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Related: Can I convert the CDC vaccination card issued for COVID into an International Certificate of Vaccination?

I finally got my second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the USA. I received my white CDC "COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card", but I've been hearing a lot about so-called digital vaccine passports (e.g. see here). There are a lot of charged opinions circulating around about the idea - some say it is the tool that will give me back my freedom to travel and gather, while others say it will destroy the last remnants of privacy I once had.

Regardless of whether digital vaccination passports are a good or bad thing, it's still unclear whether or how I can actually get one or what the exact steps are to apply for one.

What are my current options for getting a digital vaccination passport in the USA?

Parameters:

  • I'm willing to pay a fee to get a passport.
  • I'm willing to undergo a medical exam (e.g. antibody titer) or medical background check (e.g. cross-referencing my ID documents with local, state, or Federal immunization records to verify that my CDC white card is not fake, falsified, altered, or someone else's) if required for getting a passport.
  • I'm aware that there are privacy implications of digital passports. Assume for the sake of this question that I'm willing to waive whatever privacy rights I have to in order to get a passport (Asking about privacy implications could make an excellent follow-up question, though).
  • I have an Android device, but am willing to swap it for something else or newer if my current device does not support the necessary tech to hold a passport or interface with digital passport systems.

To be clear, this question is not about how to get immunized. It's about how I can go from just being immunized to having digital proof of immunity that I can scan to get in to nightclubs, pass border checkpoints without having to quarantine, etc.

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    I'm not aware that there's any single standard, so it probably comes down to researching what your particular country, nightclub, etc, is accepting.
    – Nate Eldredge
    Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 17:35
  • @NateEldredge if that's the case, then giving an example will make an excellent answer. E.g. "The Greater Pittsburgh Federation of Independent Bars, Nightclubs, Theaters, and Dance Halls has standardized on the Advanced HealthPass-21 Mark VII. Show up at this address during regular business hours with an iPhone 7 or later, your CDC white card, your US passport, and a signed consent form for a medical exam and background check. You will receive your digital download passport within 6-8 business days if everything checks out, or within 15-20 days if you were vaccinated in a state other than PA."
    – Robert Columbia
    Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 18:13
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    I thought the digital vaccine passports were still an idea being discussed, so you can't get one yet.
    – Stack Exchange Supports Israel
    Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 21:00

2 Answers 2

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If you were vaccinated in New York, you can get an Excelsior Pass.

What is Excelsior Pass?

Excelsior Pass provides secure, digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results.

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Its not quite a vaccine passport but some states have a public registry of vaccinations where you can sign-up to retrieve your records. For example, if you live in Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, Washington, West Virginia you can view your immunization record on the MyIR portal. It shows your name, date of birth and the dates when you've received your vaccine shots - including vaccines other than COVID. In theory you could use this to prove your vaccination status to someone who doubts your CDC card as being legitimate.

If vaccine passports are ever required in practice in the US, I presume that the local governments will scramble to start printing/generating them out. Until then the New York Excelsior pass is the only existing solution.

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  • This was unbelievably helpful to me, thank you!
    – forresthopkinsa
    Commented Sep 1, 2021 at 0:51

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