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Vaccines for Travelers

Vaccines protect travelers from serious diseases. Depending on where you travel, you may come into contact with diseases that are rare in the United States, like yellow fever. Some vaccines may also be required for you to travel to certain places.

Getting vaccinated will help keep you safe and healthy while you’re traveling. It will also help make sure that you don’t bring any serious diseases home to your family, friends, and community.

On this page, you'll find answers to common questions about vaccines for travelers.

Which vaccines do I need before traveling?

The vaccines you need to get before traveling will depend on few things, including:

• Where you plan to travel . Some countries require proof of vaccination for certain diseases, like yellow fever or polio. And traveling in developing countries and rural areas may bring you into contact with more diseases, which means you might need more vaccines before you visit.
• Your health . If you’re pregnant or have an ongoing illness or weakened immune system, you may need additional vaccines.
• The vaccinations you’ve already had . It’s important to be up to date on your routine vaccinations. While diseases like measles are rare in the United States, they are more common in other countries. Learn more about routine vaccines for specific age groups .

How far in advance should I get vaccinated before traveling?

It’s important to get vaccinated at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. This will give the vaccines time to start working, so you’re protected while you’re traveling. It will also usually make sure there’s enough time for you to get vaccines that require more than 1 dose.

Where can I go to get travel vaccines?

Start by finding a:

• Travel clinic
• Health department
• Yellow fever vaccination clinic

Learn more about where you can get vaccines .

What resources can I use to prepare for my trip?

Here are some resources that may come in handy as you’re planning your trip:

• Visit CDC’s travel website to find out which vaccines you may need based on where you plan to travel, what you’ll be doing, and any health conditions you have.
• Download CDC's TravWell app to get recommended vaccines, a checklist to help prepare for travel, and a personalized packing list. You can also use it to store travel documents and keep a record of your medicines and vaccinations.
• Read the current travel notices to learn about any new disease outbreaks in or vaccine recommendations for the areas where you plan to travel.
• Visit the State Department’s website to learn about vaccinations, insurance, and medical emergencies while traveling.

Traveling with a child? Make sure they get the measles vaccine.

Measles is still common in some countries. Getting your child vaccinated will protect them from getting measles — and from bringing it back to the United States where it can spread to others. Learn more about the measles vaccine.

Find out which vaccines you need

CDC’s Adult Vaccine Quiz helps you create a list of vaccines you may need based on your age, health conditions, and more.

Take the quiz now !

Get Immunized

Getting immunized is easy. Vaccines and preventive antibodies are available at the doctor’s office or pharmacies — and are usually covered by insurance.

Find out how to get protected .

Which Vaccinations Are Required for Travel?

By Cassie Shortsleeve

A trip abroad requires you to be up-to-date on a whole checklist of things these days: travel insurance, airline policies, visas, passports , and, as far as your health is concerned, vaccines. Yet while the COVID-19 pandemic has made us acutely aware of the importance of staying healthy on the road, travel vaccines have always been a mainstay of safe travel—a crucial tool in avoiding the (often expensive) headaches of getting sick , and treating sicknesses, abroad.

Whether you have travel on the horizon or want to be prepared for 2023 trips and beyond, this guide will get you up to speed on the vaccinations required for travel depending on your destination, itinerary, and health status. Follow the below steps to protect your immune system in another country.

Make sure you’re current with routine vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all travelers be up to date on routine vaccines before travel. Routine vaccines include shots like COVID-19; chickenpox; Hepatitis A and B; Influenza; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Polio; and more. The CDC has a full list of routine vaccines here .

“‘Routinely recommended vaccines’ are vaccines that have been considered very important to prevent common diseases in the population to start,” says Lin H. Chen , M.D. director of the Travel Medicine Center at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the former president of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM).

Routine vaccines protect against disease that exists at low levels (chickenpox) or barely exists at all (measles) in the U.S. They also protect against severe disease from diseases that are still present in the United States (influenza or COVID-19). Generally, they’re given in childhood or adolescence—though some are given through adulthood—so it’s always a good idea to double-check your vaccination records.

When traveling, routine shots are especially important because international travel increases your chances of both contracting and spreading diseases that aren’t common in the U.S. A good example of this is measles. While it’s practically non-existent in the U.S., international travel increases your risk of exposure and popular destinations including Europe still have measles outbreaks.

