Written by the Caxton Pharmacy team · Country lists checked against NaTHNaC guidance updated 18 February 2026.
“Do I need the yellow fever jab for this country?” is really two questions wearing one coat. Is there yellow fever where you are going, and will the border demand a certificate? The answers overlap less often than travellers assume, and the transit rules catch people out every week. This guide gives you the 2026 risk lists and shows you how to read them; for everything else, from the certificate to side effects, see our complete yellow fever vaccine guide.
The two lists that matter
The World Health Organization maintains the definitive picture, and the UK’s NaTHNaC translates it into traveller guidance. Countries fall into two groups: those with a risk of yellow fever transmission, where vaccination is generally recommended for your protection, and those with low potential for exposure, where the vaccine is generally not recommended, a distinction that matters enormously for travellers over 60.
Africa: 29 countries with risk of transmission (2026)
| Angola | Côte d’Ivoire | Ghana | Mali* | Senegal |
| Benin | DR Congo | Guinea | Mauritania* | Sierra Leone |
| Burkina Faso | Equatorial Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Niger* | South Sudan |
| Burundi | Ethiopia* | Kenya* | Nigeria | Sudan* |
| Cameroon | Gabon | Liberia | Chad* | Togo |
| Central African Republic | The Gambia | Congo | Uganda |
Central and South America: risk in areas of 13 countries (2026)
| Argentina* | Colombia* | Guyana | Peru* |
| Bolivia* | Ecuador* | Panama* | Suriname |
| Brazil* | French Guiana | Paraguay* | Trinidad and Tobago* |
| Venezuela* |
Low potential for exposure (vaccination generally not recommended)
| Eritrea* | Rwanda | São Tomé and Príncipe |
| Somalia* | Tanzania | Zambia* |
KEY POINT — “risk in parts” is doing heavy lifting. Within a starred country, risk can vary by region and altitude. Kenya’s risk sits in specific areas; much of urban South America is risk-free while the Amazon basin is not. This is why we map your actual itinerary, not just the country name, against the live NaTHNaC records.
Risk is not the same as a certificate requirement
The lists above describe where the disease circulates. Certificate demands are a separate, country-by-country legal matter, and they follow a logic that surprises people: the strictest enforcers are often countries with no yellow fever at all.
Countries free of yellow fever but full of the mosquitoes that could spread it, across much of Asia in particular, protect themselves by demanding certificates from anyone arriving from or transiting a risk country. India is the classic example: no yellow fever, strict certificate checks. Meanwhile a risk country may recommend vaccination without demanding paperwork from arrivals from Europe.
| Scenario | Certificate likely required? | Vaccination recommended? |
|---|---|---|
| London direct to Nairobi (Kenya) | No (arriving from the UK) | Often yes, for protection in risk areas |
| London to Mumbai, direct | No | No (no yellow fever in India) |
| London to Mumbai via Nairobi or Addis Ababa | Yes, India may demand it for the transit | Depends on the stopover details |
| London to Rio de Janeiro, then Amazon tour | Brazil does not demand it from UK arrivals | Yes, for the Amazon leg |
| Overland border crossings in Africa/South America | Frequently checked | Usually yes |
KEY POINT — the transit trap. Even an airport connection in a risk country can trigger the next country’s certificate demand. When we assess your trip we ask for every leg of the journey, including the ones where you never leave the terminal.
Route not on this page? Book a travel consultation and we will check every leg against the current records, or start with our detailed yellow fever vaccination guide covering timing, the certificate and eligibility.
Why the lists change, and how we stay current
Yellow fever is a moving target. Outbreaks expand risk areas, as Brazil’s did when the virus reached regions previously considered lower risk, and countries update their entry rules with the WHO every two years, sometimes between updates. A printed list ages quickly, which is why this page carries a review date and why our pharmacists check the live TravelHealthPro country records for every consultation rather than trusting memory.
Popular routes from Bromley where yellow fever planning matters include Kenyan and Tanzanian safaris, Brazil and wider South America, Ghana and Nigeria for family visits, and multi-stop trips that thread through hub airports in risk countries. Timing, the lifelong certificate and who should not have the vaccine are all covered in the full Bromley yellow fever guide.
KEY POINT. One dose, at least 10 days before you arrive, and the certificate lasts for life. If your destination sits anywhere in the tables above, the sensible time to sort it is when you book the flights, not the week you fly.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries require a yellow fever certificate from all travellers?
A small group of risk countries demand proof from every arrival; many more demand it only from travellers arriving from or transiting risk countries. Because the lists shift, we always check your specific route against the live NaTHNaC records rather than publishing a fixed list here.
Is there yellow fever in Asia?
No. Yellow fever occurs only in parts of Africa and Central/South America. Asian countries enforce certificate rules precisely to keep it that way.
Do I need the vaccine for Tanzania?
Tanzania is classed as low potential for exposure, so vaccination is generally not recommended for Tanzania itself, and over-60s should not have it for Tanzania alone. Combining Tanzania with Kenya or another risk country changes the picture; bring the whole itinerary.
Do I need it for South Africa, Morocco or Egypt?
None of these has yellow fever risk. They may still check certificates if you arrive from a risk country, which is how travellers doing multi-country African trips get caught out.
Does the Caribbean have yellow fever?
Only Trinidad carries risk. The rest of the Caribbean has none, though certificate rules can still apply to arrivals from risk countries.
My cruise stops in several South American ports. How do the rules apply?
Each country applies its rules to where you have been in the preceding days, so one risk-country port can affect the next port’s requirements. Bring the full itinerary and we will work through it port by port.
Where do I get the vaccine for these countries in Bromley?
At a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. We are Caxton Pharmacy and Travel Clinic, 3 Widmore Road, Bromley, serving Bromley, Mottingham, Beckenham, Orpington and Chislehurst. Book your appointment or call 020 8460 0377.
General information for UK travellers, checked against NaTHNaC/TravelHealthPro guidance (yellow fever factsheet updated 18 February 2026) and WHO travel advice. Country requirements change; your route is always checked against live records at consultation.
Sources: NaTHNaC yellow fever factsheet · TravelHealthPro country information · WHO travel advice
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