Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements


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Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements

Please see the Destinations section for recommendations for specific countries.

Yellow fever is a viral disease found in parts of Africa and South America. It is transmitted to humans by a mosquito bite. Even though there is no risk of becoming infected while traveling in countries outside of tropical South America or sub-Saharan Africa (i.e., Central, East, Southern, and West), certain countries REQUIRE a yellow fever vaccination. Some countries require a Yellow Fever Vaccination for all travelers, while others require only a vaccination if a traveler is coming FROM either areas infected with yellow fever or areas where yellow fever transmission has occurred (called “endemic” areas). The endemic areas are found in tropical South America and Africa. For the current list of yellow fever infected countries, read “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” (the “Blue Sheet”).

In general, if you are traveling only from the United States to countries in Europe (Western or Eastern), North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, East or Southeast Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, the Caribbean, most of Central America, or temperate South America, CDC does not recommend and you are not required to have a yellow fever vaccination.

However, if your travel plans include traveling to or from a South American or African country that is infected with yellow fever or is located in areas where yellow fever transmission has occurred (endemic areas), then the easiest and safest thing to do is to get a yellow fever vaccination and a signed certificate. Be aware, the age requirements for vaccination can vary from country to country. Be sure to read the Yellow Fever Certificate information below, the instructions, and the country-by-country requirements on this page.

Yellow fever vaccination, a 1-dose shot, may be administered to adults and to children over 9 months of age. This vaccine is administered only at designated yellow fever centers, usually your local health department. If at continued risk, a booster is needed every 10 years.

MEDICAL REASONS NOT TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE:

Infants under 4 months must not be immunized.
Persons severely allergic to eggs should not be given the vaccine. Generally, persons able to eat eggs or egg products can safely receive the vaccine.
It is prudent on theoretical grounds to avoid vaccinating pregnant women, and for non-immunized pregnant women to postpone travel to epidemic areas until after delivery. (Pregnant women who must travel to high-risk areas should be vaccinated.)
In general, persons whose immune systems are suppressed (due to HIV infection or other conditions), persons who are undergoing treatments for cancers (e.g., leukemia and lymphoma), or persons being treated with corticosteroids, alkylating drugs, antimetabolites, or radiation should not be vaccinated unless traveling to an area of known yellow fever transmission. (Patients with suppressed immune systems have a theoretical risk of encephalitis due to the yellow fever vaccine virus.)

Yellow Fever Certificate
After immunization, an International Certificate of Vaccination is issued and is valid 10 days after vaccination to meet entry and exit requirements for all countries. The Certificate is good for 10 years. You must take the Certificate with you. Travelers who have a medical reason not to receive the yellow fever vaccine should obtain a medical waiver. Most countries will accept a medical waiver for persons with a medical reason not to receive the vaccine. When required, CDC recommends obtaining written waivers from consular or embassy officials before departure. A physician’s letter clearly stating the medical reason not to receive the vaccine might be acceptable to some governments. It should be written on letterhead stationery and bear the stamp used by a health department or official immunization center to validate the International Certificate of Vaccination. Check embassies or consulates for specific waiver requirements.

INSTRUCTIONS: Listed next to each country are the Yellow Fever recommendation and requirement codes, which are explained at the bottom of the pages. The explanations are listed in order of broadest requirements (those that apply to most travelers) to the narrower requirements (fewer people are likely to be in this category). A dash (–) indicates no vaccination is required or recommended. Age requirements are the 4th column and refer to the age at which vaccination is required: >1y = greater than 1 year; >6m or >9m = greater than 6 or 9 months; >0 = the age requirement is at the country’s discretion, and vaccination could be required as young as birth. If you are traveling with infants and young children, check with embassies and consulates for their specific requirements, and then consult with your doctor.