It’s worth double checking your status even if you think you’re up to date: “During the pandemic, some routine vaccination programs may have suffered lapses, so there is concern that diseases may become more common,” says Dr. Chen.

The routine vaccination recommendations have also changed over the years (the addition of the COVID-19 vaccine to the list is an example) and it’s easy to let vaccines like tetanus ( generally needed every 10 years ) lapse.

“It is even recommended at this time that certain adults who are traveling who have not had a polio vaccine for many years and are traveling to a risk area get an additional dose of the polio vaccine,” says Elizabeth D. Barnett , M.D., a professor at Boston University Medical School and a leader in the field of travel and tropical Medicine.

If you’re traveling with a child , talk to your pediatrician: Rules around vaccination can be different for babies traveling internationally. A baby who is not leaving the U.S., for example, gets their first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months; if they will be leaving the country, they get the first dose at six months .

Utilize official resources to learn more about vaccination recommendations around the world

“Understanding the epidemiology of where diseases are circulating is really important,” says Dr. Chen.

That’s why, generally, she sends travelers to the CDC’s website , which outlines exactly what additional vaccines you may need for essentially every country in the world. All you have to do is plug in your destination and you’ll find information about vaccines and medications, health travel notices, COVID-19 travel information, and more.

Start a conversation with your primary care doctor—then consider seeing a travel medicine specialist

It’s always good to start a conversation with your primary care doctor about vaccines before you travel, but if your itinerary is complex, involving multiple countries, being in rural areas, areas without good hygiene, or areas where you may not be able to protect yourself from mosquito- or food-borne illnesses, or if you have questions based on what you found on the CDC website or your own personal health history, consider asking your physician for a referral to a travel medicine specialist or travel clinic.

After all, when it comes to vaccinations required for travel, it’s not just about where you travel, but how you travel.

“The art of travel medicine is listening to where the person is going, what they're going to be doing, and making a decision based on the risk-benefit ratio,” says Dr. Barnett. A travel medicine doctor will be able to analyze disease trends and trip details such as how long you’ll be traveling or how well you’ll be able to protect yourself against mosquitoes. “You have to really dig into those things,” she says.

Jessica Puckett

Ashlea Halpern

Anna Borges

Claire Volkman

Take a vaccine called the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, which prevents a type of encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). “We can't just say the risk is present in a specific country, because the risk depends on the time of year, whether the disease is being transmitted at that time, the exact location—rural areas, especially farming regions are associated with much higher risk — whether there's a local outbreak situation going on, and more.”

You may not be able to get every shot you need at your primary care doctor’s office either. The yellow fever vaccine, for example (which you may need if you’re traveling somewhere like Sub-Saharan Africa or specific parts of South America), is only available at special travel clinics or public health settings, says Dr. Barnett. You can find a list of travel medicine clinics on the CDC’s website.

Your health background (what diseases you’ve had in the past, whether or not you’re immune-suppressed, and if you’re more predisposed to a certain condition) also play a role in what vaccines to consider. (A very small subset of people vaccinated against yellow fever, for example, experience severe adverse events, says Dr. Barnett.)

The bottom line

For many people and many trips, discussing travel plans with your primary care doctor and using the CDC’s destination feature for vaccine guidance will suffice. Other, more complex trips require a visit to a travel clinic. If you’re aiming to get into one, start the process at least a month before your departure date—appointments can be hard to get and your body needs time to build up immunity from any additional vaccines you may require.

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What vaccines do you need to travel?

The vaccines you need will depend on where you’re traveling and what you will be doing during your travels. Walgreens pharmacists are able to assist in helping you determine which vaccines you may need.

Which travel vaccines are available at Walgreens?

Travel vaccines Walgreens offers include: Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Polio, Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Rabies*.

*Vaccines offered at Walgreens vary by state, age and health conditions. Talk to your local pharmacist about availability.

What other vaccines should I have before traveling?

It’s important to be up-to-date on routine vaccinations before traveling as well—like Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Tetanus, Flu and COVID-19.

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9 Immunizations You Should Have Before Traveling Abroad

Immunization before travel protects your own health and your investment in your trip. Expert travelers know that nothing ruins time at a special destination like getting sick. Immunization also protects you against diseases with long-term health consequences, like polio or encephalitis.

