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Upload your COVID-19 health document before you travel

Travellers may be required to be fully vaccinated depending on the country they are travelling to.

Travelling internationally?

During check-in, you will be asked to upload your proof of vaccination. If you are unable to submit your proof of vaccine online, you will need to validate your document at the airport and retrieve your boarding pass with one of our airport specialists.

Your trip may also require other health documents, which you can upload prior to your trip.

What documents are accepted?

  • Negative COVID-19 test result
  • SMART Health Card
  • EU Digital COVID Certificate
  • ICAO Visible Digital Seals (VDS)
  • Proof of vaccination

How to upload your health document(s)?

If you are travelling on an Air Canada operated flight and would like to participate, simply follow these steps:

Step 1

Get your COVID-19 health documents

Please make sure that your COVID-19 health document meets the requirements of the country you are travelling to. For more information on entry requirements, please visit our Travel Ready Hub.

Step 2

During online check-in upload your document or scan your QR code

When prompted during online check-in, upload your document, or use your camera-equipped mobile or tablet to scan the QR code on your document. See our FAQs for details.

Step 3

Print your boarding pass or load it to your phone, then proceed to the airport

If you had already printed your boarding pass or loaded it to your phone, please make sure you replace it with the updated version which will include the document validation.

Advantages

  • Receive your digital boarding pass
  • Find out before arriving at the airport if your document complies with your entry requirements.
  • Enjoy a more touchless experience at the airport.

Frequently asked questions

Am I obligated to upload my document(s) during check-in?

No. However, failure to upload or scan your proof of vaccine will require you to pick up your boarding pass at the airport. You may still validate your health documents at the airport.

Can I upload my proof of recovery from COVID-19?

We are currently unable to accept proof of recovery from COVID-19.

If the country you are travelling to accepts COVID-19 proof of recovery, please validate your documents at the airport with one of our airport specialists. Do not use the digital solution.

Who can use the QR code option?

To use the QR code option for your proof of vaccine, it must be a SMART Health Card QR code, European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC), or ICAO Visible Digital Seal (VDS). Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan and as well as many American states adhere to this requirement.

To use the QR code option for your COVID-19 test result, you must get your COVID-19 test through our partner Switch Health, which will provide a test result with the required QR code.

You are not required to provide a test result with a QR code. You can get your COVID-19 test from any accredited lab that meets the entry requirements of your destination.

Can I get my COVID-19 test at any lab, or get a test without a QR code?

You may get your COVID-19 test from any accredited lab that meets the entry requirements of your destination. You are not required to provide a test result with a QR code.

I have received my required health documents. Where and when do I scan or upload them?

When prompted during check-in, use your camera-equipped mobile or tablet to scan the QR code, or upload your document

You can download the Air Canada app on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Check-in:

You can upload your document or scan your QR code when check-in opens 24 hours before your flight, and up to three hours before your flight.

If you have already completed check-in, you may scan your code by going back to the check-in screen and selecting the ‘Check-In Overview’ option.

Validation confirmation:

If you are scanning a QR code, you will receive a validation confirmation instantly.

If you are uploading a document, you may receive a validation confirmation instantly. If not, you will receive an email with the validation confirmation.

Note that the Air Canada digital solution can only process English or French documents in a PDF or JPEG format. This does not apply to test results with a QR code.

Why am I being asked to scan more than one document?

Governments have different entry requirements. If you have more than one destination on your itinerary, you may be required to scan more than one negative COVID-19 health document. Please ensure you are aware of requirements to enter, exit or transit through each country on your itinerary.

Do I still need to bring the original copy of my health documents with me to the airport?

Yes. Governments require that you travel with the original version of your COVID-19 health documents. Please carry them with you throughout your entire journey.

My health document result was not accepted. What do I do?

If your document was rejected, please review your health document requirements and check for any technical issues. If time permits, please try again. Otherwise, simply bring the original copy (physical or digital) of your health documents to the airport so it can be validated by one of our airport specialists.

You can upload your document or scan your QR code when check-in opens 24 hours before your flight, and up to three hours before your flight.

Will I still be able to validate my health documents at the airport?

Yes. However, failure to upload or scan your proof of vaccine will require you to pick up your boarding pass at the airport. If you must bring your documents to the airport, please arrive at the airport early so you have plenty of time for validation.

Will I receive an email to confirm my document was approved or rejected?

If your document required manual verification (i.e. it wasn’t approved or rejected instantly), you will receive an email notification to confirm it was successfully validated or to indicate why it wasn’t approved along with next steps.

However, if your document was approved or rejected instantly at self-service check-in, by an airport specialist or by a partner airline such as Lufthansa and United Airlines, you will not receive an email notification.

Why didn’t I get an option to upload my health document at check-in?

If you travel to a country without Covid-related restrictions, you are not required to upload any health document.

Also, if your itinerary contains an onward connection with a partner airline other than an airline part of the Lufthansa Group (i.e. Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines) or United Airlines, you will need to validate your health document at the airport and retrieve your boarding pass with one of our airport specialists.

Is there anything else I need to do to prepare for my travel?

Please make sure you comply with all the entry requirements of your destination and have the valid travel documents necessary to enter, exit or transit through each country on your itinerary. This may include booking a quarantine hotel, completing entry forms, or downloading an app.

If I use this feature, will I need to validate any documents at the airport?

You are not required to validate your health documents at the airport if they have been approved during check-in online. The validation of your COVID-19 health document will be automatically integrated into your booking and is accessible to our airport specialists. However, you may be required to provide other documents, depending on the entry requirements of your destination.

Do I need to download anything?

No. During check-in, upload your document or scan the QR code provided on your test result. You can also check in using your mobile or tablet via the Air Canada app, which you can download on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

What personal information will be collected and how is it used?

We collect your document information when you choose to upload a document or scan the QR code of your document. Specifically, we collect the test type, test date, test result, and laboratory name, as well as your first name, last name, and date of birth; or your COVID-19 vaccination information. We use this information to ensure you meet the health-related entry requirements at your destination. For faster processing, we use an optical character recognition system when you submit a picture or PDF of your health document.

How can Air Canada legally collect and use my COVID-19 health document information?

Air Canada requires your consent to collect your COVID-19 health document information. With your consent, we can legally collect and use your COVID-19 document information for the purpose described. Air Canada will not use your health document information for any other purpose than what is described in this page.

With whom does Air Canada share my COVID-19 health document information?

Air Canada does not share your COVID-19 health document information with third parties, except as required or permitted by law. Our service provider Amadeus IT Group SA processes your COVID-19 document on our behalf and only according to our instructions.

How long does Air Canada keep my COVID-19 document information?

Your COVID-19 document information is kept only long enough to validate that it meets the relevant entry requirements at your destination, that you are eligible to travel, and that you have successfully completed your travel, after which it is automatically deleted.

How is my COVID-19 document information protected?

Air Canada has implemented appropriate safeguards to protect your COVID-19 document information.

For more information on the processing of your personal information, please see the Air Canada privacy policy. If you have questions, you can contact us at privacy_vieprivee@aircanada.ca.

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