Which countries require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry?
The short answer
Each country sets its own yellow fever entry rules, so there is no single list that fits every traveller. The CDC says some countries require proof from all arrivals and others only from travellers coming from at-risk countries, and some count airport transit. Check the CDC country entry for your destination and your full itinerary.
Entry requirements are not the same as recommendations
The CDC explains that its yellow fever vaccine recommendations are meant to protect travellers from infection and are based on a destination's transmission risk. Those recommendations may differ from country entry requirements for proof of vaccination under the International Health Regulations (IHR).
Entry requirements are set by individual countries. So a destination can require a certificate even where the CDC does not recommend vaccination, and the reverse can also be true.
Who has to show proof
According to the CDC, some countries require proof of vaccination from all arriving travellers. Others require it only from travellers above a certain age who come from at-risk countries, and some also count transit through an at-risk country's airport.
The CDC page states that proof should be required only if travelling from a country on the WHO list, with exceptions noted for specific countries. It names Eritrea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia as not on the WHO list because they contain only low-potential areas.
The CDC official page did not list the requiring countries in its text. It refers readers to a table in the Yellow Fever chapter and to the country selector on the page. I have therefore not named countries here.
The certificate
Travellers must show an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) showing either vaccination or a medical waiver. The CDC says that since 2016 the IHR no longer requires a booster, and a completed ICVP is considered valid for the life of the vaccinated person.
The CDC also advises checking your full itinerary for connections, since passing through immigration on a connection may trigger a requirement.
US, UK and EU travellers
The CDC is a US source and the entry rules depend on the destination, not on where you live. UK and EU travellers should check their own national travel health service as well as the destination's rules, which I have not covered here. Rules and fees change, so check the official page linked below before you travel.
Sources: CDC Yellow Book: Yellow fever vaccine and malaria prevention information, by country. Read 5 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so check the official page before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one official list of countries that require a yellow fever certificate?
The CDC official page points to a table and a country selector rather than listing the countries in text. Use the CDC country entry for your destination.
Do I need the certificate if I only transit?
The CDC says some countries also count transit through an at-risk country's airport. Check your whole itinerary.
How long is a yellow fever certificate valid?
The CDC says that since 2016 a completed ICVP is considered valid for the life of the person vaccinated.
What if I cannot be vaccinated?
The CDC says the ICVP can show a medical waiver instead of vaccination. Whether a destination accepts it is for that country to decide, so check before you travel.
Is CDC advice the same as entry rules?
No. The CDC says its recommendations may differ from country entry requirements for proof of vaccination.