That is why, since 1944, international travelers have needed immunizations for travel. The goal then and now is to promote public health and reduce the spread of diseases. After 2021, many countries mandated COVID-19 immunization for visitors, but by 2022, most lifted the requirement. As of 2024, it’s rare for countries to require it. Read on to learn about immunization and travel today.

Related: Travel Insurance Requirements Keep Changing – Here are the Latest Mandates

Some Countries Still Require COVID-19 Immunization

Many countries have lifted their COVID-19 immunization and testing requirements for non-citizens and visitors to travel and visit. But in some places, things are still changing. Since each country has its own specific regulations, check to see what your destination requires. For a good example of this type of travel requirement, see the United States former COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international travelers .

How do you find out what you need for your own trip? First, check your specific destination and the airline you are using. If your destination requires COVID-19 immunization, check the types of COVID-19 vaccine your destination accepts. Some countries approve specific COVID-19 vaccines: others approve nearly all COVID-19 vaccinations.

While it’s rarer these days, you may still need to provide proof of immunization to your airline to book travel and board flights. Customs may ask you for proof when you are traveling. At your destination, you may need to show proof of immunization again to enter restaurants or lodging.

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Your Destination May Require Yellow Fever Immunization

Yellow fever is a disease transmitted by mosquitos that is endemic in parts of Africa and Central and South America. Over 60 countries have standards around yellow fever immunization for travelers. If you are traveling to or transiting through countries where yellow fever is present, get immunized against yellow fever before you go. Many countries will refuse entry if you have traveled through a yellow fever risk country and you do not have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Learn more about countries with travel requirements for yellow fever immunization from the World Health Organization .

Get Up to Date with Routine Immunizations Before Travel

To reduce your risk of unexpected illness, many medical authorities recommend routine immunizations for travel. Both the World Health Organization and the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that travelers are up to date with routine immunizations. These include:

• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Typhoid Fever

As of 2022, polio was reappearing in more countries. The CDC has travel advisories around polio , recommending polio immunizations for high-risk destinations. India requires visitors coming from countries with endemic polio to have a current oral polio vaccine . Long-term visitors to Pakistan, visiting four weeks or longer, must provide proof of polio immunization to leave Pakistan.

Some Destinations Call for Additional Immunizations

Some countries require or recommend that you have additional immunizations before you travel there. You may also want to safeguard yourself in remote locations with important selective vaccines.

If you plan to visit Saudi Arabia and see the global destination of Mecca, you must meet their meningitis immunization requirements . Meningococcal meningitis vaccines are also recommended for travel in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa .

Hepatitis A immunizations are recommended for most countries. Hepatitis B immunizations are recommended for many destinations in Asia and the Pacific, as well as Africa, South America and the Caribbean. These vaccines are usually three shots over a six-month period, so plan to get these well in advance.

Japanese encephalitis is an infection transmitted by mosquito bites. It causes a dangerous inflammation of the brain, and there is no cure for it. While the risk of a serious case of Japanese encephalitis is low, it is worthwhile getting vaccinated against it if you are visiting Asia, India, the South Pacific, and Australia.

Getting a rabies vaccine is worthwhile if you are traveling to have experiences with wild animals. Wildlife volunteers, and travelers who enjoy caving and spelunking, are at risk of rabies from animal bites or bat exposure in many locations.

How to Provide Proof of Immunization for Travel

Doctors recommend getting most travel immunizations four to six weeks before you travel. This ensures that immunization takes effect. It also gives you time to get your proof of immunization for travel.

Many travel-related vaccines will be recorded in a signed printout called the International Certificate of Vaccine or Prophylaxis (ICVP) . This distinctive yellow document records which immunizations you have received and when. It is most often used to record yellow fever vaccines. The ICVP is not currently used for COVID-19 vaccination records.

Most countries that were requiring proof of COVID-19 immunization are no longer requiring that proof. However, the World Health Organization has launched a system called the Global Digital Health Certification Network to help track vaccinations internationally. This system seeks to protect against present threats as well as any future pandemics.

If you are traveling with children, make sure they are up to date on their vaccines before they travel. You will be responsible for providing their proof of immunization at borders and transit points, along with their passports and tickets.

Does Insurance Cover Travel Immunizations?

Travel immunizations are not always covered by standard health insurance. But it is worth asking, because your insurance may cover some or all immunizations.

It’s possible to get travel immunizations at a reasonable cost. Travel health clinics charge a premium to immunize you quickly. You can shop around for less expensive immunizations – your family doctor can help. They may even be able to provide some travel immunizations for free under public health policies.