Tropical South America Bolivia 2 X R >0 Brazil 2 X R >6m Colombia X R Ecuador 2 X >1y French 1 X >1y Guiana Guyana 2 X SE >0 Paraguay X R Peru 2 X R >6m Suriname 2 X >0 Venezuela X Temperate South America Argentina X S Chile - Falkland Is.(U.K.) - Uruguay - Central America Belize 2 >0 Costa Rica - El Salvador 2 >6m Guatemala 3 >1y Honduras 2 >0 Mexico 2 >6m Nicaragua 2 >1y Panama X R East Asia China 2 Hong Kong - Japan - Korea, - Republic Korea, - Democratic Macao - Mongolia - Taiwan 2	Caribbean And West Indies Antigua & Barbuda 2 >1y Bahamas 2 >1y Barbados 2 >1y Bermuda- (U.K.) Cayman Is. - (U.K.) Cuba - Dominica 2 >1y Dominican - Republic Grenada 2 >1y Guadeloupe 2 >1y Haiti 2 >0 Jamaica 2 >1y Martinique 2 >1y (France) Montserrat 2 >1y (U.K.) Netherlands 2 >6m Antilles Puerto Rico - (U.S.) Saint Lucia 2 >1y St. Vincent 2 >1y & the Grenadines St. Kitts 2 >1y & Nevis Trinidad 2 X >1y & Tobago Virgin - Islands, U.S. Virgin - Islands, U.K. Southeast Asia Brunei 2 E >1y Darussalam Cambodia 2 >0 Indonesia 2 E >0 Laos 2 >0 Malaysia 2 E >1y Myanmar 2 S >0 Philippines 2 >1y Singapore 3 E >1y Thailand 2 E >1y Vietnam 2 >1y
X = Yellow fever vaccination recommended by CDC for travelers (>9 months) going outside urban areas. 1 = Vaccination and Certificate required for all travelers. For age requirements, see instructions above. E = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a yellow fever endemic country. (See the list of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries below.) S = Special requirements/recommendations, see Special Requirements below. 3 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a country any part of which is infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). 2 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from infected areas in countries currently infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). R = A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to a specific destination in a country.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Argentina: Risk in northeastern forest areas only. Bolivia: Guyana: Certificate is also required for travelers from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Paraguay: Certificate only required for travelers leaving Paraguay destined to endemic countries.

North Africa Algeria 2 >1y Canary - Islands Egypt 2 SE >1y Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 2 >1y Morocco - Tunisia 2 >1y Southern Africa Botswana - Lesotho 2 >0 Namibia 2 SE >1y South 2 E >0 Africa St. Helena - Swaziland 2 >0 Zimbabwe 2 >0 Central Africa Angola 2 X >1y Cameroon 1 X >1y Central 1 X >1y African Republic Chad X S >1y Congo 1 X >1y Equatorial 2 X >0 Guinea Gabon 1 X >1y Sudan 2 X SE >1y Zaire 1 X >1y Zambia - X	West Africa Benin 1 X >1y Burkina Faso 1 X >1y Cape Verde 2 S >1y Islands Cote d'lvoire 1 X >1y Gambia 2 X E >1y Ghana 1 X >0 Guinea 2 X >1y Guinea-Bissau 2 X E >1y Liberia 1 X >1y Mali 1 X >1y Mauritania 1 S >1y Niger 1 X S >1y Nigeria 2 X >1y Sao Tome/ 1 S >1y Principe Senegal 1 X >1y Sierra Leone 2 X >0 Togo 1 X >1y East Africa Burundi 2 X >1y Comoros - Djibouti 2 >1y Eritrea 2 X Ethiopia 2 X >1y Kenya 2 X >1y Madagascar 2 S >0 Malawi 2 >0 Mauritius 2 E >1y Mayotte - Mozambique 2 >1y Reunion 2 >1y Rwanda 1 X >1y Seychelles 2 SE >1y Somalia 2 >0 Tanzania 2 X E >1y Uganda 2 X E >1y
X = Yellow fever vaccination recommended by CDC for travelers (>9 months) going outside urban areas. 1 = Vaccination and Certificate required for all travelers. For age requirements, see instructions above. E = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a yellow fever endemic country. (See the list of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries below.) S = Special requirements/recommendations, see Special Requirements below. 3 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a country any part of which is infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). 2 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from infected areas in countries currently infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). R = A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to a specific destination in a country. >1y, >9m, >6m, >0 = Age requirements - see instructions above.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/RECOMMENDATIONS: Egypt: Add Botswana and Malawi, plus Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Trinidad, and Tobago to endemic list. Travelers in transit without certificate are detained in airport precincts. Mauritania and Sao Tome/Principe: No certificate required if arriving from non-infected country and staying 2 weeks. Namibia: Required for all unscheduled air flights. A certificate is required ALSO from travelers arriving from countries in the endemic zones (see the list of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries below). A certificate is required ALSO from travelers on unscheduled flights, who have transited an infected area. Children under one year of age may be subject to surveillance. Niger: recommends vaccination for travelers leaving the country. Seychelles: Certificate required from travelers within the preceding 6 days transited through an endemic area. Sudan: Certificate may be required from travelers leaving Sudan.

