As of early November, four countries namely the US, Japan, the UK, and Belarus have officially recognized vaccine passports from Vietnam with specific requirements regarding the types of vaccines.

Meanwhile, India has agreed in principle with the immunity passports from Vietnam, Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at the press briefing on Nov 4.

A vaccine passport has been applied in some countries. Photo: Forbes.com

Other partners including China, South Korea, ASEAN, and European Union countries are also reviewing vaccine passports from Vietnam, Hang said.

On the other hand, the government has agreed on a set of criteria to officially recognize vaccine passports from other countries.

Vietnam currently accepts Covid-19 vaccine passports from 72 countries and territories and negotiates with 80 other partners on the issue. “However the move remains a temporary solution before the country officially approves vaccination passports from other countries,” Hang said, adding that “The passport issuing countries must have the high safety index and high vaccination coverage.” 

The vaccine passport template needs to be issued both online and in hard copy with a verification code, she added.

Given permission for vaccine passports, Vietnam would allow entry of people who are fully inoculated with a vaccine approved by either the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Medicines Agency, or the Vietnam Ministry of Health for emergence use.

Hang also said that Vietnam is pondering about expanding the scope of subjects eligible to enter the country. The move would contribute to the reopening border for regular international commercial flights.