recovery	You tested positive in Switzerland or abroad with a PCR test.	Validity commences from the 11th day after the positive PCR test result and lasts 180 days from the date on which the sample was taken.
For recovery	You tested positive in Switzerland with a rapid antigen test.	Validity commences from the 11th day after the positive rapid antigen test result and lasts 180 days from the date on which the sample was taken.
For a negative test result	You tested negative in Switzerland with a PCR test.	72 hours from the date on which the sample was taken
For a negative test result	You tested negative in Switzerland with a rapid antigen test.	24 hours from the date on which the sample was taken

No COVID certificate for a negative test result will be issued for a negative self-test or for tests performed abroad.  

Rules on validity abroad

The rules on validity abroad, in particular regarding the recognition of vaccines and tests, as well as how long they are valid, are the responsibility of individual countries. Please note that to enter another country and to use the COVID certificate in that country, it is not the Swiss rules on validity that matter but the rules on validity of the destination country. Find out about the applicable rules from the authorities of the destination country before you travel. You’ll find further information on the page Travel.

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Where can I get a COVID certificate?

The cantons are responsible for the issuing of COVID certificates. You will find details on the cantonal websites.

The COVID certificate is issued at the following locations:

• Vaccination centres
• Medical practices
• Hospitals
• Pharmacies
• Test centres
• Laboratories
• Cantonal authorities

Certificates can be delivered on the spot, online (on the internet), direct to the COVID Certificate app or in special cases by post.

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I was vaccinated in Switzerland. How can I get a COVID certificate?

You can request a COVID certificate after each vaccination. Please note that you must enter your personal details as they appear on your ID card or passport. This will avoid any difficulties when your certificate is checked against your identification document.

Requesting a certificate

You will find information on how to request a COVID certificate on the website of the canton where your vaccine was administered. Depending on the canton you will receive your COVID certificate digitally as a PDF or on paper on the spot in paper form.

Please note that vaccines adapted to a new variant (so-called bivalent vaccines) are not differentiated on the COVID certificate. You can read more about this in the FAQ “I was vaccinated with a vaccine adapted to a new virus variant (e.g. omicron). Is this so-called bivalent vaccine differentiated on my Covid certificate?”.

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I was vaccinated abroad. How can I get a COVID certificate?

Have you already got an EU Digital COVID Certificate or a certificate that is compatible with the EU Digital COVID Certificate? If so, you don’t need to apply for a Swiss COVID certificate.

You can apply for a Swiss COVID certificate if you received one of the following vaccines.

Vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA):

• Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech)
  
• Comirnaty Bivalent Original / Omicron BA.1 (Pfizer/BioNTech)
  
• Comirnaty Bivalent Original / Omicron BA.4/5 (Pfizer/BioNTech)
  
• Spikevax (Moderna)
  
• Spikevax Bivalent Original / Omicron BA.1 (Moderna)
• Spikevax Bivalent Original / Omicron BA.4-5 (Moderna)
• Vaxzevria / Covishield or other licensed products (AstraZeneca)
  
• COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen / Jcovden (Johnson & Johnson)
  
• Nuvaxovid (Novavax)
  
• COVID-19 vaccine Valneva (previously known as VLA2001) (Valneva)
• VidPrevtyn Beta (Sanofi Pasteur)

Some of the above vaccines have also been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) under its Emergency Use Listing Procedure (EUL).

Vaccines approved only by the WHO:

• BBIBP-CorV / Covilo (Sinopharm/BIBP)
  
• CoronaVac (Sinovac)
  
• COVAXIN (Bharat Biotech)
  
• Convidecia (CanSino Biologics)

Please note that vaccines adapted to a new variant (so-called bivalent vaccines) are not differentiated on the COVID certificate. You can read more about this in the FAQ “I was vaccinated with a vaccine adapted to a new virus variant (e.g. omicron). Is this so-called bivalent vaccine differentiated on my Covid certificate?”.

Did you receive the Sputnik V vaccine? COVID certificates cannot currently be issued for this and other vaccines not recognised by the WHO.

You also have to be able to prove that you are a Swiss national, that you have your residence in Switzerland or that you have a residence permit. In other words, you have to belong to one of the following groups:

• You are a Swiss national
• You are a foreign national with a short-term residence permit, residence permit, permanent residence permit or cross-border commuter permit.
• You are deemed provisionally admitted.
• You are deemed in need of protection.
• You are an asylum seeker with a permit or confirmation.
• You hold a legitimation card under the Host State Ordinance.
• You hold a Ci permit.

Are you travelling to Switzerland as a tourist? No certificate is required to enter Switzerland or within the country.

Application

Have you been vaccinated with a vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Novavax, Valneva or Sanofi Pasteur?

Then you can apply for the COVID certificate online using the National COVID certificate application platform. The canton where you are resident will then take care of issuing the certificate. After that you will receive your COVID certificate either electronically by email or direct to your COVID Certificate app.

Do you need help applying for your COVID certificate via the National COVID certificate application platform? If so, you can call the following Infoline [phone] (from Monday till Friday from 8am to 6pm).

