Written by the Caxton Pharmacy team · Last reviewed against NaTHNaC guidance updated 18 February 2026.
The yellow fever certificate is the only vaccination paperwork most travellers will ever have checked at a border. Get it right and it lasts a lifetime; get the timing wrong and you can be refused entry, quarantined or put under surveillance at your destination. This guide explains exactly how the certificate works, who needs it, what happens if you lose it, and what to do if you cannot be vaccinated. For the full picture on the vaccine itself, our complete yellow fever vaccine guide for Bromley travellers covers everything in one place.
What is the yellow fever certificate?
Its formal name is the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), a yellow booklet issued under the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations. Yellow fever is one of only two diseases (the other is polio) for which a country may lawfully demand a certificate as a condition of entry or exit.
The certificate can only be issued at a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre, at the time of vaccination, signed by the clinician and stamped with the centre’s official stamp. A photocopy, a vaccination record card from a GP system, or an app screenshot will not do at a border that enforces the rules.
KEY POINT. The ICVP is a legal document under international regulations, not a receipt. It must be issued by a designated centre with an official stamp, and border officials are entitled to reject anything less.
Valid for life: the 2016 rule change
For decades, yellow fever certificates expired after ten years and travellers were revaccinated to renew them. That ended on 11 July 2016, when an amendment to Annex 7 of the International Health Regulations came into force: the certificate is now valid for the life of the person vaccinated.
Three consequences follow, and each one saves travellers money or stress:
- Old certificates never expired retroactively. If you were vaccinated in 1995 and still have the booklet, it is valid today.
- No country is permitted to demand a booster or revaccination because your certificate is “more than ten years old”. The WHO is explicit that such certificates cannot be rejected.
- One vaccination now covers every trip you will ever take, which changes the economics of having it done properly the first time.
If a border official or a tour operator tells you otherwise, they are working from outdated rules. We give travellers a printed note of the WHO position with their certificate on request.
The 10-day rule: when your certificate starts working
The certificate does not become valid until 10 days after vaccination, because that is how long the vaccine needs to produce reliable protection. Arrive at a border on day eight and, strictly, your certificate is not yet valid.
| Your situation | What it means for the certificate |
|---|---|
| Vaccinated more than 10 days before arrival | Certificate valid, for life |
| Vaccinated fewer than 10 days before arrival | Certificate not yet valid at the border, entry may be refused |
| Vaccinated years or decades ago, booklet in hand | Still valid, no booster can be demanded |
| Vaccinated but booklet lost | Replacement needed from the issuing centre (see below) |
| Cannot have the vaccine on medical grounds | Medical Letter of Exemption from a designated centre (see below) |
Flying soon? Check availability and book your appointment with at least two weeks in hand wherever you can.
Who actually gets asked for it?
Certificate requirements are set country by country and fall into two patterns. Some countries with yellow fever risk require proof of vaccination from every arriving traveller. Far more countries, including many with no yellow fever at all, require it only from travellers arriving from or transiting through a risk country, to stop the disease being imported.
That transit clause catches more travellers than anything else. A journey from London to India needs no certificate if you fly direct, but route the same trip through Nairobi or Addis Ababa and India may demand one. Requirements also change between the WHO’s two-yearly updates, so we check your specific route against the live NaTHNaC country records at your consultation. The country-by-country picture, including the full 2026 risk lists, is set out in our comprehensive Bromley yellow fever guide.
KEY POINT — the consequences are real. Under the International Health Regulations, a traveller who cannot show a required certificate can be refused entry, quarantined or placed under surveillance. Airlines can also deny boarding for a destination that enforces the rule.
Lost or damaged certificate: what to do
Contact the centre that vaccinated you. A designated centre keeps vaccination records and can usually issue a replacement certificate from them; there is normally a small administrative process and you will need identification.
If the centre has closed or the records cannot be traced, there are two honest options: revaccination with a new certificate (safe for most people, and now lifelong again), or, where vaccination is not appropriate, discussing your route and paperwork options with a travel health professional. What you should not do is travel hoping the question never comes up, or attempt to travel on someone’s photocopy; falsified certificates are treated seriously at borders.
Cannot have the vaccine? The Medical Letter of Exemption
Some travellers should not have the yellow fever vaccine at all: babies under six months, people with certain immune conditions or treatments, thymus disorders, or severe egg allergy among them. The full list, and the groups needing specialist assessment, are covered in our guide to who cannot have the yellow fever vaccine.
For those travellers, a designated centre can carry out an assessment and issue a Medical Letter of Exemption (MLoE) for border officials, documenting that vaccination is contraindicated on medical grounds. Two honest caveats: acceptance of an exemption letter is always at the destination country’s discretion, and an exempt traveller entering a risk area is unprotected, so meticulous mosquito-bite avoidance becomes the plan, and for some itineraries the right advice is to reconsider the route.
KEY POINT. An exemption letter is a managed compromise, not an equivalent to vaccination. It solves the paperwork; it does not protect you from the disease.
Getting your certificate in Bromley
We are Caxton Pharmacy and Travel Clinic at 3 Widmore Road in Bromley town centre, serving travellers from Bromley, Mottingham, Beckenham, Orpington, Chislehurst and the surrounding areas. Your appointment covers the pre-vaccination risk assessment, the vaccination where appropriate, and your certificate issued on the spot, alongside advice for the rest of your itinerary. You can see the full service, and verify our designation on the national register, on our yellow fever vaccination page.
Check availability and book your yellow fever appointment, or call 020 8460 0377 with questions.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a yellow fever certificate valid?
For life. Since 11 July 2016 the ICVP is valid for the lifetime of the person vaccinated, including certificates issued before that date. No country may demand a booster to “renew” it.
When does the certificate become valid?
Ten days after vaccination. Plan your appointment at least two weeks before you arrive anywhere that requires it.
Can I get the certificate without the vaccination?
No. The certificate records a vaccination that has actually been given at a designated centre. If you cannot be vaccinated on medical grounds, the correct route is a Medical Letter of Exemption after assessment.
I was vaccinated abroad. Is my foreign certificate valid?
Yes, an ICVP issued by an authorised centre in any country is valid worldwide, and it benefits from the same lifelong validity rule.
What happens at the border if I don’t have a required certificate?
Under the International Health Regulations you can be refused entry, quarantined or placed under surveillance, and some airlines will deny boarding. It is not a risk worth taking for the sake of one appointment.
Do children need their own certificate?
Yes, every vaccinated traveller gets their own ICVP, including children, who can be vaccinated from nine months of age.
I’ve lost my certificate and I fly in three weeks. What now?
Contact the centre that vaccinated you today and ask for a replacement from their records. If that fails, contact us: revaccination with a new certificate is possible for most people and three weeks is enough time, because the certificate becomes valid after ten days.
Where can I get a yellow fever certificate in Bromley?
From a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. We issue certificates at the time of vaccination at Caxton Pharmacy, 3 Widmore Road, Bromley. See our yellow fever vaccination service in Bromley or book an appointment.
General information for UK travellers, checked against NaTHNaC/TravelHealthPro guidance (yellow fever factsheet updated 18 February 2026) and WHO International Health Regulations (2005). Individual suitability is always decided at a face-to-face consultation.
Sources: NaTHNaC yellow fever factsheet · WHO travel advice · UKHSA Green Book chapter 35
Ready to take the next step?
Book your consultation with Caxton Pharmacy in Bromley. Same-day and next-day appointments usually available.
