Vaccines for Vietnam: Which Shots You Need Before You Go
Vaccines for Vietnam on the US CDC list, last updated 25 August 2026, are your routine shots, COVID-19, chikungunya (generally not recommended), hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid, with Japanese encephalitis, rabies and monkeypox depending on the trip. The CDC says monkeypox vaccine is recommended for adults who anticipate certain activities, and that yellow fever vaccine is not required to enter Vietnam. The UK and Australian advice is worded in other ways, so this page shows each body on its own line instead of one merged list. How far ahead to go also differs: from at least a month to at least 8 weeks.
Short answer
- Which vaccines does the CDC list for Vietnam?
- Routine vaccines before every trip, plus COVID-19 for eligible travelers. Chikungunya is generally not recommended. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers. Typhoid for most travelers. Japanese encephalitis for some groups, rabies as a question for a healthcare provider, and monkeypox for adults who anticipate certain activities.
- Is any vaccine required to enter?
- The CDC says yellow fever vaccine is not required, and TravelHealthPro lists no certificate requirements. Smartraveller says a health declaration may include proof of vaccinations.
- How far ahead should you see someone?
- The CDC says at least a month. TravelHealthPro and the NHS say 4 to 6 weeks. The UK FCDO says check the advice at least 8 weeks before the trip.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; NHS, Travel vaccinations; GOV.UK (FCDO), Vietnam travel advice, Health
Which vaccines do you need for Vietnam?
No single official list answers this. The US and UK each publish a Vietnam list, and they agree on the main names but not on the wording.
The CDC page starts with routine vaccines. It says to make sure you are up to date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Next it lists COVID-19, saying all eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, and chikungunya, which it says is generally not recommended. It then lists hepatitis A for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older, and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers of all ages. It recommends typhoid for most travelers and notes the typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective.
The UK list on TravelHealthPro puts hepatitis A and typhoid among the vaccines for most travellers. On hepatitis B it is softer than the CDC. It says the vaccine could be considered for all travellers, and is recommended for people whose activities or medical history raise their risk.
Three CDC entries depend on the trip or on what you plan to do there: Japanese encephalitis, rabies and monkeypox. For Japanese encephalitis, the CDC says it is not recommended for short trips to cities. It is recommended for groups such as people who spend a month or more in areas with the disease. For rabies, the CDC says the choice to have it before travel is one to make with a healthcare provider. TravelHealthPro recommends rabies vaccine before travel for people whose activities put them at more risk, such as long stays or poor access to treatment. For monkeypox, the CDC says vaccination is recommended for any adult who anticipates certain activities during travel.
Australia's Smartraveller gives no vaccine list on its Vietnam page. It says to ask your doctor about health risks and vaccines before you go. All three point the same way: the final list is set in a talk with a travel health clinic or doctor.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice
CDC, TravelHealthPro and Smartraveller side by side
The three lists differ in small ways that matter, so we kept them apart. Each cell is that body's own wording, shortened. Read across a row to see where they differ.
| Vaccine | US CDC | UK TravelHealthPro | Australia Smartraveller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine vaccines | Make sure you are up to date on all routine vaccines before every trip. | Says travellers should be up to date with routine UK vaccination courses and boosters. | No vaccine list. Ask your doctor about health risks and vaccines before you go. |
| COVID-19 | All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. | Not named in its vaccine list for Vietnam. | No vaccine list. |
| Chikungunya | Generally not recommended. Travelers who wish to consider it can read the CDC chikungunya vaccines page. | Notes a risk of chikungunya. Vaccination may be considered for people 12 and older travelling to areas with a current outbreak or at higher risk. | No vaccine list. |
| Hepatitis A | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Vietnam. | In its list for most travellers. Recommended for all previously unvaccinated travellers. | No vaccine list. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages. | Could be considered for all travellers. Recommended for those whose activities or medical history put them at increased risk. | No vaccine list. |
| Typhoid | Recommended for most travelers. The vaccine is not 100% effective. | Recommended for most travellers, particularly those visiting friends and relatives. Oral and injectable vaccines are available. | No vaccine list. |
| Japanese encephalitis | Not recommended for short trips to urban areas. Recommended for some groups, such as people who spend a month or more in areas with the disease. | Occurs countrywide. Risk is year round, with peaks from May to October, especially in the north. | Named as a common insect-borne illness. No vaccine list. |
| Rabies | Rabid dogs are sometimes found in Vietnam. Whether to have the vaccine before travel is a question for a healthcare provider. | Pre-exposure vaccine recommended for travellers whose activities put them at increased risk, such as long stays or limited access to treatment. | No vaccine list. |
| Yellow fever | Vaccine is not recommended. Vaccine is not required for entry. | No certificate requirements under International Health Regulations. | No vaccine list. Its health declaration note is general, not about yellow fever. |
| Cholera | Not listed on the Vietnam page. | Not listed on the Vietnam page. | No vaccine list. |
Three gaps stand out. Hepatitis B is a firm "recommended" for all unvaccinated travelers on the CDC page, but only "could be considered" for all on the UK page. The CDC frames Japanese encephalitis by trip length and city or country, while TravelHealthPro adds the season. And Smartraveller names diseases but leaves vaccines to your doctor.