An application usually takes up to five days to process. You should check your e-mail inbox at regular intervals and also look in your spam folder. The relevant agencies may ask you to provide further information and documentation if they have doubts about the authenticity of the submitted documents or have any queries. Please always provide your support code should you have any queries. The relevant agencies can also reject applications if the doubts cannot be resolved.

Have you been vaccinated with the vaccine from Sinopharm/BIBP, Sinovac, CanSino Biologics or with COVAXIN?

If so, you must submit the application to the issuing body in person so that your details can be checked on the spot. You will find information on the cantonal websites. After that you will receive your COVID certificate either electronically by email or direct to your COVID Certificate app.  

Required information

For your application, you require at least the following information:

• Information on your nationality or on your residence permit in Switzerland (e.g. copy of passport/residence permit)
• Confirmation of vaccination (e.g. vaccination certificate with details of the holder, administered vaccines, the institution that performed the vaccination, date of last vaccination, number of doses received, existing certificate if applicable)
• Reason for your stay in Switzerland, how long you are staying and where; or proof of address or residence.

The necessary documents must be submitted in German, French, Italian or English.

Costs

Application is free of charge.

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I’ve recovered from COVID-19. How can I get a COVID certificate?

You can get a COVID certificate if your COVID infection was confirmed with a positive PCR or rapid antigen test.

You cannot get a COVID certificate to certify recovery from COVID based on a positive antibody test or self-test.

Do you already have a COVID certificate based on a positive antibody test?

This certificate retains its previous period of validity. Please note, however, that this certificate is not accepted abroad.

Did you test positive in Switzerland with a PCR test?

Depending on the canton, the COVID certificate may be issued to you directly from the laboratory where your positive PCR test result was ascertained.

If this is not the case, you can apply for a Swiss COVID certificate online using the National COVID certificate application platform. There your application will be processed by the responsible cantonal authority. The COVID certificate will then be sent to you either electronically via e-mail, in paper form by post or directly to your “COVID Certificate” app.

Do you need help applying for your COVID certificate via the National COVID certificate application platform? If so, you can call the following Infoline [phone] (from Monday till Friday from 8am to 6pm).

Did you test positive abroad with a PCR test?

Then you can apply for a Swiss COVID certificate online via the National COVID certificate application platform. There your application will be processed by the responsible cantonal authority. It will be sent either electronically by email or direct to your COVID Certificate app.

To this end, you need to present an official document confirming the lifting of your isolation period with the name and address of the official body and proof of the positive PCR test. The proof of the positive PCR test must contain at least the following information:

• First name, last name and date of birth
• Date and time the sample was taken (must be within the last 180 days)
• Test centre or institution where the test was performed
  
• Type of test (only PCR tests are valid)

You also have to be able to prove that you are a Swiss national, that you have your residence in Switzerland or that you have a residence permit. In other words, you have to belong to one of the following groups:

• You are a Swiss national
• You are a foreign national with a short-term residence permit, residence permit, permanent residence permit or cross-border commuter permit.
• You are deemed provisionally admitted.
• You are deemed in need of protection.
• You are an asylum seeker with a permit or confirmation.
• You hold a legitimation card under the Host State Ordinance
• You hold a Ci permit

An application usually takes up to five days to process.

Have you tested positive with a rapid antigen test in Switzerland?

From 2 May 2022 you can also apply for an EU-compatible recovery certificate after a positive rapid antigen test.  

Your COVID certificate will be issued to you directly from the test centre where your positive rapid antigen test result was ascertained. You can have your COVID certificate sent direct to your COVID Certificate app, for example.

If not, you can request your COVID certificate online via the National COVID certificate application office. It will then be sent by post. This can take several days.

Need help with applying for your COVID certificate via the National COVID certificate application office? You can call the infoline on [phone] (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday).

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I’ve tested negative for COVID-19. How can I get a COVID certificate?

You can obtain a COVID certificate as evidence of a negative PCR test or negative rapid antigen test. A COVID certificate can also be issued for a negative pooled PCR test.

To be able to obtain a COVID certificate for a negative rapid antigen test, the test must have been performed with a nose and throat swab. Those performed with a nose swab alone are not permitted.

COVID certificates are not issued for negative self-tests. Nor will a COVID certificate be issued if the test was performed abroad.

Application

You can request the COVID certificate directly from the test centre or the laboratory responsible. This can be done, for example, either on the spot at the centre, or you will receive your certificate direct to your COVID Certificate app. Already when the sample is taken you must say that you want a COVID certificate.

Do you want a certificate after a negative pooled PCR test result on the basis of repeat testing?

Ask your employer about the procedure for applying for and having a COVID certificate issued. If your employer cannot yet issue certificates, they can contact the canton. The issue of certificates on the basis of repeat testing is the canton’s responsibility. As of 17 January 2022, the issue of COVID certificates must be offered for repeat testing.  

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How can I have the COVID certificate sent direct to my COVID Certificate App?

Find out in the video.

Please note: the video explains how transfer codes work and how you can create one using the example of a test certificate. But transfer codes can be used to send vaccination certificates directly and securely, too.

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Documents

General terms of use of the national COVID certificate application platform (PDF, 177 kB, 05.05.2022)

Further information

Last modification 14.02.2023