Vaccination Records for International Travel: What You Need and How to Get Them

What is the yellow card (ICVP)?

The ICVP is a small booklet issued by the World Health Organization and stamped by a certified vaccinator — typically a travel medicine clinic or public health department. It is the international standard for documenting vaccination against yellow fever, and some other diseases under the International Health Regulations.

Yellow fever is required by law for entry into certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. At those borders, the ICVP is the only documentation most countries will accept 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP): Yellow Fever Vaccination Documentation.ICVP valid beginning 10 days after primary vaccination; yellow fever certificates valid for lifetime per 2016 IHR amendment; must be stamped by authorized center. Some countries also require the ICVP for meningococcal meningitis — for example, Saudi Arabia requires documentation for Hajj pilgrims.

If you have already received yellow fever vaccine, the clinic that administered it should have stamped your card. If you lost the card, contact that clinic — they may be able to issue a replacement.

What other forms of vaccination proof are accepted?

Beyond the yellow card, many countries accept a range of documentation depending on the vaccine and the entry requirement:

• A printout or PDF from your patient portal or electronic health record
• A letter from your clinician on clinic letterhead
• Your home country's digital vaccine certificate (a QR-code record linked to a state or national registry)

The specific format accepted varies by country and can change with little notice. Always verify current requirements directly with the destination country's embassy or consulate — and check with your airline, which sometimes enforces its own documentation rules independently.

Where do you get an official ICVP?

Travel medicine clinics and some primary care offices are authorized to issue and complete ICVP cards. If you need vaccines before your trip, a travel medicine appointment handles everything in one visit: reviewing your itinerary, administering vaccines, and completing official paperwork.

Public health departments often stock blank yellow cards and can stamp them when vaccines are given.

If you have already received the relevant vaccines elsewhere, bring your existing records to a travel clinic. Policies on transferring documentation to an official ICVP vary by clinic.

Start this process as early as possible — some vaccines require time to take effect, and some countries specify a minimum interval after vaccination before the certificate is considered valid.

Why does timing matter for the certificate?

Yellow fever certificates are not considered valid until ten days after the vaccine is given — the time required for immunity to develop 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP): Yellow Fever Vaccination Documentation.ICVP valid beginning 10 days after primary vaccination; yellow fever certificates valid for lifetime per 2016 IHR amendment; must be stamped by authorized center. If you arrive at a border before those ten days are up, entry can be refused or you may be held for quarantine.

As of July 2016, the WHO amended the International Health Regulations so that a single yellow fever vaccine dose provides lifetime immunity — no booster is required, and existing cards are considered valid for life 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP): Yellow Fever Vaccination Documentation.ICVP valid beginning 10 days after primary vaccination; yellow fever certificates valid for lifetime per 2016 IHR amendment; must be stamped by authorized center.

For complex itineraries with multiple required vaccines, travel medicine providers commonly recommend beginning the process six to eight weeks before departure. Last-minute travelers should contact a travel medicine clinic promptly to understand what is still possible.

When Gale fits — and when to go in person

Gale clinicians can review your itinerary, advise on which vaccines are required versus recommended, and help you understand what documentation you need. However, the ICVP must be stamped by an authorized vaccinator at the time the vaccine is given — this is a physical act that a telehealth visit cannot complete. If you need vaccines administered and officially documented, an in-person travel medicine visit (or a primary care clinic authorized to issue ICVP stamps) is the right setting. Gale can prepare you and connect you with in-person care if needed.