• Search
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • TRAVEL GEAR
  • KETO LIFESTYLE
    • ECO LIFESTYLE
  • DESTINATIONS
    • BALI TRAVEL GUIDE
    • VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE
    • JAPAN TRAVEL GUIDE
    • THAILAND TRAVEL GUIDE
    • CAMBODIA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • AUSTRALIA TRAVEL GUIDE
  • WORK WITH US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Gadsventure

Lifestyle Blog, Adventures all around the world and at home with a family of six. We will share our stories, travel tips, travel destinations, lifestyle choices and sustainable living to help you build a better life.

  • Search
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • TRAVEL GEAR
  • KETO LIFESTYLE
    • ECO LIFESTYLE
  • DESTINATIONS
    • BALI TRAVEL GUIDE
    • VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE
    • JAPAN TRAVEL GUIDE
    • THAILAND TRAVEL GUIDE
    • CAMBODIA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • AUSTRALIA TRAVEL GUIDE
  • WORK WITH US
You are here: Home / All / International Travel Vaccination Requirements
International Travel Vaccination Requirements

International Travel Vaccination Requirements

Updated April 28, 2019 By //  by Kris. This post contains affiliate links. This means we may make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Like it or not, international travel can come with some risks.  These will vary depending on your destinations, who you are travelling with, and the type and length of your stay.  International travel vaccination requirements can also depend on your current state of health and current state of wealth too!  

People who are immunocompromised, are allergic to vaccinations, children and the elderly are especially advised to seek medical advice before travelling abroad.

international travel vaccination requirements

  • If you are going for a one week vacation in resort style accommodation where you are not leaving your hotel and you are in a first world country, you can likely avoid having to get jabs. 
  • The opposite scenario is obviously a six month backpacking journey through the wilds of India, staying in villages and eating like a local, while volunteering in orphanages and animal refuges.  

Going to Bali? Find out if you need vaccinations here.

Do you need a visa for Bali?

Klook.com

Table of Contents

  • Yellow Fever
  • Malaria
  • Cholera
  • Hepatitis and Typhoid
  • Rabies
  • Japanese Encephalitis

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is found in parts of Africa and South America.  It is transmitted by mosquitoes and the symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting with severe complications of heart and kidney failure.  It is incurable, but luckily is vaccine preventable.

The Yellow Fever Vaccine is good for 10 years.
International Travel Vaccination Requirements

Did you know that the building of the Panama Canal was continuously delayed because the workers kept dying all over the place from Yellow Fever!  The name Yellow Fever comes from the terrible jaundice that sufferers can display in the severe form of the disease.

Some countries require presentation of an International Travel Vaccination Certificate for proof of protection from Yellow Fever on entry.  And there is another group of countries that while Yellow Fever is not found within, they require proof that you won’t be carrying it in if you have come from a Yellow Fever positive region.  This info is changing all the time so it is best to check with your local Travel Medicine Clinic or the World Health Organisation website before you go.

Heading to South America? Read this first.

Proof of Yellow Fever Vaccination is REQUIRED to Enter:

  • Angola
  • Burundi
  • Central African Republic
  • Congo
  • Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Sierra Leone
  • Suriname
  • Togo

If you have recently visited or transited through any of these countries, you will need your proof of vaccination to enter a long list of other countries as well.

Yellow Fever Vaccination is RECOMMENDED for Travel to:

  • Argentina – Misiones Province
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador excluding Galapagos Islands
  • French Guiana
  • Guyana
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Suriname
  • Trinidad
  • Venezuela

Remember to keep your Yellow Fever Vax Certificate with your passport as you will be asked to show it when you travel onward from countries where Yellow Fever is endemic.

For detailed info on specific destinations, see the WHOs list here.

Malaria

If you are travelling anywhere near Malaria, it is recommended to take steps to prevent transmission.  The risk and severity of Malaria depends on which countries you are visiting. Please check with your Travel Health Clinic for recommended medical intervention.  

The first line defence to prevent the spread of malaria is to avoid being bitten in the first place. 

International Travel Vaccination Requirements

Wear long sleeved loose fitting clothing washed in permethrin, use insect repellent containing DEET and be particularly prudent at dawn and dusk as this is when malaria carrying mosquitoes are most active.  

Some countries will require a more intensive line of defence, as there are strains of malaria which are worse than others.

It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to get some malaria prevention if you are visiting:

  • Temperate lowland areas of Africa, South America and South East Asia especially.  For more specific information on each country, please see the WHO list of countries.

Cholera

Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small intestine that causes large amounts of watery diarrhoea.  It is transmitted by unsafe food or water that has been contaminated by faeces containing the bacteria responsible.  Access to sanitary drinking water is the best way to prevent the spread of Cholera which can lead to death without treatment.  