Related:  Best International Health Insurance Companies

Get Accurate Information for Your Destination

To confirm vaccination requirements for your destination, go directly to official visa or immigration authorities. Each country has its own requirements. Your home country, countries you’ve visited, and countries where you have travel transfers all affect immunization requirements.

Many private websites claim to have vaccination information for travelers. But it is often incomplete, out of date, or echoes World Health Organization recommendations (which are not the same as visa requirements).

At this time, immunization requirements change often. Along with official immigration websites, here are reliable sources with information on immunizations needed for travel:

• United States Center for Disease Control – Travelers’ Health: Destinations
• United Kingdom National Health Service – Fit for Travel
• European Union – Travel and COVID: Rules and Restrictions

About Kamela Hutzley

A native New Jerseyite who recently emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Kamela writes about International Life Insurance, Travel insurance, and Health topics as well as advice for expats and travelers. She also guides, edits, reviews and prepares articles from her fellow writers for publication. Her working time is split between International Citizens Group and her private practice.

Besides Halifax and Boston, she’s lived in Washington, DC, Santa Cruz, California, and many towns along the shoreline of Monmouth Country, NJ. In late 2022, she spent a month each in Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, before deciding on Atlantic Canada for the long haul. She’s traveled to Hawai’i, Jamaica, France, Spain, the UK, Ireland, Greece, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, and is learning French.

Kamela Hutzley is a writer, editor and wellness professional, holding an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston, MA. In that time she has researched & edited blogs, books and magazines, written countless articles, created content for travel, gaming, and health websites, and taught effective essay writing to college students.

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Make sure you’re up to date on routine vaccinations before international travel

April 15, 2024 at 9:00 p.m.

by Richard Moody

Q: I'm planning a trip abroad next month. What routine vaccines should I consider getting before traveling?

A: Traveling abroad can be an exciting adventure, but it's important to prioritize your health and safety. Depending on the destination, there may be specific vaccines recommended that are not routinely used in America, such as yellow fever vaccine, typhoid fever and Japanese encephalitis virus. However, it is also important to ensure you are still protected against diseases we are routinely vaccinated for domestically that are commonly encountered internationally. Preparing for an international trip is a great time to check your current status. Here's a rundown of some routine vaccines you should consider before your trip.

Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis: If you haven't had a Tdap vaccine within the past 10 years, it's advisable to get one before traveling. Pertussis (whooping cough), spread through respiratory droplets, is quite common here but even more so in developing countries. While tetanus cases are rare in America due to widespread vaccination, the germs are still omnipresent. Once contracted, there is still no treatment for it, and it is highly fatal.

Measles, mumps and rubella: While we do not worry about measles too much in the U.S., it remains one of the leading causes of death, especially for children, around the world. There have been large measles outbreaks worldwide recently, including many European and African countries. Ensure you're up to date on your MMR vaccine, especially if you were born after 1957 and incompletely vaccinated.

Polio: Polio vaccination has been a great success in this country and continues to be a part of routine immunization schedules. There are still countries considered at risk for polio spread, and if you are going to be in these places more than four weeks, a booster dose is recommended.

Hepatitis A: International travelers commonly contract this disease from contaminated food or water. Outbreaks even occur here but more so in developing countries. The vaccine is very protective, almost immediately, so obtain this shot even if you are leaving on short notice.

Hepatitis B: This virus is contracted from blood and body fluids; if your travel plans increase your exposure risk, ensure that you have had the two- or three-dose series once in your life. Travelers going to remote locations to provide medical care should certainly check vaccine records before departure.

Influenza: Ensure that you have received the latest influenza vaccine. Flu viruses often circulate year-round in tropical countries (not seasonally as we experience in North America and Europe).

Other routine vaccines to consider updating include COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia and shingles. Consult with your personal doctor or a travel medicine specialist. They can provide personalized recommendations based on your destination, itinerary, medical history and health status. Additionally, some countries require proof of certain vaccinations for entry, so familiarize yourself with the vaccination requirements of your destination well in advance. Good sites to find recommendations for your destination are cdc.gov/travel and tripprep.com.

Remember, vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent illness while traveling. Stay informed, stay healthy and enjoy your travels safely!

Dr. Richard Moody is a travel medicine expert with CFP Travel Medicine and a member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.