This table is not a plan for you. It shows what each body published. The sources say a travel health clinic or doctor sets the list for your trip.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice
How far ahead should you get vaccines for Vietnam?
At least a month, says the CDC. The UK bodies give longer times, up to at least 8 weeks from the FCDO.
| Body | When | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| US CDC | At least a month before | Visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. |
| UK TravelHealthPro | Ideally at least 4 to 6 weeks before | See a health professional at least four to six weeks before travel. Even if time is short, an appointment is still worthwhile. |
| NHS (UK) | At least 4 to 6 weeks before | Get advice from a travel health professional. Some vaccines involve a course of doses, and others take time to build up protection. |
| UK FCDO | At least 8 weeks before | Check the latest vaccine advice for Vietnam in TravelHealthPro. |
| Smartraveller (Australia) | Before you go | Ask your doctor about health risks and vaccines. No number of weeks given. |
The NHS gives the reason for the lead time. Some vaccines involve a course of doses, and others take time to build up protection. TravelHealthPro adds that even when time is short, an appointment is still worthwhile.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; NHS, Travel vaccinations; GOV.UK (FCDO), Vietnam travel advice, Health; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice
Do you need proof of vaccination to enter Vietnam?
Not for yellow fever, according to the CDC and TravelHealthPro. Australia's advice adds one caution about a health declaration.
- US CDC: yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for Vietnam, and it is not required to enter. The CDC dates this line 23 April 2025.
- UK TravelHealthPro: there are no certificate requirements under the International Health Regulations.
- Australia Smartraveller: if you travel to or through Vietnam, you may be required to complete a health declaration, which may include proof of vaccinations. It says to check guidance from Vietnamese authorities or ask your airline before you leave.
Cholera often comes up in searches. Neither the CDC Vietnam page nor the TravelHealthPro Vietnam page lists it. The NHS names cholera among the travel jabs that are free at a GP surgery, but that is a general UK rule for all countries, not a line about Vietnam.
We did not check Vietnam's immigration or Ministry of Health pages for a rule on people who arrive from countries with yellow fever. This page reports only what the three bodies above say.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; NHS, Travel vaccinations
Do you need jabs for Vietnam from the UK?
UK advice comes from TravelHealthPro, which lists hepatitis A and typhoid for most travellers to Vietnam. The NHS and the FCDO both point to it.
The NHS travel vaccinations page says to get advice from a travel health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. The FCDO says to check the TravelHealthPro Vietnam advice at least 8 weeks before the trip. So two UK government pages give two lead times.
Cost depends on the vaccine. The NHS says some are free at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form. Its free list is cholera, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid. It lists hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies among the ones you pay for. This is the NHS rule for any trip, not a Vietnam list.
Older guides link to NHS FitForTravel for a Vietnam list. That site now says it has been retired, and it points to NHS Inform. We could not read NHS Inform for this page.
Sources: TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; NHS, Travel vaccinations; GOV.UK (FCDO), Vietnam travel advice, Health; NHS FitForTravel, retired notice
What are the common diseases in Vietnam?
Smartraveller says insect-borne illnesses are common in Vietnam, including Zika, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and malaria.
Dengue. TravelHealthPro says there is a risk of dengue in Vietnam, and says to avoid mosquito bites, particularly in the daytime. WHO Viet Nam says there is no specific medicine for dengue. It says you can lower your risk by avoiding mosquito bites, especially during the day.
Malaria. The US and UK describe the risk areas in their own words.
- US CDC: rural areas only, with rare cases in the Mekong and Red River Deltas. None in the cities of Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Nha Trang and Quy Nhon.
- UK TravelHealthPro: low risk in parts of the south and other rural areas. No risk in large cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the Red River delta, coastal areas north of Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc Island.
Japanese encephalitis. TravelHealthPro says it occurs across the whole country. The risk is year round, with peaks from May to October, especially in the north.
Rabies. The CDC says dogs with rabies are sometimes found in Vietnam. For hospitals and emergency numbers, see our guide to healthcare in Vietnam for foreigners.
Sources: Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; WHO Viet Nam, Dengue and severe dengue; US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View
Vietnam's own vaccine programme
A WHO Viet Nam page describes a national expanded programme on immunization that it says protects against 10 vaccine-preventable diseases. The page is undated and looks like it predates recent changes: it still says Viet Nam plans to introduce the rotavirus vaccine in 2024. So we report 10 as the count on that page, not as a confirmed current total for October 2026.
WHO lists the diseases, among them hepatitis B, measles and Japanese encephalitis. Searchers sometimes land on this WHO page when they look for travel shots. It describes care for children in Vietnam. It is not a list of vaccines for visitors.
If you live in Vietnam, our guides to health insurance in Vietnam and pharmacies in Vietnam explain insurance and the rules on buying medicine.
