Reader question: Do I need to update my Italian green pass after a booster shot?

People in Italy have been rushing to get their booster shots after the government on February 1st slashed the validity of its 'super' green pass health certificate to six months for those who have had only two doses - and announced that passes updated after a booster shot will remain valid indefinitely.

READ ALSO: How to get a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot in Italy

But do you need to take action to receive your updated your pass once you've had the booster?

The answer is yes - but you don't have to do much.

When you get your booster in Italy your personal data should be uploaded to the national health ministry database, which will then release an updated 'super' green pass automatically. 

You'll need this new version because your green pass's QR code is linked to a specific vaccination event. Even if you've had the booster shot, your previous QR code doesn't contain that information, so you need an updated one that does. 

“If you have had a booster dose of vaccine, remember that a new Covid-19 green certification will be issued,” the health ministry’s official green pass website says. “You will receive a message via SMS or email with a new AUTHCODE code to download it."

The process for downloading the certificate should be the same as the one by which you obtained your initial green pass, which can be any of the following:

• Directly on the government's digital green pass website, provided you have either a CIE (Electronic ID Card), SPID (Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale or ‘Public Digital Identity System’) ID, or an Italian health card (tessera sanitaria).
• By entering your authorisation code into the Immuni or IO app installed on your phone; 
• By accessing your region's Electronic Health Record (Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico), in regions that provide this service;
• By going to a medical professional such as a doctor or pharmacist and providing them with your tax code (codice fiscale) and health card number - they will then be able to give you your green pass either in digital or print format.

What if I have trouble accessing my new green pass?

The Italian health ministry’s official green pass website says that if you do not receive your new AUTHCODE automatically "within 48 hours of vaccination you can try to retrieve it yourself on this site.”

For foreign residents who are not registered with the national health service, the process is likely to be a little more complicated.

The Italian government's digital green pass website instructs foreign nationals in Italy who don't have an Italian health card or who were vaccinated abroad to register their vaccine with their local health office or Asl (Azienda Sanitaria Locale).

To do this, you'll need to email your Asl with proof of your most recent vaccination, a copy of your ID, and any other details requested by the office. You can then request an authorisation code that can be used to download the green pass via any of the methods listed above.

For those who aren't registered with the Italian health system but were vaccinated in Italy, you should be able to download your pass directly from the digital green pass website by inputting whichever ID number the vaccination centre accepted from you (such as your tax code) and the date on which you were vaccinated.

If this doesn’t work, you’ll likely need to make a phone call to your regional health authority or speak to your doctor or pharmacist to see how they can help you access your updated pass.

Find more information about Covid-19 vaccinations in Italy and the green pass system on the Italian health ministry’s website (available in English) and the official green pass website.