International Vaccinations

Workers and patrons who have received their vaccination overseas

How do I check vaccination status?

To verify COVID -19 vaccination status you must cite their International Vaccine Certificate
(details on the requirements for a valid certificate below)
– together with an ATD Australian Traveller Declaration or a COVID 19 Vaccination and Testing Declaration for travel to Australia.
Links to government websites with information about international travellers: Victorian Government here: Federal Government here 

All travellers to Australia are required to complete an ATD (Australian Traveller Declaration), the ATD documents evidence of vaccination. All travellers are also required to have evidence of a negative test 72hours prior to departure ( COVID 19 Vaccination and Testing Declaration).

Travellers vaccinated in Australia will need to present an Australian International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC).  Australians can have this document added to medicare for a digital certificate.   An ICVC can be issued by the Australian immunisation register once a foreign vaccination certificate is validated by an Australian medical professional

What is a valid International Vaccination Certificate?

Travellers vaccinated in other countries will be able to present certificates in formats that meet the following criteria:

• Issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider
• Written in English or accompanied by a certified translation
• Containing at a minimum:
  • name as it appears in the traveller’s passport
  • either date of birth or passport number
  • the vaccine brand name, and
  • the date of each dose or the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed.

Paper and digital certificates are equally acceptable.  Full details on acceptable vaccines below.

for travellers with a MEDICAL EXEMPTION

Medically exempt international travellers can be verified by citing their certification of exemption
All international travellers are required to carry and present on arrival to an authorised officer at the airport one of the following forms of acceptable certification issued by a medical practitioner:

• An Australian Immunisation Register medical exemption form signed by your medical practitioner.
• A certificate by an overseas government authority or an overseas government accredited medical practitioner that is written in English (or accompanied by a certified translation of the original) that contains:
  • Your name as it appears on your passport
  • Your date of birth or your passport number
  • A certification from your medical practitioner that you are unable to receive a dose (or further dose) of COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical contraindication.

A certificate issued by an overseas authority, or an overseas medical practitioner is only valid for six months from the date of issue and cannot be used as evidence to work on site in Victoria or enter certain premises (for example restaurants) as a fully vaccinated person.

Requirements for fully vaccinated international passengers arriving in Victoria: link here

Commonwealth information on international travellers: link here

What are the requirements for a valid International Vaccine Certificate?

For travellers to qualify as fully vaccinated, their vaccine certificate must show vaccines approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).  Current approved and recognised vaccines and dosages are:

• Two doses at least 14 days apart of:
  • AstraZeneca Vaxzevria
  • AstraZeneca COVISHIELD
  • Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty
  • Moderna Spikevax
  • Sinovac Coronavac
  • Bharat (Covaxin)
  • Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) (for ages 18-60 only)

• Or one dose of:
  • Johnson & Johnson/Janssen-Cilag COVID Vaccine.

Seven days must have passed since the final dose of vaccine in a course of immunisation. Mixed doses count towards being fully vaccinated as long as all vaccines are approved or recognised by the TGA.  Doses of Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) only count towards being fully vaccinated if administered when the traveller was aged from 18 to 60 years.

Travellers who have not been vaccinated with the above doses or schedule do not meet Australia’s definition of fully vaccinated.  Where a travellers vaccination does not meet TGA approval this will be documented in their ATD Australian Traveller Declaration

For more information, please see Services Australia – Overseas immunisations.