Current Yellow Fever certificate requirments -- rules and enforcement policies

[Jingthing]

I am interested in traveling to one or more South American nations where apparently Thailand requires a yellow fever certificate if entering Thailand.

 

I don't actually want to get this vaccine as I'm over 60 which adds some health risk and also I don't plan to actually travel to any actual high risk areas in any of these nations (rain forests, etc.). 

 

But rules are rules so I want to understand them.

 

I am unclear on a lot of details.

 

Here is a list from 2013 of nations Thailand considers yellow fever risk --

 

https://www.bangkok-visa.com/vaccinations-in-thailand.html

 

Does anyone have a more CURRENT list or does that list stand?

 

Also what is the ACTUAL enforcement? For example if you traveled to Peru for example which is on the list but you spent some time in the USA before traveling to Thailand (not just an airport stopover) would Thai immigration have any idea that you had traveled to Peru? Obviously they could find stamps in your passport but assuming they don't generally study passports in that detail. On the other hand I'm aware that when entering the U.S. the authorities there have easy computer access to all the nations you've traveled to (possibly ever?) so perhaps Thailand has this info as well and your passport would already would flagged for yellow fever certificate request before entry? 

 

This is really a question of literal ENFORCEMENT policies. Obviously if you were flying directly from Peru to Thailand (or with an airport change) it would be obvious you were flying from Peru triggering a yellow fever certificate request. But flying from the USA not so obvious.

 

Not interested in moral lectures that not getting a vaccine would be irresponsible, so don't bother. It's silly in this case as I have no plans of travel to an actual high risk area.

 

I'll give an example of how silly. 

 

Years ago I spent a long time in Buenos Aires Argentina. I see Argentina is on the yellow fever certificate list. I actually got a VISA at the Thai embassy there. They said nothing about yellow fever. Later when flying from the USA, no mention either. However, I don't know if Argentina was on the list back then or for that matter if it's still on the list.

 

Suppose there was an issue. What would happen? Would you be stopped from boarding in the USA? If not, arriving in Thailand and for example they saw a fresh Peru stamp and there was no certificate, what would they do? Send you back to the USA? Put you in quarantine?

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by Jingthing

[ubonjoe]

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

WHO current list of countries is here. https://www.who.int/ith/ith-country-list.pdf

Not visa related so moved to Travel Forum.

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

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

WHO current list of countries is here. https://www.who.int/ith/ith-country-list.pdf

Not visa related so moved to Travel Forum.

OK, but I'm not convinced that this topic is not visa related.

From your link where applications for Thai visas are mentioned --

Quote

The International Health Certificate must be submitted together with the visa application form. The traveller will also have to present the said certificate to the Immigration Officer upon arrival at the port of entry in the Kingdom. As for those nationals of the countries listed below but who have not travelled from/through those countries, such a certificate is not required. However, they should possess concrete evidence showing that their domicile is not in an infected area so as to prevent unnecessary inconvenience.

 

Anyone, these rules are not clear. Traveled through? What do they mean? Been there six months ago? This touches the question I have which I suppose it's really hard to get an answer. Obviously traveling directly from a listed country and the requirement is triggered. But if there is a break between that and the travel and the travel is from a non-list country, then OK without a certificate or not?

[StanOgden]

Flying from the US you are most unlikely to encounter an issue. As you say, their only way of knowing would be if they checked your passport stamps.

 

If you are entering the country via non-premium immigration lanes they usually have someone checking your TM card in the immigration queue. If it shows your flight as being on an airline that comes from a country on the 'list' (e.g. KQ - Kenya Airways) then you'll be sent back to the health desk to get your YF certificate checked before you'll be allowed through immigration. This happened to me some time ago.

 

I have a YF certificate but try to avoid the health desk queues whenever possible. I flew on Qatar from Nairobi via Doha last month. As the TM card showed a QR flight no-one was interested in a YF certificate and I'm close to 100% sure the same would be the case were you travelling from the US.

[StanOgden]

I forgot to add that I believe if you do not have a YF certificate and it gets spotted then you are sent back to the health desk and given the option of having the injection there and then. Refusal would result in denial of entry.

 

This is a bit of a nonsense as, unless things have changed, the YF certificate only becomes valid about 10 days after the vaccination is administered.

[Jingthing]

I forgot to add that I believe if you do not have a YF certificate and it gets spotted then you are sent back to the health desk and given the option of having the injection there and then. Refusal would result in denial of entry.
 
This is a bit of a nonsense as, unless things have changed, the YF certificate only becomes valid about 10 days after the vaccination is administered.

Wow.
That is beyond comprehension.
So they see you've been to a country on their list and wanting to enter Thailand which has no risk. Vaccines are for prevention right?

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[Wake Up]

I only have one experience with this issue. Last September I went to Ethiopia, Kenya South Africa and one other country. I flew back to bkk from Ethiopia. Once I exited the plane they gave me a form to fill out and I walk right to customs and never filled out the form or stopped at the Africa  special desk. I never had a yellow fever or any vaccination as it was winter so no mosquitoes where I was and I am close to 59 and my doctor advised me to not get the vaccine or the malaria medicine unless I was going into certain small areas of Ethiopia and Kenya. 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Wake Up

[Jingthing]

Interesting.

