Yellow Fever Entry Requirements by Destination

Whether you need a yellow fever certificate depends less on your passport than on your route. Many countries ask for it only if you arrive from, or have recently passed through, a country where yellow fever occurs. On a journey through several countries, a certificate that nobody asks for at the first border may be essential at the second.

How the rules work

Two separate questions. Each country sets a requirement, meaning whether border officials will ask to see your certificate. The World Health Organization separately gives a recommendation, meaning whether you should be vaccinated for your own protection in the areas you visit. A country can recommend vaccination without requiring it, and the reverse.

Countries with risk of yellow fever. The WHO lists the countries where yellow fever occurs. In Africa these include Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo, along with most of West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. In the Americas they are Argentina (the Misiones and Corrientes provinces, including Iguazú), Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia are not on the WHO list. In practice, however, border officials and airlines can ask for a certificate on any crossing within East, Central and Southern Africa, including from Tanzania into Kenya. To be safe, treat every country in the region as if it were on the list, and carry your certificate on every crossing.

Why this matters for your route. Arriving in Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia or the Seychelles from Kenya, Uganda or Ethiopia means you will normally be asked for a certificate. That applies to a road crossing from Kenya into Tanzania just as much as to a flight.

Transits count. Several countries treat a long airport transit in a risk country, often more than 12 hours, as arriving from it. A few apply the rule to any transit at all.

Children. Requirements usually apply from the age of 1, and in some countries from 9 months. The vaccine is not given under 6 months.

One certificate for life. Since July 2016, a yellow fever certificate is valid for life, and no country may ask for a booster. It becomes valid 10 days after your first vaccination.

Our advice. If your journey touches more than one country in Africa or South America, or connects through Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Entebbe, be vaccinated before you leave home and carry your original yellow card with your passport throughout. Returning home may matter too: some countries, including India, can quarantine travellers arriving from a risk country without a valid certificate.

Africa

Kenya

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. Kenya is itself a risk country, and the WHO recommends vaccination for all travellers aged 9 months or over, except for itineraries limited to Nairobi, Mombasa, parts of the coast and the former North Eastern Province. The Masai Mara, Amboseli and the Rift Valley lakes are within the recommended areas. Travellers arriving from Tanzania have also been asked for a certificate, so carry yours whichever direction you cross.

Tanzania and Zanzibar

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country, including after a transit of more than 12 hours in one. This is the rule that catches combined Kenya and Tanzania safaris: crossing from Kenya, by air or by road at Namanga, means you will normally be asked for a certificate. The WHO does not generally recommend vaccination for Tanzania itself.

Uganda

A certificate is required for all travellers aged 1 or over, wherever they arrive from. Uganda is a risk country and vaccination is recommended.

Rwanda

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country. Gorilla trekkers coming on from Uganda or Kenya will need it. Vaccination is not generally recommended for Rwanda itself.

Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Congo

Both require a certificate from all travellers aged 9 months or over, and vaccination is recommended.

Ethiopia

A certificate is required for travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from a risk country, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one. Ethiopia is itself a risk country, which matters for travellers connecting through Addis Ababa on a long layover.

Zambia and Zimbabwe

Both require a certificate from travellers arriving from a risk country, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one: from age 1 in Zambia, and from 9 months in Zimbabwe. Neither is a risk country, so crossing between them at Victoria Falls does not trigger the rule. Arriving from East Africa does.

Botswana

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from, or having transited through, a risk country. No minimum transit time is given, so treat any connection through Nairobi, Entebbe or Addis Ababa as counting.

South Africa

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one. Clients flying on from a Kenyan or Ugandan safari to Cape Town will normally be asked for it. Vaccination is not recommended for South Africa itself.

Namibia

A certificate is required for travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from a risk country, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one.

Seychelles

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from, or having transited through, a risk country. This matters for beach extensions after a Kenyan or Ugandan safari.

Mauritius

The WHO's most recent country list shows no yellow fever requirement for Mauritius. Rules can change between editions, so please confirm with us or the Mauritian authorities before travelling from East Africa.

The Americas

Costa Rica

A certificate is required for travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from a risk country, with some exceptions: arrivals from Argentina and Panama, and from Bogotá, Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena, Medellín and San Andrés in Colombia, are not asked for it. Travellers arriving from Africa after a safari will normally need it. Vaccination is not recommended for Costa Rica itself.

Panama

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country. Vaccination is recommended for mainland areas east of the Canal, including Darién, but not for itineraries limited to Panama City, the Canal area, areas west of the Canal, the Pearl Islands or San Blas.

Colombia

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Uganda, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one of them. Vaccination is recommended for most of the country, but not for Bogotá or areas above 2,300 metres, and generally not for Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena or Medellín.

Ecuador and the Galápagos

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Uganda, or after a transit of more than 12 hours in one of them. Vaccination is recommended for the Amazon provinces east of the Andes below 2,300 metres, but not for Quito, Guayaquil, the highlands or the Galápagos Islands.

Peru

There is no certificate requirement on entry. Vaccination is recommended for the Amazon and other areas below 2,300 metres, including Loreto (Iquitos) and Madre de Dios (Puerto Maldonado). It is not recommended for itineraries limited to Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.

Bolivia

The WHO lists a certificate requirement for travellers aged 1 or over; please confirm with us whether it applies to your route. Vaccination is recommended for the lowlands east of the Andes, but not for itineraries limited to areas above 2,300 metres, such as La Paz, Sucre and the Uyuni salt flats.

Brazil

There is no certificate requirement on entry. Vaccination is recommended for the Amazon states, much of the interior and for visitors to Iguazú Falls, but not for itineraries limited to certain coastal cities such as Fortaleza and Recife.

Argentina

There is no certificate requirement on entry. Vaccination is recommended for Misiones and Corrientes provinces, which include the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls.

Paraguay

A certificate is required for travellers aged 1 or over arriving from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru or Venezuela, or after more than 24 hours in transit there. Vaccination is recommended except for itineraries limited to Asunción.

French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname

French Guiana requires a certificate from all travellers aged 1 or over. Guyana requires it from travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country, including after a transit of more than 4 hours. Suriname requires it from travellers aged 1 or over arriving from a risk country, including after a transit of more than 12 hours. Vaccination is recommended for all three.

For visas, tipping and everything else to arrange before you travel, see Before You Travel. If you are planning a journey, we would be pleased to begin with a conversation.

Sources

Last checked 15 October 2026. Requirements and recommendations are taken from the World Health Organization's most recent published country list, the 2022 edition, and its list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. National authorities can change their rules between editions, so we confirm the current position for every client's route before travel.

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Please speak to a travel clinic about vaccination.