As the world is currently dealing the possibility of increased security and restrictions due to the presence of the new Omicron variant, it’s important for those going through the immigration process, or travelling to the U.S. to take advantage of some of the smartphone Apps that can be used to provide a digital record of ones vaccination status. This is also true for recent testing results. Having a digital backup is especially a good idea because it is another piece of evidence you can show to CBP officers as you make your way to the United States. Using an App and having digital verification is also important because you don’t want to put your entire visa process in jeopardy if you are going through consular processing.
Here are two of the most trusted Apps right now that people are using today, especially in the United States.
CommonPass
If you have an iPhone, CommonPass is free to download on the App store and serves as one of the leading providers currently for electronic health information. The App has primarily two functions, which is to guarantee the legitimacy of either a Covid-19 test result before international travel (with the time and date the test was taken), as well as guaranteeing vaccination records. If you are looking to have the digital version of your vaccination record, you will need to have a QR Code scanned through the App to confirm your vaccine status, or produce a digital health certificate. You will need to contact your health provider that administered your vaccine in order to receive the SMART version that the App accepts.
The ease of using this App at this airport is that once you have your test results on the App or vaccination records, you can simply show this information to CBP officers instead of having to produce a paper copy of testing results.
CLEAR Health Pass
Clear is another trusted App that has a growing popularity in New York City, where all indoor dining or bars requires residents or visitors to show proof they have been fully vaccinated before entry. This App is more simple to use, and when you first download it you are asked to take a selfie so that only you will be able to log into your account on your mobile device. Using this App also prevents users from losing their paper copy of their CDC card. Unlike CommonPass, which does not allow scanned/photo verification of your CDC card, CLEAR allows you to take a picture of your vaccination card, which helps many users avoid having to find email confirmations and digital records of their testing site they received a vaccine at.
Overall this App has had much success and is easily recognizable for those going through security in any of the major international airports in New York City (JFK and LaGuardia).
