ADMISSION OF PERSONS: ARRIVING FROM YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC COUNTRIES

Immunisation for yellow fever is a requirement for persons whose journeys start or entail passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

According to International health regulations, a valid yellow fever certificate is required from all passengers older than one year coming from infected areas. The countries concerned are listed below. This health requirement applies to all persons, those who are subject to South African visa control and those who are exempt thereof.

Visas should not be issued to persons who have not been vaccinated against yellow fever as required. Thus a yellow fever vaccination is a prerequisite for obtaining a South Africa visa. Yellow fever certificates are valid for a period of 10 years commencing 10 days after the date of immunisation or, in the case of re-immunisation, within such period of 10 years, from the date of that re-immunisation.

According to the Department of Health, persons arriving without valid yellow fever vaccination certificates will either be:

• kept under observation for six days at their own cost; or
• vaccinated against yellow fever at their own cost.

At ports of entry where no Port Health Officers are based, persons will be refused entry into the RSA.

These precautionary measures will be strictly enforced by the Department of Health to protect residents in the RSA from this virus.

For ease of reference the Yellow Fever Epidemic Areas are:

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