So far, the yellow fever vaccine is not mandatory to enter Colombia. However, since the beginning of 2025, Colombia has been on alert due to a rise in yellow fever cases and has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign.
At the national level, this health crisis has led to several decisions that travelers should be aware of when planning a trip to Colombia.
This article provides an overview of the yellow fever situation in Colombia, outlines the current health measures, and explains what you need to know about vaccination. We’ll keep this page regularly updated to help you stay informed as the situation evolves.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Do travelers need to get vaccinated?
Yellow fever vaccine in Colombia
Colombia does not require yellow fever vaccination to enter the country (except for travelers coming from Brazil, Angola, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo), but it is recommended to get vaccinated at least 10 days before arriving in risk areas.
Land or River Travel (bus, car, boat)
As of April 21, 2025, a new mandatory measure has been issued by the Ministry of Transport for travelers moving by road or river: anyone traveling by land or water within Colombian territory must carry a yellow fever vaccination card or certificate. This measure applies to everyone and covers all types of transport, including cars, buses, and boats.
IMPORTANT: Those who do not have their vaccination card but have already been vaccinated must sign a sworn declaration stating that they have received the vaccine and take full responsibility in case of infection. In cases where the person has not been vaccinated but the trip is unavoidable, the passenger must sign a document accepting full responsibility for any potential risk of infection.
Colombia’s National Natural Parks
Since April 28th, 2025, an official circular from Colombia’s National Parks authority requires visitors to present a vaccination card to enter any national park in the country.
IMPORTANT: Vaccinated visitors who do not have their vaccination card—or anyone who refuses vaccination—may sign a declaration attesting to their immunization history, thereby assuming full responsibility for any infection they contract or transmit to others.
In practice, the rule covers all Colombian national parks, particularly those in high‑risk areas (Tayrona, Los Flamencos, Ciudad Perdida, La Macuira, La Macarena, Amacayacu, Utría, Bahía Málaga, etc.), but also parks in lower‑risk zones such as Los Nevados, Iguaque, Chingaza, El Cocuy, and others. Nevertheless, some parks in low‑risk areas may opt not to implement the requirement.
Recommendation
From a public health perspective, and in light of a recent increase in cases and the launch of a national vaccination campaign to prevent the spread of the virus in Colombia, travelers are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
Getting vaccinated against yellow fever means protecting yourself and others. Given the current outbreak, travelers are invited to get vaccinated voluntarily, in order to take part—like all Colombians—in the collective effort to stop the spread of the virus.
The yellow fever vaccine is a single-dose vaccine that provides lifelong protection for you and those around you.
Sworn Statement
If you do not have your vaccination card with you, based on current information, national parks, transport companies, or travel agencies will likely provide a sworn statement for you to sign.
If you’re traveling by rental car, we recommend keeping a printed copy of this statement with you—just in case. In general, carrying this document costs nothing and ensures you remain compliant in case of inspection. You can download it below.
How can I get vaccinated?
Yellow fever in Colombia
It’s important to know that the vaccine’s protection is only effective 10 days after administration for 95% of people (and up to 30 days for the remaining 5% after vaccination).
Getting vaccinated in Colombia (free of charge)
In Colombia, the yellow fever vaccine is free and available to everyone, including foreign travelers. Free vaccination sites are open throughout the country — for example, there is one at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá. Below, you’ll find a downloadable file with the full list of free yellow fever vaccination centers in Colombia.
Getting vaccinated in the US
In USA, yellow fever vaccination is available at all Yellow Fever Clinics. You’ll find the list of yellow fever vaccination centers on the US Center for disease control and prevention website : Yellow Fever Clinics in USA.
Getting vaccinated in the UK
In the United Kingdom, the yellow fever vaccine is only available at approved centers. You can find the list here: Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in the UK
Getting vaccinated in Canada (paid)
In Canada, yellow fever vaccination centers are designated by the Public Health Agency of Canada. You can find the list here: Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers in Canada.
How to identify high-risk areas?
Yellow fever in Colombia
High-risk areas for yellow fever are typically regions with hot climates (26–33°C) and high humidity levels (70–90%), often featuring tropical forests that have been fragmented by deforestation linked to agriculture and livestock farming.
The national government has renewed its urgent call for the population to get vaccinated against yellow fever. The outbreak has progressed rapidly, particularly in areas such as the Amazon basin, the Magdalena River region, and departments like Meta, in a very short period of time.
The challenge is that with climate change, yellow fever is now appearing in regions that were previously not affected. Cases have been reported in areas where the disease had never been seen before, such as the municipality of Neira in Caldas, located in the coffee region, or in Tolima.
