What vaccines do I need for Venezuela?

First of all: talk to a professional

This page sums up what the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the UK government (GOV.UK, with TravelHealthPro, its travel health source) and Venezuela’s Ministry of People’s Power for Health (MPPS) publish. It is not medical advice: see a travel vaccination clinic or your doctor before you travel. The CDC advise that visit at least a month before you leave; TravelHealthPro, four to six weeks before; and GOV.UK asks you to check the recommendations at least eight weeks before.

Vaccines at a glance

What each source says, vaccine by vaccine. Required means it is asked for at the border; the rest are recommendations to discuss with your doctor.

The yellow fever certificate

The CDC and TravelHealthPro state that Venezuela requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate from travellers aged 1 or over arriving from Brazil, including those who have transited for more than 12 hours at a Brazilian airport. The CDC add that the vaccine is not required on a direct trip from the United States. The WHO list records the requirement for travellers aged 1 or over and refers to its country list for where it applies.

The WHO points out that the vaccine is recorded in the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, that a single dose is enough and that, since 11 July 2016, the certificate is valid for life. It also says protection starts about 10 days after vaccination. Requirements can change at any time: the WHO asks travellers to confirm them with the consulate before travelling.

What Venezuela’s Ministry of Health says

In its yellow fever report of 25 February 2026, the MPPS recommends that travellers coming from abroad get vaccinated at least 10 days before arrival, especially if they are going to Aragua, Barinas, Lara or Portuguesa, the states the outbreak spread to, or to jungle areas. Its epidemiological bulletin for week 40 of 2026, from early October, counts 12 confirmed cases in the year, in Barinas, Aragua, Monagas, Delta Amacuro, La Guaira and Lara.

For Holy Week 2026 travellers within the country were also asked to get vaccinated: on 2 March, the sectoral vice-president for Health, Isabel Iturria, announced, as published by the Ministry of Communication (MIPPCI), that anyone visiting Barinas, Aragua, Lara or Portuguesa over those dates had to get the yellow fever vaccine at least ten days before. The note referred to that Holy Week, and the October bulletin mentions no requirement for travel within the country.

If you need the international certificate while in Venezuela, the MPPS explains the procedure: you get vaccinated at a public health facility, where you are given a vaccination card, and with that card and your identity card (cédula) you apply at the authorised facility of the municipality or district where you live. If you were already vaccinated, the card is enough, with no need to be vaccinated again. For the MPPS, the certificate and the vaccine do not expire. People over 60, children under 1 and anyone with a medical report exempting them (for an allergy to the vaccine, chemotherapy, immunosuppression or pregnancy, among other reasons) are issued an exemption certificate, valid for six months. The document asks for the cédula and does not say how a foreigner goes through the procedure.

The yellow fever vaccine, by destination

Beyond what is required at the border, the CDC recommend the vaccine from 9 months of age, with exceptions. In their general country page they consider it not recommended, or generally not recommended, if travel is limited to Isla Margarita, the Distrito Capital, the cities of Caracas and Valencia, the states of Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, Lara, Miranda, Vargas (now La Guaira) and Yaracuy, or areas above 2,300 metres in Mérida, Táchira and Trujillo.

That list does not reflect the 2026 outbreak. TravelHealthPro reports a yellow fever outbreak in Venezuela with cases in Aragua, Carabobo and Lara, states outside the recognised risk area, and asks travellers to those states to consider vaccination. It also says that people aged 60 or over should not be vaccinated for travel to low-risk areas.

Here is how it applies to the destinations in the catalogue, according to the CDC and TravelHealthPro and the MPPS:

With the outbreak, take nothing for granted: bring your itinerary to the vaccination clinic and decide there. According to the WHO, Venezuela is one of six countries in the Americas that reported confirmed yellow fever cases between January and May 2026.

Malaria, dengue and bites

The CDC place malaria transmission in all areas of Venezuela below 1,700 metres and at Angel Falls, and recommend preventive medication for certain areas of the country. TravelHealthPro reports a risk throughout the country, particularly in Amazonas, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro and Sucre, and rules it out in Caracas and on Isla Margarita, where avoiding bites is enough. As the two sources do not fully agree, ask your doctor about prevention with your itinerary in hand, especially if you are going to Canaima. The CDC add that if you get a fever in a malaria area or within a year of returning, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Against dengue, chikungunya and Zika, the main measure is avoiding bites. TravelHealthPro says the dengue vaccine can be considered for people aged 4 or over who have had dengue before, and the chikungunya vaccine for some travellers aged 12 or over: ask your doctor. Because of Zika, TravelHealthPro advises women to avoid pregnancy for 2 months (8 weeks) after their last possible exposure.

What if I travel on to another country afterwards?

The WHO list includes Venezuela among the countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission, in parts of its territory. Some countries require the certificate from travellers arriving from a country at risk, and some also from anyone who has transited through one: depending on the country, any transit counts, or one of more than 4, 12 or 24 hours. The WHO warns that requirements can change at any time: check what your next destination requires with its consulate or embassy.

Altitude, medicines and insurance

GOV.UK warns of altitude sickness in parts of Venezuela, mainly the Andean region: Mérida, Táchira and Trujillo states. It also reports that the Venezuelan Pharmaceutical Federation has recorded a shortage of 80% of medical supplies and that public health facilities often lack medicines. In large cities, private clinics provide acceptable care for routine treatment, but they also suffer shortages of supplies and medicines, and more complex treatment may require evacuation. Bring enough medication for your whole stay, plus extra in case your return is delayed, and travel insurance that covers medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation. The emergency number is 911.

Plan your trip with TripVenezuela

TripVenezuela offers the trips and manages the booking with you; flights, accommodation and excursions are provided by third parties. See the 4-day Canaima package, how to get to Canaima and Angel Falls and what to pack for Venezuela. The sources on this page were accessed on 28 and 29 October 2026.