How to get your vaccination from abroad registered in the Netherlands

Have you been fully vaccinated in another country but want to register your vaccination in the Netherlands? Received one jab overseas and one jab in the Netherlands? Or received your booster abroad?

Many internationals in the Netherlands have found themselves in confusing situations when it comes to registering their vaccines because — let’s face it — it’s a dang confusing process.

Well dames en heren, buckle up!! We’ve got all you need to know about getting your vaccination registered in the Netherlands (so far). 💪

I was vaccinated abroad, can I get my vaccine registered in the Netherlands?

First things first, where you were vaccinated will affect the process:

I was fully vaccinated within the EU

I was fully vaccinated outside the EU

I received one jab abroad and one jab in the Netherlands

I received my booster abroad

How to have your foreign vaccination registered in the Netherlands

If you’ve determined above that you are eligible to have your foreign vaccination registered in the Netherlands, you can move onto the following steps.

First, when you are vaccinated — in any country — you should receive a proof of vaccination certificate. This foreign certificate can be uploaded using the CoronaCheck app.

To complete the registration, you must also make an appointment to validate your foreign vaccination. You can do this by calling +31 (0)30 800 28 99. You will then need to go to Utrecht (25 minutes by train from Amsterdam) for an appointment. You’ll receive the address when you make the appointment.

You should bring with you:

  • Identification
  • Your BSN (as shown on a letter or other evidence.)
  • The vaccination certificate that you received abroad. This must meet certain requirements.

Note: The eligibility of your vaccination certificate also depends on what type of vaccine you received. In the Netherlands, you must have received a vaccine that is approved by the EMA or that is on the WHO’s Emergency Use List. These are the following:

  • Astra Zeneca — EU (Vaxzevria)
  • Astra Zeneca — Japan (Vaxzevria)
  • Astra Zeneca — Australia (Vaxzevria)
  • Astra Zeneca-SK Bio (Vaxzevria)
  • Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine — United States of America
  • Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty)
  • Johnson & Johnson ((COVID-19 Vaccine) Janssen)
  • Moderna (Spikevax)
  • Serum Institute of India (Covishield)
  • Sinopharm BIBP
  • Sinovac

If everything is approved, the vaccination will then be uploaded and registered in the Netherlands. Hoera! 🎉

⚠️ Just a note: information from the Dutch government around this has been a little vague. We’ve taken care with this article to understand as much as possible, but it’s possible that your mileage may vary. Had a different experience with registering a vaccine in the Netherlands? Leave it in the comments below!

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Feature Image: DutchReview/Canva 
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2021, and was fully updated in January 2022 for your reading pleasure. 

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Before becoming the Senior Editor of DutchReview, Sarah was a fresh-faced international looking to learn more about the Netherlands. Since moving here in 2017, Sarah has added a BA in English and Philosophy (Hons.), an MA in Literature (Hons.), and over three years of writing experience at DutchReview to her skillset. When Sarah isn't acting as a safety threat to herself and others (cycling), you can find her trying to sound witty while writing about some of the stickier topics such as mortgages and Dutch law.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. Yeah 25 minutes from Amsterdam but 2 hours & 27 euros from Groningen… Not even counting the way back home. I don’t understand why we need to present it in person, when all vaccination certificates are digital and equipped with QR codes… A joke.

    • That’s why it even doesn’t make sense to register there.
      If you got the vaccine in the EU, your digital vaccine certificate is also valid in the NL, works with no issues with the Dutch code reader.

  2. Please note at the moment you cannot register your first dose received within the EU. The government is still working on that. I called GGD Utrecht to verify.

  3. I think the Netherlands should require all organizations who want to have people physically present present the Covid certificate. That’s a compromise, and I don’t see why such an obvious win-win thing is not done.

  4. We are also several that have jabs from two eu countries. We have no certificate because the eu system for the eu pass does not communicate amongst eu countries. We are stuck.

  5. We are several people that have been vaccinated in two EU countries (first abroad and second in NL) and we are not able to issue the vaccination certificate in NL because they can’t register the dose from outside the EU. Now that the vaccination certificate will be mandatory almost everywhere in NL and in EU how can we continue living? Why should we take tests every day when we are already fully vaccinated ? We have been hearing the same from RIVM since July ” A process will be created soon”.. come on people! How is it easier for a dose given outside of EU to be easier registered than one in EU???

    • I completely agree with you!
      I am in the same situation. Three months after the introduction of the EU covid certificate, the Dutch Government cannot provide any solution on this!
      How is possible that they invited us for the second shot without clearly state “you will not have a full vaccination certificate”?
      How is possible that GGD can register non-EU vaccinations (even if requiring an annoying trip to Utrecht), but is not able to register an EU vaccination, which have been seen by the GGD itself (at least 3 GGD qualified person saw mine) at the moment of the second shot?? It is exactly the same vaccine, with same protocol and same document format.
      This is a very annoying no-sense!
      I have to say that I was able to travel by airplane showing the two separate certificates in paper, after discussing it with the controller, but I have the feeling that I could be refused at anytime, as it actually happened when entering in some bars and restaurants where bouncers do not always care about discussing such an annoying matter. We cannot be tested every 2 days.

  6. I was informed that the vaccine lab is not the only thing checked. Also the manufacturer. Is that true? I got the Covishield vaccine but once the manufacturer is Fiocruz (Brazil – RJ) I was not able to make an appointment and register my vaccination certificate.

  7. Call this number (030) 630 54 00 , you have to wait at least 1/2 hour they will give you an appointment, and the address will be Stadsplateau 1 3521 AZ Utrecht
    is a white building 3 minutes walking from utrecht central station, in the 4 floor, even if you get 15 minutes earlier of your appointment they help you to register your international dose , is the only way , i hope this help you

  8. Summing up everything that I learned:
    At the moment, Netherlands is working on creating an international QR code that will include all shots in one QR code, if you had the vaccines outside Netherlands and the booster in the Netherlands. Conona check app is useless in this case. That practically means that you will have 2 different QR codes which according to EU rules, are enough to cross borders/take the aeroplane. However, we may have issues for example going to a bar or restaurant outside the Netherlands and showing 2 separate QR codes, as they might only recognise 1 QR code. They don’t know yet when this united QR code will be ready, but fortunately the vaccine QR code (the first 2 dosis) has 9 months validity from the moment you did the 2nd shot, so hopefully they gonna fix it until then!
    Also, the opposite is possible to happen soon, after talking with ΚΕΠ services in Greece. So if for example you took the first 2 vaccines in Greece/any EU country outside NL, the authorities of that country with create a 3/3 QR code that combines the QR code of the booster in NL as well.
    https://ec.europa.eu/com…/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6837

    • It seems that I cannot open the link you shared, but do you mean in a nutshell that the QR code will be created by the country who provided the booster? I got my 2 first vaccines in Greece and the boosted in the Netherlands.

      Kind Regards,
      Eirini

  9. Hello,
    I have been twice vaccinated in Greece and got end of December 2021 my booster in the Netherlands. I did make an appointment with GGD in Utrecht, went there on 3rd of January. I received a printed document with a QR for local use, but note sure if it includes all the 3 vaccinations.
    Since then I struggle to find a way to have this sorted out. I called several times and I was advised to wait for an email with instructions in order to add the certificate my self in the corona app.
    My booster shows as 1/2 doses for International use, which by the way is wrong, it should have said 3/3 or perhaps a single dose? On the top I cannot add the certificate for local use at all. How will I be able to justify my 3 vaccinations in the Netherlands?

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