Last updated on 25 May 2021.
This article is for those who have a TAJ number, and received a vaccine in Hungary. For now, the app only works for you if you received your immunity certificate through vaccination, so in case you got your immunity card based on recovering from COVID-19 or a positive antibody test, the app will not be of any use to you.
To display your relevant data and your QR code at any time, you need internet access and EESZT must be available.
Recently a new mobile app has been developed to let you use your phone for an immunity certificate, which (starting from 22 May) must be considered equivalent to the plastic card and accepted by every facility that may require it. Downloading and registering the app is not exactly straightforward, so let us guide you through the process.
The app is available in both Google Play (called “EESZT alkalmazás”) and the App Store (called “EESZT Lakossági”). It is not to be confused with the app called “EESZT mobilToken”, which is an app for healthcare employees, or the app called “Védettségi igazolvány lekérdezés”, which was developed by a third party.
These apps might not be visible to you through a simple search. In that case, you can download them by going to the store through the EESZT website (you will have to go there anyway, because the app and your phone must be registered in EESZT for this to work).
You can find a link to the app in Google Play and the App Store on eeszt.gov.hu/hu/mobilalkalmazasok. To access that page, you have to log in to EESZT. This is the healthcare related e-government portal in Hungary, where all your healthcare related data are stored. You can log in with your TAJ number and your “Ügyfélkapu” access. Once logged in, you can select “Mobilalkalmazások” (Apps) from the menu, or visit again the link indicated above.
They have two apps available. You will need the first one marked as “Oltásigazolás alkalmazás” (immunity certificate app). Just hit the Google Play or App Store icon under it and go to the respective store to download your app. – The second app is marked as “Ellenőrző alkalmazás” (covid control app), and it is for checking people’s QR codes to see if their immunity certificate is valid, relevant for business owners who may let people use their facilities based on immunity.
Once you have downloaded the app, you must register it in EESZT to work. You will need the EESZT portal open and logged in in a browser (probably on your desktop computer – it is much more comfortable than switching between a browser and the app on your phone).
You are done! You have registered the app and your device in EESZT, and you have logged in. Now just hit the big blue “Covid-oltásigazolás” button on the screen, and the app will display your QR code, your name, your TAJ number, and the date of your first vaccine.
For this, you need internet access, and EESZT must be available. If EESZT is down for any reason, e.g. for maintenance, you will not be able to display your QR code. This means that even with the phone app, it makes sense to have the physical card on you at all times, especially if you are visiting places without internet coverage, e.g. a zoo or adventure park in the middle of nowhere.
You can install the app right after your first dose of a vaccine was administered, and you can use it as your certificate to enter facilities open to those who are immune. However, please note that immunity develops slowly, so it is advisable to wait with visiting crowded places at least 1-2 weeks after receiving the second dose of any vaccine (and 2 weeks after the single dose vaccine).
The security policy of the app prevents you from making a screenshot of the QR code, so the standard answer is no, you cannot. However, some phones can still make screenshot, depending on their operation system (iOS). Still, a screenshot is not supposed to be accepted.
Unfortunately, the app currently does not support immunity certificates received this way. You will have to have your card on you at all times, together with your ID document indicated on it.
We will update this article if there are any changes to the app. Watch this space, or follow us on Facebook to always learn about the latest issues relevant for expats in Hungary. Should you have any questions or comments, you can always contact us, which is easiest through the form below.
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