You’ll find the official map of high-risk yellow fever regions, published by Colombia’s Ministry of Health, at the bottom of this page: Yellow Fever Outbreak Situation in Colombia (Colombian Ministry of Health).
Map of Yellow Fever Risk Areas in Colombia
What is Yellow Fever
Traveling in Colombia
What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever is an acute viral disease with hemorrhagic characteristics and a mortality rate of up to 50% in unvaccinated individuals in Colombia.
It is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and can be prevented through vaccination. The term “yellow” refers to the jaundice that appears in some patients.
Jaundice is a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by an increased level of bilirubin in the blood (source: Paul Brousse Hospital).
Yellow fever has historically caused high mortality and fatality rates across large areas of tropical Africa and the Americas. What makes this disease particularly concerning is its high death rate, which can reach 50% among those who are not vaccinated.
How is yellow fever transmitted?
The yellow fever virus is transmitted by mosquitoes.
They carry the virus from one host to another — for example, between monkeys, from monkeys to humans, or from person to person. Several mosquito species from the Aedes and Haemagogus genera are involved in its transmission.
Yellow fever is not spread directly from one person to another. It is only transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito (source: Colombian Ministry of Health).
Preventive measures
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent yellow fever.
The yellow fever vaccine is safe and provides lifelong immunity. It is effective in 95% of vaccinated individuals ten days after the shot, reaching up to 99% immunity after 30 days.
It is also crucial to avoid mosquito bites in risk areas. Preventive actions include wearing long sleeves, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito nets — all of which help reduce the risk of infection.
Treatment for yellow fever
There is no specific treatment for yellow fever.
Patients require urgent medical attention at a facility capable of treating the virus.
In Colombia, all hospitals are equipped to receive and care for yellow fever patients. Treatment focuses on managing fever and dehydration, and using antibiotics to fight associated bacterial infections.
It’s important to remember that the mortality rate is particularly high.
Symptoms of yellow fever
- Gastric and/or nasal bleeding
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle and abdominal pain
- Chills
- Nausea and vomiting
- Yellowing of the eyes and/or skin
Contraindication
Yellow Fever Vaccine
Under normal circumstances, individuals aged 60 and over, as well as children between 6 and 11 months old, should not receive the yellow fever vaccine unless expressly authorized by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
At the beginning of 2025, health authorities decided to expand the eligible age range for immunization, starting from 9 months of age and including people over 59, with mass vaccination campaigns being carried out in the affected municipalities.
I’m over 60 and traveling to a high-risk area — what should I do?
You must go to a vaccination site, where a doctor or nurse will ask you questions to check for any contraindications. If everything is in order, you’ll be able to receive the yellow fever vaccine.
Contraindications
If vaccination cannot be administered for medical reasons, it must be certified by the relevant authorities or your healthcare provider.
- A weakened immune system due to congenital (primary) or acquired immunodeficiencies, a history of leukemia, lymphomas, neoplastic conditions, or long-term treatment with corticosteroids, antineoplastics, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, among others.
- History of thymic disorders associated with abnormal immune cell function (e.g., myasthenia gravis, thymoma) or people who have had their thymus removed.
- Organ transplant recipients or hematopoietic stem cell recipients within the first two years after transplant, or those under immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment beyond two years: these individuals should be considered immunosuppressed.
- Symptomatic HIV infection or CD4 T-cell count < 200/ml (or < 15% of total lymphocytes in children under 6 years old).
- Severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to a previous dose or to a component of the vaccine (egg-derived products, poultry proteins, gelatin, latex, etc.).
- Severe egg protein allergy: in rare cases (one per million), administration may lead to hives, skin rashes, or asthma attacks.
- Infants under 6 months old.
- Acute febrile illness: vaccination should be postponed until recovery.
- Pregnancy.
- Breastfeeding during the first 6 months.
If the person has recently received a cholera or typhoid vaccine, a 3-week interval should be observed before administering the yellow fever vaccine
Recommendations
If a person has a contraindication to vaccination for any of the reasons listed above and needs to travel to a yellow fever endemic area, they should take steps to prevent mosquito bites — for example, using clothing treated with pyrethroids, repellents, aerosols, repellent soaps, or pyrethroid-treated bed nets — and obtain a medical certificate confirming they are exempt from vaccination, in accordance with national guidelines and health regulations.
Blood disorder
If someone has a blood disorder (such as hemophilia or thrombocytopenia) or is on anticoagulant treatment, they can still receive the yellow fever vaccine provided it is administered subcutaneously in a hospital setting under medical supervision, following proper injection protocols for such patients to handle any complications.
HIV
The yellow fever vaccine can be given to people living with HIV who are asymptomatic, adherent to antiretroviral treatment, with adequate immune status and an undetectable viral load, according to medical advice.
