Changes to entries on and validity of COVID-19 certificates
Changes were introduced to the rules for generating COVID-19 certificates as of 1 February 2022. These changes concern the certificate of recovery from COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The validity of the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel has also changed.
Certificate of recovery from COVID-19
A certificate of recovery from COVID-19 can only be issued on the basis of a PCR test result. This certificate enters into force 11 days after receiving the test result and expires 180 days after receiving the test result. The validity period is entered on the certificate.
If you are reinfected with COVID-19 and reinfection is confirmed with a PCR test, you will be issued a new certificate of recovery from COVID-19 if the new infection is diagnosed no fewer than 90 days or three months from your previous infection. Previously, a new certificate was only issued if the new infection was diagnosed no fewer than 180 days or six months from the previous infection.
The certificate will be available on your My Kanta Pages once the positive PCR test result has been entered in the Kanta services in the correct format by health care services.
COVID-19 vaccination certificates for travel
As of the beginning of February, EU Digital COVID Certificates will only be valid for travel in EU Member States for a period of 9 months or 270 days after receiving a second vaccine dose. If you have received a third vaccine dose, your certificate will be valid indefinitely.
The certificate entries will be changed and the certificate will be valid indefinitely in the following circumstances:
- You have had 2 vaccine doses and contracted and recovered from COVID-19 before receiving the second dose. In this case, the entry on the certificate will be 2/1.
- You have had 3 vaccine doses and contracted and recovered from COVID-19 before receiving the second dose. In this case, the entry on the certificate will be 3/1.
The changes to the entries on the certificate will be made automatically. However, for travel purposes you must download a new copy of the certificate from My Kanta before the 270-day validity period expires. You may also request a printout of the certificate from the health care services.
How this EU legislation affects the national use of COVID passports in Finland will be separately determined.
The entries on vaccination certificates and the certificate validity periods in various circumstances are listed in detail in the attached table.
| number of vaccine doses | recovery from COVID-19 before or after the most recent vaccine dose | previous entry on vaccination certificate | entry as of 1 February 2022 |
vaccination certificate accepted for travel as of 1 February
|
certificate of recovery from COVID-19 as alternative
|
| 1 vaccine dose received | no | 1/2 | 1/2 | no change, not accepted | - |
| 2 vaccine doses received | no | 2/2 | 2/2 |
accepted up until 270 days from the 2nd dose
|
- |
| 3 vaccine doses received (booster) | no | 3/3 | 3/3 | accepted indefinitely, technical validity period 1 year | - |
| number of vaccine doses | contracted and recovered from COVID-19 before 2nd dose | previous entry on vaccination certificate | entry as of 1 February 2022 | vaccination certificate accepted for travel as of 1 February | certificate of recovery from COVID-19 as alternative |
| 1 vaccine dose received | yes | 1/1 | 1/1 |
accepted up until 270 days from the 1st dose
|
180 days from positive PCR test result |
| 2 vaccine doses received | yes | 2/2 | 2/1 (to change as per the EU Regulation) | accepted indefinitely, technical validity period 1 year | 180 days from positive PCR test result |
| 3 vaccine doses received | yes | 3/3 | 3/1 |
accepted indefinitely, technical validity period 1 year
|
180 days from positive PCR test result |
| number of vaccine doses | recovered from COVID-19 | previous entry on vaccination certificate | entry on vaccination certificate as of 1 February | vaccination certificate accepted for travel as of 1 February |
certificate of recovery from COVID-19
|
| 2 vaccine doses received | yes | 2/2 | 2/2 | accepted up until 270 days from the 2nd dose | 180 days from positive PCR test result |