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International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)

How to fill out an icvp, how to reissue an icvp, vaccine exemptions (medical waivers), contraindications to required vaccines, where to order icvp.

International Health Regulations (IHR) allow countries to require arriving travelers 1 to provide proof of vaccination against certain diseases. The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), also referred to as the “yellow card,” is the official, internationally recognized document that travelers use to document proof of vaccination for diseases included under the IHR.

Currently, vaccination against yellow fever, and in some instances, polio, must be documented using the ICVP. Travelers should check CDC’s webpage for their destination to learn if vaccination is required before entry.

There are currently no requirements to use the ICVP to document vaccination(s) against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Yellow Fever Vaccine

Some countries require all travelers to show proof of yellow fever vaccination before entering the country. Other countries require proof of vaccination from travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever virus exposure; for people visiting multiple countries, the order of travel may be important. Travelers should check CDC’s webpage for their destination to learn if yellow fever vaccination is required or recommended before entry.

Yellow fever vaccination (travel) clinics  administer yellow fever vaccine and issue ICVPs to vaccine recipients. The ICVP must be validated with the Uniform Stamp of the center where the vaccine was given. CDC does not issue ICVPs.

ICVPs are valid beginning 10 days after the date of vaccination. Travelers who do not provide a valid ICVP may be denied entry, quarantined, or asked to get revaccinated at the point of entry to a country.

Travelers who received the yellow fever vaccination after December 15, 2007, must provide proof of vaccination on the new ICVP. If a person received the vaccine before December 15, 2007, their original ICVP card is still valid as proof of vaccination against yellow fever.

For more information, visit the CDC Yellow Book chapter: Yellow Fever .

Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)

Travelers should check CDC’s webpage for their destination to learn if polio vaccination is recommended before entry. Even previously vaccinated travelers might need a one-time booster shot before traveling to countries with a risk of infection with polio virus . Travelers visiting a country with a high risk for polio may be required to show proof of vaccination against polio on their ICVP when departing that country.

For more information, visit the CDC Yellow Book chapter Polio and the Polio Vaccine for International Travelers webpage.

Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MenACWY)

Some countries require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against meningococcal disease. Some people who received a previous dose of meningococcal vaccine might need a booster shot. It takes 7–10 days after a person has been vaccinated before they have maximum protection against the disease.

Travelers aged 2 years or older visiting Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah are required to submit proof of vaccination against meningococcal disease administered no less than 10 days and no more than 5 years (or 3 years for polysaccharide vaccine) before their arrival. This proof of vaccination can be documented on an ICVP, but can also be documented elsewhere. For more information, visit CDC’s Yellow Book chapters: Meningococcal Disease and Saudi Arabia: Hajj/Umrah Pilgrimage .

For all required vaccines

(1) Print the traveler’s name exactly as it appears on their passport.

(2), (5), (7) Enter all dates as shown: day (in numerals), month (in letters), year. In the example above, the traveler’s date of birth is correctly entered as 22 March 1960. Do not use DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY format.

(3) This space is reserved for the traveler’s signature.

(4) Write the name of the vaccine (yellow fever, polio, meningococcal) in this space. Other vaccinations can be listed on the other side of the ICVP card.

(5) Enter the date of vaccine administration, as shown.

(6) This space is reserved for the clinician’s handwritten signature. A signature stamp is not acceptable.

For Yellow Fever Vaccine

(4) Print “Yellow Fever” in both spaces.

(6) The clinician signing the ICVP can be the yellow fever vaccine Uniform Stamp owner, or another healthcare provider authorized by the stamp owner to administer or supervise the vaccine administration.

(7) The certificate of yellow fever vaccination is valid beginning 10 days after the date of primary vaccination. Add that date to this box along with the suggested wording “life of person vaccinated,” as shown.

(8) Imprint the Uniform Stamp of the vaccinating center in this box.

For Polio Vaccine

(4) Print “Polio” (or “Poliomyelitis”) in both spaces and the specific vaccine that the traveler received in the box.

(6) The clinician administering the polio vaccine should sign their name and indicate their professional status. If transcribing the record of a polio vaccine administered by another clinician in the past 12 months, the transcribing clinician should clearly record the administering clinician’s name and professional status and sign their own name.

(7) The certificate of polio vaccination is valid from the date of vaccination for 1 year.

