Vaccination records and certificates
The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) and personal immunisation booklets support travel, study and employment abroad. The ICVP form derives from the World Health Organization's International Health Regulations.
The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis follows the WHO International Health Regulations (2005). Yellow fever is the vaccination the Regulations tie directly to the ICVP form; other vaccinations are recorded in an immunisation booklet or on a facility-issued certificate under national practice.
In practice not every receiver wants an ICVP. Universities and employers in many countries accept a facility document listing the vaccine names, the date of each dose, lot numbers and the provider's signature. Always read the receiver's requirement before preparing documents.
For use abroad, every field of a Thai-language record is translated — vaccine names, dates and the facility name — and the translation is legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs. For a thick booklet the usual approach is to copy only the relevant pages and have a Notarial Services Attorney certify that the copy matches the original.
Immunisation data is health data and therefore sensitive personal data under section 26 of the PDPA, so share files only as far as necessary and state the purpose clearly.
Documents to prepare
- The original immunisation booklet or a facility-issued vaccination certificate
- An ICVP where the destination requires one, for example yellow fever
- Passport or national ID card of the vaccinated person
- Birth certificate or proof of guardianship for a minor's records
- The receiver's required vaccine list, to check which doses are missing
Step order
- Read the destination's vaccine requirement and check whether an ICVP or an ordinary certificate is needed
- Obtain a certificate from the administering facility with the date and lot number of every dose
- Have a Notarial Services Attorney certify copies of the relevant booklet pages where a booklet is used
- Translate every field, then file for translation legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs
- Submit to the destination embassy where that country requires it
Pre-filing checklist
- Vaccine names use standard international nomenclature, not only an internal abbreviation
- Every dose is dated, in order, with no illegible gaps
- The provider's signature and the facility seal are present
- The recipient's name matches the passport that will be used to travel
- Where an ICVP is required, it is issued by a facility authorised to issue it
Practical tips
- Scan every page of the booklet: reconstructing a lost booklet means chasing records across several facilities
- If doses were given at different places, ask the most recent facility for a consolidated certificate, attaching the earlier evidence
- Check whether the receiver counts doses or intervals between doses, since some schedules require a minimum gap
- Prepare vaccination paperwork well before departure, as some vaccines must be given a set period before travel
Common pitfalls
- Sending only the booklet cover without the dose pages leaves the file without substance
- Leaving fields untranslated, such as the facility name or lot number, gets the file returned
- Using phone photographs instead of certified copies fails at the legalisation stage
- Assuming every vaccination certificate is an ICVP; the ICVP is a specific form under the International Health Regulations
- A booklet showing a former name without attaching the name-change evidence
Frequently asked questions
What is an ICVP and how does it differ from an ordinary certificate?
The ICVP is the international certificate under the WHO International Health Regulations (2005), used principally for yellow fever. An ordinary certificate is a facility document based on the clinical record.
What if the immunisation booklet is lost?
Ask each facility that administered doses for a certificate drawn from its records, then combine them into one set before translation and legalisation.
Do vaccination documents need consular legalisation?
Yes where the receiver requires a legalised document: the translation is legalised by the Legalisation Division, then the destination embassy endorses it if that country requires it.
Can doses given abroad be combined with Thai doses?
Yes, by submitting both sets, but foreign documents must be authenticated under the issuing country's own system rather than by the Thai consular authority.
What extra documents do young children need?
Normally the birth certificate and proof of guardianship, because an application for a minor is filed by the person holding legal parental authority.
Must the translation always be into English?
No. Translate into the language the receiver specifies; some countries accept only their own official language, so check the embassy notice before ordering a translation.
Is vaccination data personal data?
It is health data and therefore sensitive personal data under section 26 of the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562, so disclosure needs a clear legal basis or consent.
For a document review before you file, contact us on LINE @nycli, call +66-83-249-4999 or email nycli@ilc.ltd. Our team will confirm the steps, any missing documents and a realistic timeline for your case.