A report that would really be fully on point is a case of recent travel to one of the listed nations in Central or South America, then a week or so in North America or Europe, then flying into Thailand. It seems fair to assume that wouldn't trigger any yellow fever scrutiny but still not fully sure.

 

I would also be curious about the year that Argentina got on the Thai list. Because approximately 15 years ago I got a Thai visa there and no mention of it.

 

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[Catoni]

I was 62 when I got my Yellow Fever shot in 2012. 

      YF-VAX.   The shot is now accepted by the CDC and the World Health Organization internationally as good for life. Not just the ten years like previously. 

     No further booster required.

     I had no problem with the Yellow Fever shot or any of my other travel and tropical vaccinations.

    Once you get the shot and your Yellow Fever card, your good for travel anywhere as far as Yellow Fever is concerned.

   Once you’ve had the shot, you never have to worry about it again. I never give it a thought anymore until I read a thread like this from people who are concerned about the possible necessity of a YF Certificate. 

     You’re 60 or a bit older?  So was I. 62 at the time. 

       In good health? Go for it. Just make copies of your YF certificate to a Vaccine record app, and copy in the “cloud” and a flash drive or two. So if you lose your card you can still access the record of your shot. 

    It’s a good idea for all your important documents to have flash drive copies and a copy in the “cloud”. 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Catoni
Addition

[Catoni]

6 hours ago, StanOgden said:

I forgot to add that I believe if you do not have a YF certificate and it gets spotted then you are sent back to the health desk and given the option of having the injection there and then. Refusal would result in denial of entry.

 

This is a bit of a nonsense as, unless things have changed, the YF certificate only becomes valid about 10 days after the vaccination is administered.

I’ve read the same. If they notice in your passport you were in a Yellow Fever area, but not vaccinated, you have the choice of a vaccination then and there in a side office, or you are refused entry. 

     That’s apparently how it was a few years ago. But rules can change. I do not know if that is still the rule. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I lived in Brazil for many years before coming to live in Thailand and came and went many times without anyone questioning me if I had the YF certificate or not ( I had as it happens ).
A simple glance through my passport would see many entry stamps in and out of Brazil though, so I assumed I was never questioned because I never flew direct ( I know that doesn’t make sense as there are no direct flights ).

On the other hand, in 2004 I was refused onto a flight from São Paulo to Johannesburg because my YF certificate had expired ( 11 years). In this case I had the jab locally and could not travel for 10 days.
Brazil to Angola also needed a YF certificate to travel.

This probably doesn’t answer your question but it seems to me that Thailand is only concerned with where you boarded your last flight !!
Although if you had a passport from a country on the list then you would possibly get checked.

[melvinmelvin]

during the past 10 years,

 

have entered the Kingdom several times on flights from SA (Brazil, Chile, Peru)

never heard anything re vaccines

 

 

[Catoni]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I lived in Brazil for many years before coming to live in Thailand and came and went many times without anyone questioning me if I had the YF certificate or not ( I had as it happens ).
A simple glance through my passport would see many entry stamps in and out of Brazil though, so I assumed I was never questioned because I never flew direct ( I know that doesn’t make sense as there are no direct flights ).

On the other hand, in 2004 I was refused onto a flight from São Paulo to Johannesburg because my YF certificate had expired ( 11 years). In this case I had the jab locally and could not travel for 10 days.
Brazil to Angola also needed a YF certificate to travel.

This probably doesn’t answer your question but it seems to me that Thailand is only concerned with where you boarded your last flight !!
Although if you had a passport from a country on the list then you would possibly get checked.

In the last few years the CDC and WHO and other international health organizations now consider one Yellow Fever Vaccine shot to be good for life. Booster shot every ten years no longer necessary as long as you have your YF certificate or other acceptable evidence that you have had the shot. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

In the last few years the CDC and WHO and other international health organizations now consider one Yellow Fever Vaccine shot to be good for life. Booster shot every ten years no longer necessary as long as you have your YF certificate or other acceptable evidence that you have had the shot. 

Yes, so I understand, 2014 was the last one I had so I’m good to go.

[MyFriend You]

On 12/23/2018 at 1:24 PM, Jingthing said:

OK, but I'm not convinced that this topic is not visa related.

From your link where applications for Thai visas are mentioned --

 

Anyone, these rules are not clear. Traveled through? What do they mean? Been there six months ago? This touches the question I have which I suppose it's really hard to get an answer. Obviously traveling directly from a listed country and the requirement is triggered. But if there is a break between that and the travel and the travel is from a non-list country, then OK without a certificate or not?