For Meningococcal Vaccine

(4) Print “Meningococcal” in both spaces and the specific vaccine that the traveler received in the box.

(6) The clinician administering the meningococcal vaccine should sign their name and include their professional status. If transcribing the record of a meningococcal vaccine administered by another clinician in the past 5 years (3 years for polysaccharide vaccine), the transcribing clinician should clearly record the administering clinician’s name and professional status and sign their own name.

(7) For Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, the vaccine must have been administered between 10 days to 5 years (3 years for polysaccharide vaccine) before arrival to Saudi Arabia.

Clinicians may reissue a replacement ICVP to the traveler if they can confirm that the traveler’s vaccine information is accurate.

For All Vaccines

In addition to following all directions in the How to Fill Out an ICVP section, follow these steps to ensure certain sections of the replacement ICVP are correctly filled out

• Date: Enter the date of the original vaccination, not the date of reissuance.
• Signature and professional status of supervising clinician: The clinician who has confirmed the traveler’s information and is reissuing the ICVP should sign.
• Manufacturer and batch no. of vaccine or prophylaxis: Print manufacturer name and lot number.
• For Yellow Fever Vaccine Only: Official stamp of the administering center: The Uniform Stamp of the vaccinating center reissuing the ICVP card should appear in this box.

For international travelers with a medical contraindication to a required vaccine, it is up to the discretion of the clinician to provide them with a medical waiver. Advise the traveler that the destination country might not accept a medical waiver. Acceptance of the medical waiver is at the discretion of the destination country.

To improve the likelihood that border officials at a travelers’ destination will accept a medical waiver and approve entry, travelers should

• Obtain specific and authoritative advice from the embassy or consulate of the destination country or countries.
• Request documentation of requirements for waivers from embassies or consulates and present these, along with the completed Medical Contraindication to Vaccination section of the ICVP.

How to Fill Out an Exemption (Medical Waiver)

Complete and sign the “Medical Contraindications to Vaccination” section of the ICVP. Reasons other than medical contraindications are not acceptable for exemption from vaccination. Yellow fever vaccine providers should validate medical exemptions to yellow fever vaccine using the Uniform Stamp of the yellow fever vaccination center.

Clinicians should also provide the traveler with a signed and dated exemption letter on letterhead stationery, clearly stating the contraindications to vaccination (e.g., age, diagnosis of an immunocompromising condition, allergic reaction). For medical contraindications to yellow fever vaccine, include on the exemption letter an imprint of the Uniform Stamp used by the yellow fever vaccination center to validate the ICVP.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever vaccine is contraindicated for people with certain underlying health conditions because of the increased risk for serious adverse events. Visit CDC’s Yellow Book chapter: Yellow Fever or the Yellow Fever Vaccine Recommendations webpage.

Do not administer IPV to people who have experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction after a dose of IPV or a severe allergy to any part of this vaccine. For moderately or severely ill people, delay vaccine administration until they recover. Visit the CDC Yellow Book chapter: Polio or the Polio Vaccination webpage for more information on who should not get the polio vaccination.

Meningococcal

MenACWY vaccines should not be administered to people who have experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction after a previous dose of the meningococcal vaccine or a severe allergy to any part of the vaccine. Pregnant people and people who are moderately or severely ill should talk with their healthcare provider before receiving the vaccine. Visit the CDC Yellow Book chapter: Meningococcal Disease or the Meningococcal Vaccine webpage for more information on who should not get the meningococcal vaccine.

ICVPs are available for purchase from the Government Printing Office bookstore. Individual copies are not available. To order, please visit U.S. Government Bookstore or call toll-free (866) 512-1800. Packages of 25 are available for $25 for the United States and $35 for international. Delivery time for orders varies based on shipping options. To have orders mailed via a shipping service, please place your order by phone.

1 Arriving travelers include people in transit on connecting flights.

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COVID-19 international travel advisories

If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19. U.S. citizens going abroad, check with the Department of State for travel advisories.

COVID-19 testing and vaccine rules for entering the U.S.

• As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen nonimmigrant visitors to the U.S.  arriving by air  or  arriving by land or sea  no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• As of June 12, 2022,  people entering the U.S. no longer need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test . 

U.S. citizens traveling to a country outside the U.S.

Find country-specific COVID-19 travel rules from the Department of State.

See the  CDC's COVID-19 guidance for safer international travel.

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

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