What we could and could not confirm
This page was built from official web pages read in October 2026. We did not visit a clinic. The first list is what we could confirm.
- The CDC Vietnam traveler page, last updated 25 August 2026. The April 23, 2025 date on the page belongs to its yellow fever and malaria lines, not the whole page.
- The TravelHealthPro Vietnam page. It has no clear publication date, so we give the date we read it.
- The NHS travel vaccinations page, last reviewed 30 April 2026, and the FCDO Vietnam health advice.
- The Smartraveller Vietnam page, updated 24 September 2026, read in a browser.
- Two WHO Viet Nam pages, on the child vaccine programme and on dengue.
The second list is what we could not confirm.
- The NHS Inform travel list, which replaced FitForTravel. It blocked our tools, so we could not read it.
- Any Vietnamese government rule on yellow fever for people arriving from countries where it occurs.
- How long travel vaccines last. The country pages we read do not say.
- The odds of getting typhoid in Vietnam. We found no official figure for Vietnam.
- A traveller vaccine list from WHO or Smartraveller. Neither page we read gives one.
- Vaccine prices at clinics in Vietnam or abroad.
This page gives no doses or schedules. Those are set by the clinic that gives the vaccine.
Vaccines for Vietnam questions
Do I need any vaccines before going to Vietnam?+
No vaccine is named as one you must show to enter, but the CDC and TravelHealthPro both recommend several. The CDC page, last updated 25 August 2026, says to be up to date on routine vaccines, then lists COVID-19 and chikungunya, and recommends hepatitis A and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers and typhoid for most travelers. Japanese encephalitis and rabies depend on the trip, and it recommends monkeypox vaccine for adults who anticipate certain activities. The sources say to talk it through with a doctor or travel health clinic.
Is it okay to go to Vietnam without vaccines?+
These foreign pages name no vaccine you must show to enter, but they do not set Vietnam’s entry rules. Vietnam’s own authorities do, and this page did not check them. What the pages report is this: the CDC says yellow fever vaccine is not required, and TravelHealthPro says there are no certificate requirements under the International Health Regulations. That is not the same as saying no vaccines are advised: both bodies recommend several. Smartraveller says a Vietnam health declaration may include proof of vaccinations, and to check with Vietnamese authorities or your airline.
Do I need jabs for Vietnam from the UK?+
The NHS sends UK travellers to TravelHealthPro for the Vietnam list, and that list puts hepatitis A and typhoid among the vaccines for most travellers. It says hepatitis B could be considered for all travellers, and rabies vaccine is recommended for those at higher risk. The NHS says hepatitis A and typhoid jabs are free at a GP surgery after a risk form, while hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies are paid for. The FCDO says to check TravelHealthPro at least 8 weeks before the trip.
What is the typhoid vaccine?+
It is a vaccine against typhoid fever, and the CDC recommends it for most travelers to Vietnam. The CDC adds that it is not 100% effective, so food and water care still matters. TravelHealthPro says oral and injectable typhoid vaccines are available. It puts typhoid on its list for most travellers, especially people visiting friends and relatives.
What are the common diseases in Vietnam?+
Smartraveller names Zika, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and malaria as common insect-borne illnesses in Vietnam. TravelHealthPro says there is a risk of dengue. WHO Viet Nam says there is no specific medicine for dengue. The CDC says dogs with rabies are sometimes found in Vietnam.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for Vietnam?+
No, according to the CDC: it says the vaccine is not recommended and not required to enter Vietnam. TravelHealthPro says there are no certificate requirements under the International Health Regulations. We did not check Vietnam’s own rules for people arriving from yellow fever countries.
How far in advance should I get vaccines for Vietnam?+
It depends on whose advice you read: the CDC says at least a month, TravelHealthPro and the NHS say 4 to 6 weeks, and the UK FCDO says at least 8 weeks. The NHS gives the reason. Some vaccines need a course of doses, and others take time to build up protection.
Do I need a cholera vaccine for Vietnam?+
We found no cholera recommendation for Vietnam. Neither the CDC Vietnam page nor the TravelHealthPro Vietnam page lists cholera. The NHS names cholera among travel vaccines that are free at a GP surgery, but that is a general UK rule, not advice for Vietnam.
Sources: US CDC Travelers’ Health, Vietnam, Traveler View; TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC), Vietnam; NHS, Travel vaccinations; GOV.UK (FCDO), Vietnam travel advice, Health; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; WHO Viet Nam, Dengue and severe dengue
Related guides
Healthcare in Vietnam for Foreigners
How the system works, hospitals, emergencies and insurance
Travel Insurance for Vietnam
What cover official advice asks for
Health Insurance Vietnam
What cover looks like in Vietnam
Pharmacy in Vietnam
What you can buy without a prescription
Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City
Hospitals on official embassy lists
Hospitals in Hanoi
What to check before you go
This guide is for general information only and is not medical advice. It reports what official health bodies publish about travel to Vietnam. Which vaccines suit you is a question for a doctor or travel health clinic. See our editorial policy.