All You Need to Know About the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)

If you are travelling abroad, chances are you have heard of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)-- a “Yellow Card” or “Carte Jaune” document that records an individual’s vaccinations that are required before travelling outside of one’s country. This document is recognized by countries that are members of the World Health Organization. The ICVP is a medical passport used as a travel document.

Certain countries may require individual travellers to present their ICV to protect both the traveller and the countries from the risk of importing or spreading viruses, as the ICVP contains proof of an individual’s vaccination against diseases. Vaccination against yellow fever and, in some cases, polio and meningococcal diseases should be documented using the ICVP.

There are currently no requirements to use the ICVP to document one’s vaccination(s) against COVID-19. Thus, if you need to enter Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, here are the documents ArriveCAN accepts:

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• FAST card (PASSID)
• NEXUS card (PASSID)
• Permanent resident card
• Enhanced driver’s license
• US Permanent resident card
• Certificate of Indian Status (CIS)

• Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS)

  Where to Get ICVP

You can buy ICVPs or Yellow Cards online or in travel vaccine centers across Canada. Just make sure to check if the card is valid before buying one. A pack of 25 International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis approved by the World Head Quarters costs around 25 USD or 32.84 CAD.

Travelling Pre-requisites

Before you travel to a foreign country that requires an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, you must first visit a certified healthcare provider and receive the necessary vaccinations. The doctor will then list the vaccines you got per the instructions with the signature and date on the Yellow Card. You must keep your Yellow Card with your passport whenever you travel.

Filling Out an ICVP

When you have your Yellow Card, it is time to fill it up. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Print your name as it appears on your passport.

2. Enter the respective dates in the format: day (in numerals), month (in letters), and year. Do not use DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY.

3. Write your signature on the blank for the traveller’s signature.

4. Write the name of the vaccine in the designated space. You can write the other vaccinations on the other side of your ICVP card.

5. Enter the date the vaccine has been administered.

6. Let your clinician put their handwritten signature on the space provided. Remember that a signature stamp is not acceptable.

Reissuing an ICVP

If you lost your ICVP, clinicians might reissue a replacement ICVP if they can confirm that your vaccine information is accurate. Here are the additional steps you can take to ensure that specific sections of the replacement ICVP are filled out accurately:

On the date, enter the date of the original vaccination, not the date of re-issuance.

The clinician who has confirmed your information and is reissuing the ICVP should sign the space provided for the handwritten signature and professional status provided.

Print the manufacturer name and lot number of the vaccine or prophylaxis.

For Yellow Fever Vaccine Only: The Uniform Stamp of the vaccinating center reissuing your ICVP card should appear on this box.

About Vaccine Exemptions (Medical Waivers)

Sometimes, an international traveller might not have a mandatory vaccine because of medical contraindication. In this case, a clinician may decide to provide them with a medical waiver. Just know that your destination country may not accept your medical waiver. To increase the likelihood of border officials at your destination accepting your medical waiver and approving your entry, you should:

Get specific and authoritative advice from the embassy or consulate of the country or countries you will go to.

Request documentation of requirements for waivers from embassies or consulates. Present these with your completed Medical Contraindication to Vaccine section of the ICVP.

When filling out an Exemption (Medical Waiver), here are some things to remember:

Complete and sign the “Medical Contraindications to Vaccination” section of your ICVP.

Yellow fever vaccine providers will be the ones to validate medical exemptions to yellow fever vaccine using the Uniform Stamp of the yellow fever vaccination center.

Clinicians will be the ones to provide you with a signed and dated exemption letter on letterhead stationery. The exemption letter should clearly state contraindications to vaccination (such as age, diagnosis of an immunocompromising condition, allergic reaction, etc.).

When requesting medical contraindications to the yellow fever vaccine, your exemption letter should have an imprint of the Uniform Stamp used by the yellow fever center vaccination center to validate the ICVP.

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