Vaccines for Brazil: what is required and what is recommended (2026)

Brazil is one of the most common trips from Portugal — holidays, family, or work — including for foreign residents flying out of Lisbon or Porto. The good news: a direct arrival from Portugal does not require any vaccine to enter. The less good news: yellow fever is present across much of the country, including areas near Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and that changes the advice for most travellers.

The exact list comes from a travel consultation (€39, in English), with the route in front of you. Yellow fever is given at an International Vaccination Centre in Portugal, with a prescription — not at CUF.

Quick summary

• Required on entry (direct flight from Portugal): no vaccine.
• Yellow fever: recommended by the CDC for most of the country, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília and Iguazu Falls.
• Malaria: only in parts of the Amazon. No transmission in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília, or at Iguazu Falls.
• Other vaccines to consider: hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B and rabies, depending on the trip.
• When to book: ideally 4 to 8 weeks ahead. Yellow fever vaccine must be given at least 10 days before departure.

Yellow fever: where it is recommended

The CDC recommends the vaccine from 9 months of age for most Brazilian states: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, the Federal District (Brasília), Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro (including the city and coastal islands), Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo (including the city and coastal islands), Tocantins, part of Bahia, and Iguazu Falls.

The vaccine is not recommended if the trip is limited to areas not on that list, such as the cities of Fortaleza and Recife and most of the north-east coast.

Points that matter:

• The vaccine is given only at International Vaccination Centres, which issue the International Certificate of Vaccination. See the centres in Portugal. By city: Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra.
• One dose is, for most people, valid for life. The certificate is valid only 10 days after the dose.
• If you continue from Brazil to another South American country, some neighbours may ask for proof of vaccination — sometimes at the airline desk.
• Some people need a careful assessment before the vaccine (for example over 60, pregnancy, immunosuppression, or thymus disease). That is decided in the travel consultation.

Vaccine guide: yellow fever.

Malaria: only if you go to the Amazon

Malaria risk in Brazil is concentrated in the Amazon region:

• Transmission throughout the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Rondônia and Roraima.
• Present in Maranhão, Mato Grosso and Pará, but rare in the capitals (São Luís, Cuiabá and Belém).
• Rare cases in rural and forest areas of other states (for example Minas Gerais, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo) — bite prevention only.
• No transmission in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília, or at Iguazu Falls.

For risk areas, the CDC recommends preventive tablets. There are several options — atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine — and the choice depends on trip length, your health, and other medicines you take. Some start 1–2 days before departure, others earlier, and all continue for a while after you return.

There is no malaria vaccine for travellers. If the Amazon is not on your route, you are very unlikely to need tablets. When a prescription makes sense, it comes from the consultation: malaria prophylaxis.

Dengue, Zika and chikungunya

These three mosquito-borne infections circulate in urban and rural areas across much of Brazil, including the Iguazu region. Bite protection matters even where there is no malaria: a suitable repellent, long clothing at the end of the day, and a room with a net or air conditioning.

Travel consultation · video

Prepare your trip with a personal vaccine plan

• €39 · video consultation
• Prescriptions and vaccine plan the same day, when indicated
• Vaccines paid separately, at an International Vaccination Centre

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk to a doctor before you travel because of Zika.

Other vaccines to consider

• Hepatitis A: recommended for most travellers (food and water).
• Typhoid: especially if you are visiting family, staying in rural areas, or eating outside the usual circuits.
• Hepatitis B: long stays, healthcare work, or a chance of medical or dental treatment.
• Rabies: long stays, outdoor activities, or contact with animals.
• Routine vaccines: measles and tetanus in particular. If your record is from outside Portugal, bring it.

More context: malaria and hepatitis A/B.

How far ahead to book

International Vaccination Centres in Portugal often have waiting lists. Doing the online consultation first means you arrive at the centre with the indication and the prescription.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a yellow fever certificate to enter Brazil?

No, if you fly directly from Portugal. You may need one if you continue to other countries in the region.

I am only going to Rio de Janeiro. Do I need yellow fever vaccine?

The CDC recommends it for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, including the cities.

I am only going to Fortaleza or Recife.

The CDC does not recommend yellow fever vaccine for those cities or for most of the north-east coast. Hepatitis A and bite prevention still apply.

Do I need malaria tablets?

Only if you go to the Amazon. Not for the big cities or tourist coastal areas.

Book the travel consultation

Other destinations

• Vaccines for Angola
• Vaccines for Mozambique
• Vaccines for Cape Verde
• Vaccines for Thailand
• Vaccines for India
• Safari in Kenya and Tanzania
• All destinations

Sources

• CDC Yellow Book 2026 — Brazil
• Yellow Fever Vaccine and Malaria Prevention Information, by Country
• CDC Travelers' Health — Brazil

This article is information. It does not replace a medical consultation. Recommendations can change; check them before you travel.