Green Pass update – November 26, 2021:
On December 6, 2021, a new decree came into force introducing the so-called “Super Green Pass” (enhanced COVID certificate). The decree also extended mandatory vaccination to new professional categories, including school staff and law enforcement personnel.
Many readers have contacted me with questions about the Green Pass, often struggling to find clear and reliable official information about the COVID-19 digital certificate—now required for an increasing number of essential activities, including access to workplaces.
This guide aims to clarify what the Green Pass is, how it works, and what the various decrees have introduced.
What Is the Green Pass (EU Digital COVID Certificate)?
The EU Digital COVID Certificate was introduced by Regulation (EU) 2021/953 to facilitate safe freedom of movement within the European Union during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The certificate includes a QR Code used to verify authenticity and validity. It confirms one of the following:
- completed vaccination
- negative test result
- recovery from COVID-19
In Italy, the certificate is issued exclusively through the National Platform of the Ministry of Health in both digital and printable formats.
Italy later extended the Green Pass requirement to additional activities and sectors beyond travel.
All Green Pass–Related Decrees
DECREE-LAW – November 26, 2021, No. 172 – “Super Green Pass”
Key points:
- Mandatory booster dose starting December 15, 2021.
- Mandatory vaccination for new categories: administrative healthcare staff, school personnel, military forces, police (including penitentiary police), and emergency services.
- Green Pass required for: hotels, sports changing rooms, regional and interregional rail transport, and local public transport.
- Green Pass validity reduced from 12 months to 9 months.
- Super Green Pass (only for vaccinated or recovered individuals) required for:
indoor dining, shows, sporting events, nightclubs, and public ceremonies. - Prefectures must intensify checks and send weekly reports to the Ministry of the Interior.
- Strengthened communication campaigns promoting vaccination.
DECREE-LAW – September 21, 2021, No. 127 – Green Pass in Workplaces
Main provisions:
- Employees without a Green Pass are considered “unauthorized absences” until they present the certificate. No salary or compensation is owed for these days, but the employment relationship is maintained.
- In companies with fewer than 15 employees, after five days of unauthorized absence, employers may suspend the worker for up to 10 days (renewable once).
- Awareness campaigns on the importance of vaccination.
- Administrative fines:
- €600–€1,500 for entering workplaces without a Green Pass
- €400–€1,000 for employers who fail to perform checks
- Exemptions for: children under 12, people with certified medical exemption, and participants in certain clinical trials.
- Free testing for medically fragile individuals; subsidized test prices for all others.
DECREE-LAW – September 10, 2021, No. 122 – Access to Schools and Educational Institutions
This decree regulates access to all educational facilities, requiring a Green Pass for:
- anyone entering schools or educational structures
- university personnel and students (with random checks determined by each institution)
Exempt:
- children, students, and those attending regional vocational training systems
- individuals with certified medical exemption
Mandatory vaccination is required for all workers in residential care facilities (RSA and similar).
DECREE-LAW – August 6, 2021, No. 111
This decree introduced:
- Mandatory Green Pass for school and university staff, and university students.
Those who fail to present it are considered unjustifiably absent and suspended from work after the fifth day. - Green Pass requirement for access to:
- commercial air travel
- interregional ferries
- Intercity and high-speed trains
- long-distance bus services
- hire-with-driver transport services (except for local/regional add-on services)
DECREE-LAW – July 23, 2021, No. 105
This decree made the Green Pass mandatory for access to:
- indoor restaurant dining
- public events and sports competitions
- museums and cultural venues
- indoor pools, gyms, team sports, and wellness centers
- fairs, conferences, and exhibitions
- spas, theme parks, and amusement parks
- indoor cultural and recreational centers
- gaming halls, betting shops, bingo halls, and casinos
- public competitions
- receptions following civil or religious ceremonies
Super Green Pass vs. Basic Green Pass: What’s the Difference?
- Basic Green Pass
Issued after vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a rapid/molecular test. - Super Green Pass (Enhanced Certificate)
Issued only after vaccination or recovery.
Not valid with a test.
Can You Buy a Green Pass?
No. The Green Pass cannot be purchased—it is issued free of charge to eligible individuals.
Some online channels may claim to sell “authentic” Green Passes for €100–€500, payable via PayPal, Bitcoin, or similar methods.
These are fraudulent and illegal.
Buying or using a fake Green Pass may constitute criminal fraud.
Additionally, fake certificates often do not work, and scammers cannot be traced once paid.
Italian authorities constantly monitor channels selling counterfeit certificates, increasing the risk of criminal consequences.
Moreover, authorized personnel (e.g., in schools and public administration) can verify a user’s certificate directly on national platforms—making fake passes useless.
This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)
