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Vaccination Certificate Requirements for Direct Travel from the United States to Other Countries

For direct travel from the United States, only the following countries require an International Certificate of Vaccination against yellow fever.

For travel to and between other countries, individual country requirements should be checked.

No vaccinations are currently required to return to the United States.

Exemption from Vaccination

Age: Some countries do not require an International Certificate of Vaccination for infants <6 months of age or <1 year of age. Travelers should be advised to check the individual country requirements in Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country.

Medical Grounds: If a physician concludes that a particular vaccination should not be administered for medical reasons, the traveler should be given a signed and dated statement of the reasons on the physician's letterhead stationary.

There are no other acceptable reasons for exemption from vaccination.

Unvaccinated Travelers

Travelers who do not have the required vaccinations upon entering a country might be subject to vaccination, medical follow-up, or isolation, or a combination of these. In a few countries, unvaccinated travelers are denied entry.

Travel on Military Orders

Because military requirements may exceed the requirements indicated in this publication, any person who plans to travel on military orders (civilians and military personnel) should be advised to contact the nearest military medical facility to determine the requirements for the trip.

Authorization To Provide Vaccinations and To Validate the International Certificate of Vaccination

A yellow fever vaccination must be given at an official yellow fever vaccination center as designated by respective state health departments or the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the accompanying certificate must be validated by the center that administers the vaccine. (Other vaccinations may be given under the supervision of any licensed physician.) Validation of the certificate can be obtained at most city, county, and state health departments, or from vaccinating physicians who possess a “Uniform Stamp.” State health departments are responsible for designated nonfederal yellow fever vaccination centers and issuing Uniform Stamps to be used to validate the International Certificate of Vaccination. Information about the location and hours of yellow fever vaccination centers may be obtained by contacting local or state health departments. Physicians administering vaccine to travelers should emphasize that an International Certificate of Vaccination must be validated to be acceptable to quarantine authorities. Failure to secure validations can cause a traveler to be revaccinated, quarantined, or denied entry.

Persons Authorized To Sign the Certificate

The International Certificate of Vaccination must be signed by a licensed physician or by a person designated by the physician. A signature stamp is not acceptable.

— Rosamond Dewart, Phyllis Kozarsky

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This page last reviewed July 17, 2003

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