Overseas travel and immunisation

Whether you are travelling overseas from Australia or returning from another country, immunisation plays an important role in protecting you against serious diseases that are common in some countries.

The health risks for international travel change constantly. Discuss your travel itinerary and immunisation requirements with your doctor or travel medical centre at least eight weeks before you travel.

Recommended travel vaccines may include:

• Measles
• Tetanus
• Polio
• Influenza
• Pneumococcal disease
• Meningococcal disease
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Yellow fever
• Cholera
• Japanese encephalitis
• Rabies
• Tuberculosis
• Typhoid fever.

Further advice on travel immunisations for specific destinations:

• World Health Organisation
• Smart Traveller
• a travel doctor
• your doctor.

Yellow fever

Yellow fever immunisation is recommended for people aged nine months or older who are travelling or living in any country in West Africa, Latin America or outside urban areas of high-risk countries.

If you have visited a yellow fever declared country in the last six days before returning to Australia, Australian customs officials will ask for a yellow fever vaccination certificate when you re-enter the country. See the Australian Department of Health's fact sheet on yellow fever for further details.

Only Yellow fever vaccination centres can provide you with the yellow fever immunisation.

Tuberculosis

Migrants from high-risk countries may require immunisation against tuberculosis. Find out more about tuberculosis and immunisation (information available in other languages).