Indian Subcontinent Afghanistan 2 >0 Bangladesh 3 SE >0 Bhutan 2 >0 India 3 SE >0 Maldives 2 >0 Nepal 2 >0 Pakistan 3 SE >0 Sri Lanka 2 >1y Middle East Bahrain 2 >1y Cyprus - Iran 2 E >1y Iraq 2 Israel - Jordan E >0 Kuwait - Lebanon 2 >0 Oman 2 >0 Qatar 2 >1y Saudi 3 >0 Arabia Syrian 2 >0 Arab Republic Turkey - United Arab - Emirates Yemen 2 >1y	Australia & South Pacific Islands Australia 3 >1y American 2 >1y Samoa Christmas 3 >1y Island Cook Island - Fiji 2 >1y Guam - Kiribati 2 >1y Nauru 2 >1y Marshall - Islands Micronesia - (Fed. States of) New Caledonia 2 >1y New Zealand - Niue 2 >1y Northern - Mariana Islands Papua New 2 >1y Guinea Pitcairn 2 >1y Samoa 2 >1y Solomon 2 >0 Islands Tahiti 2 >0 Tonga 2 >1y Tuvalu - U.S. Trust - Terr. of the Pacific Islands Vanuatu - Wake Island - North America Canada - St. Pierre - and Miquelon United States -
X = Yellow fever vaccination recommended by CDC for travelers (>9 months) going outside urban areas. 1 = Vaccination and Certificate required for all travelers. For age requirements, see instructions above. E = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a yellow fever endemic country. (See the list of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries below.) S = Special requirements/recommendations, see Special Requirements below. 3 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a country any part of which is infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). 2 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from infected areas in countries currently infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). R = A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to a specific destination in a country. >1y, >9m, >6m, >0 = Age Requirements - see instructions above.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Bangladesh: Add Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Trinidad, and Tobago to endemic list. India: Add Trinidad and Tobago to endemic list. Madagascar: Also includes transiting travelers.

Eastern Europe Albania 2 >1y Armenia - Azerbaijan- Belarus - Bosnia/ - Herzegovina Bulgaria - Croatia - Czech - Republic Estonia - Georgia - Hungary - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Moldova - Poland - Romania - Russia - Serbia/ - Montenegro Slovak - Republic Slovenia - Tajikistan - Turkmenistan - Ukraine - Uzbekistan -	Western Europe Andorra - Austria - Azores 2 S >1y Belgium - Denmark - Faroe - Island Finland - France - Germany - Gibraltar - Greece 2 >6m Greenland - Iceland - Ireland - Italy - Liechtenstein - Luxembourg - Madeira 2 S >1y Malta 2 S >9m Monaco - Netherlands - Norway - Portugal S >1y San Marino - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United - Kingdom
X = Yellow fever vaccination recommended by CDC for travelers (>9 months) going outside urban areas. 1 = Vaccination and Certificate required for all travelers. For age requirements, see instructions above. E = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a yellow fever endemic country. (See the list of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries below.) S = Special requirements/recommendations, see Special Requirements below. 3 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from a country any part of which is infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). 2 = Vaccination and Certificate required for travelers arriving from infected areas in countries currently infected with yellow fever (as listed on the biweekly “Summary of Health Information for International Travel” [the “Blue Sheet”]). R = A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to a specific destination in a country. >1y, >9m, >6m, >0 = Age Requirements - see instructions above.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Azores: Except no certificate required from travelers in transit at Santa Maria. Portugal: Certificate required only for travelers in transit to the Azores and Madeira from an infected county. However, no certificate is required from passengers in transit at Funchal, Porto Santo, and Santa Maria.

**Yellow Fever Endemic Countries**
Countries in Africa			Countries in South America
Angola Benin Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Cote d'Ivoire Djibouti Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia	Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria	Rwanda Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zaire Zambia	Bolivia Brazil Colombia Ecuador French Guiana Guyana Panama Peru Suriname Venezuela

For more information on yellow fever see the Diseases section and the following links:

Yellow Fever Disease and Vaccine Information
Yellow Fever Vaccinations Required and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, By Country
(We are updating this information)

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This page last reviewed July 10, 2000

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