Providing a “yellow card” when traveling isn’t a new requirement. It has been part of the travel requirement list most commonly for those who will be working abroad. At this moment in our live, while still in the Life in the time of Corona, local and international travel has been allowed for quite sometime already. Thus, some countries needs to a traveler to provide and ICV for Covid-19 when entering their border.

What is an International Certificate of Vaccination? According to the Bureau of Quarantine of the Philippines website,  The International Certificate of Vaccination or ICV (yellow card) is a document that records an individual’s vaccinations required to travel abroad. It is recognized by member countries of the World Health Organization. In short, it will serve as a “proof of vaccination” of an individual.

Does all countries need an ICV? Not all countries require ICV. The best thing for you to do when traveling is to check the list on requirements for entry of the specific country you are visiting.

Who are the people who can obtain an ICV in the Philippines? An individual who will travel abroad, such as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), seafarers, and travelers for work or leisure, can obtain an ICV for COVID-19. It is a MUST that they are “fully vaccinated” in the Philippines.

Fully Vaccinated meant that –
1. You received a single-dose vaccine like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen in the Philippines.
2. You received a two-dose vaccine like Moderna, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer or Sinovac in the Philippines.
3. You have received a booster shot in the Philippines, even if you were vaccinated abroad.

What do you need to apply for your own Yellow Card? You just need your valid Passport, valid Government ID, Covid-19 vaccination card and E-mail Address. You will have to upload it to their system when you book an appointment.

Where do we book an appointment? Just log in to https://icv.boq.ph/. The process is very easy.  Click sign up verified with your e-mail address, your account will now be created.

Click Certification Services, then Certification of Vaccine for Covid-19 and click next. Pick whether you will go on-site to claim your Yellow card or you wait for delivery. I chose to go on site because I am not so sure how fast the delivery is. Pick your preferred site and date, input information needed, which includes photos of your passport, ID and vaccine card and pay the fee.

How much is the Yellow Card? You have to prepare a total fee of Php370 to be able to request your ICV. The Yellow Card is Php300 and Php70.

These are the BOQ sites where you can book an appointment:
LUZON – BOQ Manila-Main Office, BOQ Manila – Robinson’s, BOQ Resorts World Manila, BOQ SM Mall of Asia, BOQ SM North EDSA, BOQ Eastwood, BOQ McKinley, BOQ Batangas, BOQ Bataan, BOQ La Union, BOQ Pampanga, BOQ Subic – Harbor Point Ayala Mall, BOQ Laoag, BOQ Tabaco, BOQ Palawan and BOQ Tuguegarao
VISAYAS – BOQ Cebu – Main, BOQ Cebu – Robinson’s, BOQ Cebu – Mactan Newtown, BOQ Bohol, BOQ Ilo-ilo, BOQ Bacolod, BOQ Kalibo and BOQ Tacloban
MINDANAO – BOQ Davao, BOQ Cagayan de Oro, BOQ General Santos and BOQ Zamboanga
I booked my appointment at BOQ Mckinley Hill (Venice Grand Canal Mall). I was in and out in less than 5 minutes plus another 3 minutes for the printing of the Yellow Card.

Did you get a Yellow Card for your child? Yes, I did get a Yellow Card for my son. He is already fully vaccinated so I opted to get one for him too. Same process. Does he need one for international travel? I believe he doesn’t need one, I just got him one. (I will update this once I have more answers.)

Can you expedite an appointment? Yes. Enroll in the BOQ online booking system, send an email to expedite@boq.ph with your reference number and confirmed flight date as the email subject. (e.g. PPBGOQ123456789 – MM/DD/YYYY). You email must include your flight details. Wait for confirmation within 24 to 48 hours. Then, proceed to assigned BOQ office and present your confirmed email appointment.

For more information, visit the Bureau of Quarantine of the Philippines website.