Find out here what you need to bear in mind as a checker or issuer of COVID certificates. System integrators will also find technical information.
Information for certificate checkers
The certificate requirement within Switzerland was lifted on 17 February 2022. The cantons have the authority to order measures (such as a certificate requirement) within their canton to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. If you still have to check COVID certificates, please refer to the following information.
COVID Certificate Check app
The COVID Certificate Check app is provided to enable the authenticity and validity of digital COVID certificates to be verified. The presented QR code (on a printout, image or directly from the COVID Certificate app) needs to be scanned using this app. This is the only way that the information it contains can be read and the electronic signature checked. As long as it is correct and compatible, the QR code contains all the information necessary for the check, such as the validity of the certificate. The COVID Certificate Check app contains all the necessary verification keys to ensure that the data stored in the QR code have not been manipulated.
Important: Consistently use the COVID Certificate Check app to check the QR codes. This is the only way of guaranteeing that the certificate presented and the information it contains are genuine and have not been manipulated. Manual scrolling or “checking on sight” are not permitted in the app for certificate holders.
If it is a Swiss COVID certificate or another certificate that is compatible with the EU Digital COVID Certificate, the certificate checker will be shown the following information in the COVID Certificate Check app:
- Last name
- First name
- Date of birth
- Result of the check (green=valid, red=not valid)
To ensure that the presented QR code actually belongs to the person presenting it, the following must be checked:
- The name and date of birth as they appear in the COVID Certificate app must match the details on the presented photo identification (e.g. passport, ID card, driving licence, residence permit, student card, SwissPass, KulturLegi/CarteCulture from Caritas).
- The photo on the identification document must depict the person presenting it.
The COVID Certificate Check app only uses the data from the QR code for local verification. The data are not stored or transmitted.
Like the COVID Certificate app, the COVID Certificate Check app is available for download free of charge from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and the Huawei AppGallery.
Note:
People who cannot be vaccinated can gain access to places with access restricted to 3G, 2G or 2G+. For 3G they must show a certificate for a negative test result. For 2G and 2G+ they must be able to show a medical certificate (doctor’s note) plus a certificate for a negative test result. Only medical certificates (doctor’s notes) issued by a doctor accredited in Switzerland with a cantonal professional licence can be accepted.
How do I check a COVID certificate?
In the COVID Certificate Check app you can choose between the following checking modes:
- 3G (vaccinated, recovered or tested negative)
- 2G (vaccinated or recovered)
- 2G+ (vaccinated or recovered plus tested negative; or vaccinated or recovered in the last 120 days)
- Test certificate (T) (tested negative)
With these checking modes you can check COVID certificates under the 3G, 2G, 2G+ or T rules that apply at the venue. In the case of 2G+ you must check two COVID certificates separately: one for recovery from COVID or the vaccination, plus one for the negative test result. It does not matter which order you do this in.
Note, when access is limited to 2G+: Those who have a COVID certificate for a positive antibody test must always show an additional test certificate for 2G+. This is because the antibody test does not give any indication as to when the disease occurred.
When is “test certificate” mode used?
You can use this checking mode if you have to check a certificate for a negative test result for people who cannot be vaccinated and show a corresponding medical certificate.
Watch the video to find out how to check a COVID certificate and how you can choose between the different checking modes (3G, 2G, 2G+ or T).
Or use the checklist, which you can download and print out.
Information for certificate issuers
System for issuing COVID certificates
COVID certificates are issued by authorised personnel at medical practices, test centres, hospitals, pharmacies, labs and cantonal authorities. The FOITT (Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication) is providing these issuers with a system making it as easy and efficient as possible to generate COVID certificates. In addition to a web application, this involves the use of an electronic interface (API) that enables certificates to be issued directly from the cantonal vaccination and test systems as well as from systems at medical practices, hospitals and pharmacies.
Many of the systems used to generate certificates support the option of having the COVID certificate delivered direct to the COVID Certificate app after generation by the FOITT. For this to happen, the issuing system must send along a transfer code that the person wanting to get the certificate into your app has previously generated in the COVID Certificate app.
You’ll find more information in the frequently asked questions for health professionals (in German, French or Italian).
Information for system integrators
Are you a system integrator and would like to integrate the creation or checking of COVID certificates into your processes? For this we have provided you with Swiss Covid Certificate API documentation.
To use the API of the FOITT (Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication) you will need to submit a request.
Please send questions and applications to use the API to the following address:
Covid-Zertifikat@bag.admin.ch.
Technical information
Open source and public security test
The whole COVID certificate system is designed so that no personal data are stored in the Federal Administration’s central systems.
The COVID Certificate System is open source, meaning the source code will be published for anyone to use. A public security test was conducted on 31 May under the lead of the Swiss National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
In the course of the test, IT and security specialists outside the project team and the Federal Administration had the opportunity to review the source code and report their findings to the NCSC.
Legal basis
You will find the ordinance and explanatory notes on the Measures and Ordinances site.
Last modification 07.03.2022
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Infoline Coronavirus
Tel.
+41 58 463 00 00