There is a vaccine is available at your local Travel Health Clinic but its use depends on the sort of trip you are doing.  If you are spending a long time travelling deep within a country where Cholera is endemic, and getting down with the locals, it may be wise to have the vaccine. 

The vaccine lasts 6 months.

Some countries where Cholera is endemic:

  • Africa – Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania. 
  • Americas – Dominican Republic and Haiti.
  • Asia – Afghanistan and Iraq.
Klook.com

Hepatitis and Typhoid

International Travel Vaccination Requirements

Hepatitis A can be caught by touching a doorknob.  It is spread by faecal matter contaminating surfaces and food.  Hep B and C are blood borne viruses and so are recommended for those engaging in ‘at risk’ activities, eg. unprotected sex, tattoos, IV drug use, medical, dental or cosmetic procedures.  

Hepatitis A vaccine is usually given in conjunction with Typhoid and if you have a Hep A booster within 6 months, you are covered for 20 years!  Typhoid boosters are recommended every 3 years.

Both of these viruses are quite prevalent in the developing world especially:

  • India, Nepal, Bangladesh
  • It is also common in parts of Africa, South East Asia, The Middle East and many parts of South America and Eastern Europe. 

Hepatitis A vaccine is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for travel to these areas.  Typhoid vaccination is RECOMMENDED, especially for longer stays.

Rabies

International Travel Vaccination Requirements

Personally, I have never bothered having the rabies vaccine, it is really expensive and requires a lot of pre-planning as you have to have a series of 3 injections a few months prior to travel.  Then, if you are bitten by an animal in a rabies affected area, you still have to get emergency rabies treatment anyway which involves injecting more vaccine directly into the bite.  The difference is, you will have a longer time frame to get the emergency treatment if you have had the vaccine.  24 hours vs 48 hours.  

The consideration to getting a rabies vaccine depends on your type of travel.  I know I have little or no contact with dogs when I travel and I would like to think I can avoid being bitten.  I definitely avoid monkeys too.

See your Travel Health Clinic about rabies vaccination if your trip goes through rural areas or lasts more than a few months.

Parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America have high risk of rabies.  Check out the full list here.

Going to India? Read this to find out what vaccinations we wouldn’t go without.

Japanese Encephalitis

Another fun mosquito borne virus, Japanese Encephalitis can have serious consequences causing an infection to the brain.  

Luckily there is a vaccine available, and it consists of 2 injections, 28 days apart.

If you are travelling to rural areas of Asia and the Pacific, the vaccine is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

Check out these detailed posts on your destination countries for current travel vaccination advice.

Travel Vaccinations – India

Travel Vaccinations – South America

This list is by no means exhaustive, and I recommend that you visit your local Travel Health Clinic for advice relevant to your particular destination and style of travel.  You should visit at least 3 months prior to travel as some vaccines require a longer schedule.  If you have not had standard childhood immunisations, you might need to consider further immunisations to protect yourself against diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, polio etc.  

Don’t be complacent with your health.  Please leave your questions regarding travel vaccinations below!

DISCLAIMER The author of this article is not a doctor and the medical/dietary advice that is provided herein is not to replace users of the sites current medical situation or advice that may have been given by their GP or legal consultant.  Gadsventure is here solely for support as an optional alternative.  In no way does the information contained within www.gadsventure.com advise anyone to use this knowledge as a replacement for any medical condition.  

Filed Under: All, Bali, Before you Travel Tagged With: vaccinations

Previous Post: « Health and Nutrition for Kids while on the Road
Next Post: Boating Holidays (They Really Rock & Roll!) Boating Holidays»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aaron Griffin

    June 26, 2018 at 7:48 am

    Hi Kris!
    Thank you for this helpful and insightful post on getting Vaccinated. I recently moved to Indonesia and coming from NYC, U.S.A. I needed to get my vaccines, just to make sure I will not contract any nasty bugs or diseases.

    I am not going to be back packing through the jungle or anything like that, but who knows maybe one day I might. Rabies is a problem here with all the bats that fly around at night, and yellow fever could be a problem if in the jungle.

    Luckily I have all my up to date shots and if I need too I can go get them again at a local hospital here. I really found your post to be useful especially for me considering where I moved too. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to revisiting your site for future information.

    All the best – Aaron G.

    Reply
    • admin

      July 9, 2018 at 9:10 am

      That’s great Aaron, 

      I am happy that you are being vigilant with your health by being up to date with your shots.  It is super important.  Glad I could help!

      Cheers, Kris

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Meet the Family

Gadsventure

Welcome, We are the Gadsventure Team! Our family of 6 is constantly seeking fun and adventure …

Follow Our Journey!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Find Flights


Find Hotels



Booking.com

Find Deals


Discounts on Tours


15% Off Asia

Find Tours


real food


Footer

 

 

“Travel, as much as you can, as far as you can, as long as you can…………. Life’s not meant to be lived in one place.”

Find Out How

  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · Mai Lifestyle Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • 1
2 shares