COVID Certificates: common problems and solutions

Ask a family member, friend, neighbour or library staff member for help

You can find information about generating a COVID certificate on Coronacheck.nl. Ask a family member, friend or neighbour for help. Many libraries have an information point that can help you with online government services. With their help you can generate a digital COVID certificate. You can also print your COVID certificate if you want it on paper. 

 Phone numbers

• General number: 0800 - 1351
• CoronaCheck helpdesk: 0800 - 1421

Applying for a DigiD

If you want to get your COVID certificate quickly and digitally, you will need a DigiD. Applying for a DigiD is simple. If you need help applying for or using your DigiD, ask a family member, friend or neighbour. Many libraries have an information point that can help you with online government services. With their help you can get your DigiD and generate a COVID certificate online. 

No DigiD: request a paper COVID certificate

If you cannot apply for a DigiD, phone the CoronaCheck helpdesk on 0800 1421. Follow the steps in the automatic telephone menu (in Dutch), to request a COVID certificate by phone. You will need: 

• your citizen service number (BSN);
• your postcode (for the address at which you are registered with your municipality).

Your COVID certificate will be sent by post. This can take up to 5 working days. 

If you need help using the automatic telephone menu, ask a family member, friend or neighbour. Many libraries have an information point that can help you with online government services. With their help you can get a COVID certificate.

Vaccinated or tested by the GGD

If you do not have a citizen service number (BSN), the GGD can make a COVID certificate for you if you

• were vaccinated by the GGD; or
• tested positive for coronavirus at the GGD.

Submit the online application form for people who do not have a BSN. The GGD will check your application. You may be asked to go to a GGD location in person. The GGD will contact you within 15 working days. If your application is approved, you will get a QR code. This is your COVID certificate for travelling abroad. You will receive the QR code via a secure email system or at the GGD location.

Vaccinated by your family doctor or other care provider

If you were vaccinated at your care home or by your family doctor, ask them to print proof of vaccination for you.

You can print a paper COVID Certificate from the website CoronaCheck.nl. 

If you need help generating a COVID certificate, ask a family member, friend or neighbour. Many libraries have an information point that can help you with online government services. With their help you can get your DigiD and generate a COVID certificate online.

If you need more help, call 0800 - 1421. Follow the steps in the automatic telephone menu (in Dutch), to request a COVID certificate by phone. You will need: 

• your citizen service number (BSN);
• your postcode (for the address at which you are registered with your municipality).

Your COVID certificate will be sent by post. This can take up to 5 working days. From 8 February 2022 you have to print or request a new paper certificate every 90 days.

To generate a COVID certificate online, you need a computer. And to print a paper COVID certificate, you also need a printer. If you do not have a computer or a printer, ask a family member, friend or neighbour for help. Many libraries have an information point that can help you with online government services. With their help you can generate a COVID certificate and use it straight away.

If there is no one who can help you, read what you can do below.

If your vaccination details have been shared with RIVM or you were vaccinated by the GGD

Call 0800 - 1421. Follow the steps in the automatic telephone menu (in Dutch), to request a COVID certificate by phone. You will need: 

• your citizen service number (BSN);
• your postcode (for the address at which you are registered with your municipality).

Your COVID certificate will be sent by post. This can take up to 5 working days.  From 8 February 2022 you have to print or request a new paper certificate every 90 days.

If you need help using the automatic telephone menu, ask a family member, friend or neighbour. 

Many libraries have an information point that can help you with government services. They can help you request a paper COVID certificate.

If your vaccination details have not been shared with RIVM and you were not vaccinated by the GGD

Contact the care provider who vaccinated you. They can print out a paper COVID Certificate for you.

Vaccinated or tested by the GGD

If you do not have BSN, the GGD can create a COVID certificate if you

• were vaccinated by the GGD; or
• tested positive for coronavirus at the GGD.

Submit the application form for people who do not have a BSN to the GGD. The GGD will check your application. You may be asked to go to a GGD location in person. The GGD will contact you within 15 working days. If your application is approved, you will get 2 QR codes: one for your coronavirus entry pass for use in the Netherlands and one for your COVID certificate for travelling abroad. You will receive these via a secure email system or at the GGD location.

Vaccinated by your family doctor or other care provider

If you were vaccinated at your care home or by your family doctor, ask your care provider to print proof of vaccination for you.

You do not need mobile data to show your QR code using the CoronaCheck app on your smartphone. You do need to connect your phone to the internet to download your data and generate a COVID certificate in the app. But you can use WiFi for that. The app also needs to connect to the internet once every 3 days for updates. 

If you need help solving technical issues, contact the CoronaCheck helpdesk. Call them any day from 8.00 to 20.00 on:

0800 1421 (free of charge)

Or send an email to: helpdesk@coronacheck.nl.

First, look at the solutions to practical problems that might arise if you want to retrieve proof of recovery using the app or on the CoronaCheck website.

Does one of these situations apply to you?

• You tested positive less than 11 days ago. If so, you can generate proof of recovery but it will only be valid from the 12th day after your test.
• You tested positive more than 180 days ago. Proof of recovery is only valid for 180 days, so you can no longer generate proof of recovery.

If these situations do not apply to you and you were tested by the GGD, call the GGD on 0800 5090.

Proof of recovery after being tested by another test provider

If you were tested by another test provider, it is possible that they did not pass on your details correctly to the GGD. Fill in the online proof-of-recovery application form for people who were tested by another test provider. The GGD will try to get your proof of recovery in another way.

Vaccinated by the GGD

If you were vaccinated by the GGD and are unsure whether the details you provided were correct, or if you are having trouble generating proof of vaccination, contact the GGD on 0800 5090. They will check your data and update it where necessary. It may take a few days before the updates can be seen in CoronaCheck.

Vaccinated by a family doctor, hospital or care home

If you were not vaccinated by the GGD but by another healthcare provider, you cannot update your details. However, the organisation that vaccinated you can issue you with printed proof of vaccination. Check the website of the organisation that vaccinated you for more information. Or send the organisation an email. Only do this if you genuinely require proof of vaccination, as many healthcare organisations are very busy at present.

If you were vaccinated abroad it is not always possible to generate a Dutch COVID certificate using CoronaCheck. In some cases you can get your vaccination abroad registered in the Netherlands. After that you will be able to generate a Dutch COVID certificate using CoronaCheck.

If you have questions about coronavirus and COVID-19, please call the public information number 0800 1351 from within the Netherlands. From outside the Netherlands call +31 20 205 1351. This service is available Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 18.00,  and closed on weekends and public holidays.

If you have questions about the COVID certificate for travelling abroad, please call Netherlands Worldwide on +31 (0)247 247 247. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.