Yellow fever entry requirements

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Yellow fever vaccination

South Africa's yellow fever vaccination requirements policy has been reviewed.
As of 1 October 2011, South Africa requires all travellers journeying from yellow fever risk countries to show proof of yellow fever vaccination by means of a valid yellow fever certificate.

This also applies to those who have travelled to low risk countries such as Soa Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia or have transited through a yellow fever risk country.

The certificates, which are valid for 10 years, must be approved by the World Health Organisation, and should be administered at a yellow fever approved vaccination centre at least 10 days before departure to South Africa, as the vaccine only offers protection 10 days after administration.

Failure to produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate at a South African port of entry could lead to refusal of entry, or quarantine until the traveller’s certificate becomes valid. Quarantine will not be longer than 6 six days.

Those who have an exemption certificate due to medical reasons will be allowed entry, but will be required to report any fever or other symptoms to the health authorities, and will be placed under surveillance.

Countries for which a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into South Africa are Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, and Zambia.