What vaccinations do children need before moving abroad? The parent's guide to international health requirements
Most families spend months researching schools, visas, and housing before an international move. Vaccinations tend to get left to the last few weeks. That is a mistake, and not a minor one. Some vaccines require multiple doses spaced weeks apart. Some countries will refuse entry to unvaccinated children. And some destinations carry disease risks that most families from Europe or North America simply have never had to think about before.
This guide covers what your children actually need, what the international standards say, and what specific destinations or regions require beyond the baseline.
The international baseline: what the WHO recommends for all children
The World Health Organization publishes a core list of vaccines it recommends for all children globally, regardless of destination. If your children are up to date with the standard childhood vaccination schedule in your home country, they will already have most of these. The WHO core vaccines include protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella, polio, hepatitis B, and varicella.
The critical point for relocating families is this: even if your children are up to date, you need to verify that your vaccination records are properly documented in a format that your destination country will recognise. Many countries require official vaccination certificates. The translation and apostille of medical records is a step many families miss entirely.
Destination-specific requirements: where extra vaccines are needed
Sub-Saharan Africa
Yellow fever vaccination is legally required for entry into many African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, and Ethiopia. The vaccine must be administered at least ten days before travel and recorded in the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Beyond yellow fever, families moving to Sub-Saharan Africa should ensure children are vaccinated against typhoid, hepatitis A, meningococcal disease, and rabies if there is likely to be exposure to animals.
South and Southeast Asia
Families relocating to India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, or neighbouring countries should add typhoid and hepatitis A to their children's vaccination schedules. Japanese encephalitis vaccination is recommended for longer-term stays in rural areas. Rabies vaccination is worth considering given the presence of stray dogs in most cities.
Latin America
Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry to several South American countries including Brazil for certain regions, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Typhoid and hepatitis A are recommended throughout the region.
Middle East and Gulf states
Meningococcal vaccination is mandatory for entry to Saudi Arabia, particularly during Hajj and Umrah periods. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended throughout the Gulf region.
Europe, North America, and Australasia
Standard childhood vaccination schedules are generally accepted with minimal additional requirements. Children relocating to Germany will find that measles vaccination is mandatory for entry into daycare and school settings, and proof of two doses is required.
The documentation that actually matters
Before you travel, obtain a complete vaccination record for each child from your GP or paediatrician. Check the specific documentation requirements of your destination country. If translation is required, use a certified medical translator. Keep the originals with you during the move.
Timing: why you cannot leave this to the last minute
The hepatitis B series involves three doses over six months. The Japanese encephalitis vaccine involves two doses spaced at least seven days apart. If your children need any of these, you need to start the vaccination process months before your departure date, not weeks. Book an appointment with a travel medicine specialist, not a general GP, at least six months before travel.
For the full sequence of health-related tasks organised by stage within your overall move, our free 120-step family relocation checklist covers everything from pre-departure medical preparation through to registering with healthcare providers on arrival. And when you are ready to work through the full health planning framework, the Global Relocation System includes a dedicated section on healthcare preparation for internationally mobile families.