I had to get a Yellow Fever shot in June this year Suvarnabuhmi because my had expired, they are good for ten years, I am 68 - no mention of health risks of Yellow Fever shots after 60 yo.  You have to go to the Health check line on entry for a lot of planes originating from 'those countries'  without the stamp on your card, you won't make it thru customs.     Peace

[MyFriend You]

1 hour ago, Catoni said:

In the last few years the CDC and WHO and other international health organizations now consider one Yellow Fever Vaccine shot to be good for life. Booster shot every ten years no longer necessary as long as you have your YF certificate or other acceptable evidence that you have had the shot. 

didn;t work for me in June this year, had to get the shot in Swampy

[Jingthing]

didn;t work for me in June this year, had to get the shot in Swampy

What was the nation of origin of your flight in?

I am asking really about flying from the US but having recent travel to a listed country.

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[rumbo1]

Arrived bkk from Madagascar via Ethiopia ( 4 hours in transit ) 14/12/18.  Had to fill out health form and had temperature checked but was not forced to have vaccination

 

[Jingthing]

So in cases where they do force people to get the vaccine at the airport, do they at least give you an official certificate that you got it? Also what's the cost?

[Catoni]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

So in cases where they do force people to get the vaccine at the airport, do they at least give you an official certificate that you got it? Also what's the cost?

I doubt very much that they force people to get the shot. 

     Getting the shot is always your own choice. You’re perfectly free to refuse the shot and take the next plane to another country.

       Nobody’s going to hold you down and vaccinate you at gunpoint. 

Edited December 25, 2018 by Catoni
Deletion

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, Catoni said:

I doubt very much that they force people to get the shot. 

     Getting the shot is always your own choice. You’re perfectly free to refuse the shot and take the next plane to another country.

       Nobody’s going to hold you down and vaccinate you at gunpoint. 

You didn't answer my question.

In my case, I would need to return to Thailand.

 

[MyFriend You]

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

What was the nation of origin of your flight in?

I am asking really about flying from the US but having recent travel to a listed country.

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I was flying in from Addis Ababa Ethiopia, flt originated in Bangui, Central African Republic...........didn;t matter because damned everywhere in Africa is on one list or another.........my best guess is you will be okay - irregardless if you visited another country, your flight, as far as they are concerned originated in the USA.  If you still have the yellow intn'l shot record, just keep it close...........they see you walking with it, they pbly won;t even stop you.

[MyFriend You]

2 hours ago, Catoni said:

I doubt very much that they force people to get the shot. 

     Getting the shot is always your own choice. You’re perfectly free to refuse the shot and take the next plane to another country.

       Nobody’s going to hold you down and vaccinate you at gunpoint. 

You are wrong, if you ar coming in from one of the criteria countries, you will never make it past immigration without clearing Medical Inspection first.......oh, but you are correct - they won't force you to take a shot, just force you back out on a plane.  read bothof my posts on previous page.

[rickudon]

I assume that IF you travel FROM a country which doesn't have Yellow fever, they wouldn't have let you into that country in the first place unless you were considered safe!

 

Incubation period is maximum of 16 days so travel a month before should not be a risk.

[Jingthing]

23 minutes ago, rickudon said:

I assume that IF you travel FROM a country which doesn't have Yellow fever, they wouldn't have let you into that country in the first place unless you were considered safe!

 

Incubation period is maximum of 16 days so travel a month before should not be a risk.

The countries I am interested in do not currently have any vaccine requirement for entry into their countries. One of them didn't even have ONE case of yellow fever in recent years, yet is still on Thailand's list. Do they ever CHANGE the list?

Edited December 25, 2018 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

I was flying in from Addis Ababa Ethiopia, flt originated in Bangui, Central African Republic...........didn;t matter because damned everywhere in Africa is on one list or another.........my best guess is you will be okay - irregardless if you visited another country, your flight, as far as they are concerned originated in the USA.  If you still have the yellow intn'l shot record, just keep it close...........they see you walking with it, they pbly won;t even stop you.

OK.
I will try to ask again.
Based on my understanding of your posts one time you flew into Thailand from a listed country and you were given the option of getting the shot at BKK or being sent back.
So you took the shot at BKK.

Questions now.

Did they provide you with a vaccine certificate that you could use for future travel along with the shot or not?

Less important what was the cost?

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[MyFriend You]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

OK.
I will try to ask again.
Based on my understanding of your posts one time you flew into Thailand from a listed country and you were given the option of getting the shot at BKK or being sent back.
So you took the shot at BKK.

Questions now.

Did they provide you with a vaccine certificate that you could use for future travel along with the shot or not?

Less important what was the cost?

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Yes they gave me a Thai Vaccine Certificate (Orange, not Yellow) in both Thai and English, showed me the Vaccine before administering it (was made in the USA, The Dr was proud of that)  Cost was minimal, I think 300 baht  -  If you are over 65 and in the USA, Social Security will give you Yellow Fever & Flu shots for free........

[Jingthing]

Well I am feeling if I do travel to a listed Latin American country that I probably won't bother with the vaccine.

Why?

I don't really need it.

There is at least some medical risk to getting it.

I would be flying in from the USA reducing the odds of being flagged.

If flagged it sounds like they would still allow me in if I take the jab at the airport which I would.

Also can get the certificate at the airport if that happens.

Thanks all.

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