What documentation is required for yellow fever vaccination for international travel?

Documentation required to demonstrate yellow fever vaccination for international travel is the International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (ICVP) against yellow fever, commonly known as the yellow fever vaccination certificate. This certificate becomes valid 10 days after the primary vaccination and remains valid for the life of the traveller ¹,².

The certificate must be issued by an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre or a qualified healthcare practitioner who administers the vaccine. It records essential details including the traveller's identity, date of vaccination, vaccine batch number, and the signature and stamp of the vaccination centre ¹.

For travellers who cannot receive the yellow fever vaccine due to contraindications (such as age under 6 months, severe allergies, immunocompromise, or thymus disorders), a letter of exemption can be issued by the Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre or the treating practitioner. This letter serves as official documentation in lieu of the vaccination certificate when travelling to countries that require proof of vaccination ¹,².

It is important that vaccination details are accurately recorded in both patient-held records and healthcare electronic systems to ensure consistency and facilitate verification if needed ³.

While the UK guidelines emphasise the use of the official vaccination certificate or exemption letter as the required documentation, recent literature also highlights the importance of strict adherence to vaccination timing and documentation to prevent entry denial at international borders (Pavli and Maltezou, 2022).