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Will I be able to enter Thailand with an "expired lifetime" yellow fever certificate?


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By having a Brazilian passport, every time I come into Thailand I must present my yellow fever vaccine international certificate at the health control before I make it to the immigration booth.

 

My current certificate will expire in 2020. When I took that vaccine in 2010, the immunisation was thought to last 10 years. However, the WHO has issued an amendment stating that from 11 July 2016 the certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is valid for the life of the person vaccinated. ( http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20160727/en/ )

This means my certificate is in fact good for life despite the 2020 expiration date.

 

I could get another certificate in Brazil based on the current one that would be good for life, but this is the reason I'm creating the thread: My trips to Brazil have been rare and with very limited time, and to obtain this lifetime certificate I would have to travel and use a whole day that could be better spent with family or friends instead of dealing with a crowded place with lots of bureaucratic obstacles. 

 

Here are the two questions:

Will the health control officers be on par with the WHO amendment and accept my expired certificate (due to it being actually lifetime)?

 

If not, is there a way to obtain a lifetime certificate in Thailand by presenting my current one? 

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You don't say where you are and only you have a Brazilian passport but rarely go to Brazil. If you are in Thailand just go to a hospital or Red Cross to get an updated certificate.

 

If you have something that is expired then chances are it is not going to be accepted

Edited by JohnThailandJohn
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Reading the info on the page you posted a link to it appears you current certificate is automatically valid for life.

Quote

Currently, valid IHR international certificates of vaccination are now automatically valid for life of the traveller indicated. Nothing needs to be modified in the certificate; indeed under the IHR, any changes, deletions, erasures or additions may cause a certificate to be rendered invalid.

I am sure the Thailand will accept your certificate as it is now.

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21 minutes ago, fvw53 said:

why does my certificate expire after 10 years...is this a new type of vaccine?

Yellow fever vaccinations were only good for 10 years in the past. After that you had to get a new vaccination. They are now considered valid for life.

Read the info on this webpage that the OP posted this link to. http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20160727/en/

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FYI coming to thailand with an argentinian passport, I am always asked to provide immigration with a valid yellow fever certificate even if I come with a Paris or London flight. Maybe not lucky but but I don't take the risk of being unable to enter the country. 

 

By the way yellow fever vaccination is valid for life.

 

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18 hours ago, FarangFB said:

to obtain this lifetime certificate I would have to travel and use a whole day that could be better spent with family or friends instead of dealing with a crowded place with lots of bureaucratic obstacles. 

Ask yourself which is more important, getting a certificate for a health reason and being able to return to Thailand or spending time with family or friends?  Surely the former should take precedence ?

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FarangFB and decca60:

 

One piece of information that might be helpful: you only need to show the yellow fever certificate if you've been to Brazil/Argentina during the two weeks before entering Thailand. From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand's website:

 

As for those nationals of the countries listed below but who have not travelled from/through those countries, such a certificate is not required. 

 

Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15384-List-of-countries-which-require-International-Heal.html
 

In other words, when you go to health control and they ask you for your yellow fever certificate, just say that you haven't been to Brazil or Argentina recently. The health control form actually allows you to state the countries you've been to in the last two weeks. So, you write down the countries you've been to, and if you haven't been to any of the "infected" countries (full list here: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15384-List-of-countries-which-require-International-Heal.html) you are good to go.

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This shows that you have a computer so why don't you copy the update information into a word document and even use google translate to translate it into Thai and copy it into the same document and print it off and keep it with your certificate so that if you are ever questioned then you can show the update in both English and Thai. Problem solved.

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On 8/21/2018 at 8:14 AM, ubonjoe said:

I am sure the Thailand will accept your certificate as it is now.

Thanks Ubonjoe, I'd be afraid that the officials wouldn't know about the new WHO amendment, but coming from you I believe they will.

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