Older guides give the yellow fever vaccine a 10-year term. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) now states that one dose is valid for life. Protection takes about 10 days to build. In Korea, you get the shot only at a designated hospital. National quarantine stations issue and reissue the certificate, but they do not vaccinate.
The paper you carry is the international certificate of vaccination (국제공인예방접종증명서), often called the yellow card. Some countries ask for it at the border. This guide covers who needs it and the 49 designated hospitals. It also covers the cost, what happens on the day, and how to replace a lost card.
What this guide covers
01
What the yellow card is and how long it lasts
02
Who needs the yellow fever vaccine
03
Where to get the shot in Korea
04
How much it costs and how to pay
05
What happens on the day
06
How to replace a lost or old card
07
What to say at the counter
08
Frequently asked questions
What the yellow card is and how long it lasts
Rules verified October 2026 · Quarantine Act Article 28-2 · Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Form 32
The Quarantine Act calls this paper the international certificate of vaccination. The Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act sets the form. It follows the World Health Organization (WHO) model.
The yellow card at a glance
Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Form 32 · KDCA vaccination guide
| Item |
What the rules say |
| Korean name |
국제공인예방접종증명서 |
| Language |
Filled in English or French |
| Format |
Paper only. It is not issued electronically |
| What it records |
Yellow fever and cholera vaccinations. This guide covers yellow fever |
| Signature |
The clinician’s signature and the official stamp of the institution |
| Vaccine |
Valid only for a vaccine approved by WHO |
| Valid |
From 10 days after the shot, for life |
Many travelers miss the 10-day wait. KDCA tells you to get the shot at least 10 days before you visit a risk area. If you get the shot less than 10 days before you arrive, the certificate may not be valid yet at the border.
Who needs the yellow fever vaccine
Country counts verified October 2026 · KDCA, citing the CDC Yellow Book of September 2026
KDCA keeps two lists on its travel health site. One names 42 countries with yellow fever risk in Africa and Central and South America. The other names 21 countries that ask every arriving traveler for the certificate, wherever they come from. Other countries ask for it only if you have visited or passed through a risk country.
These lists change with each country’s policy. This guide does not copy them. Open the KDCA yellow fever page for the current version, and check with the embassy of your destination before you travel.
Who KDCA says can get the shot
✓
Age 9 months to 59. This is the standard range for the vaccine.
✓
Age 60 or older. Talk with the doctor first. The risk of side effects is higher.
✓
Cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Ask for an exemption certificate instead. The reissue section below explains it.
KDCA also lists people who handle material that may carry the virus, such as lab workers. For most readers, the deciding question is the travel route.
Where to get the shot in Korea
List verified 10 October 2026 · KDCA, international vaccination institutions (국제공인예방접종지정기관)
KDCA lists 49 designated hospitals across Korea, and all of them give the yellow fever shot. Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon have 21 of them. The Korean names and booking phone numbers below are from the KDCA list. This guide adds the English names to help you find each hospital.
Designated hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon
KDCA list as of 10 October 2026 · 21 of 49
| Hospital |
Korean name |
Area |
Booking phone |
| National Medical Center |
국립중앙의료원 |
Jung-gu, Seoul |
1588-1775 |
| Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital |
순천향대학교서울병원 |
Yongsan-gu, Seoul |
02-709-9114 |
| Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital |
이화여자대학교목동병원 |
Yangcheon-gu, Seoul |
02-2650-5114 |
| Kangbuk Samsung Hospital |
강북삼성병원 |
Jongno-gu, Seoul |
02-2001-1130 |
| Seoul National University Hospital |
서울대학교병원 |
Jongno-gu, Seoul |
1588-5700 |
| Chung-Ang University Hospital |
중앙대학교병원 |
Dongjak-gu, Seoul |
1800-1114 |
| Korea University Guro Hospital |
고려대학교구로병원 |
Guro-gu, Seoul |
02-2626-1114 |
| Severance Hospital (Yonsei University) |
연세대학교세브란스병원 |
Seodaemun-gu, Seoul |
1599-1004 |
| Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital |
가톨릭서울성모병원 |
Seocho-gu, Seoul |
1588-1511 |
| Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong |
강동경희대학교병원 |
Gangdong-gu, Seoul |
02-440-7000 |
| Konkuk University Medical Center |
건국대학교병원 |
Gwangjin-gu, Seoul |
1588-1533 |
| Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital |
한림대학교강남성심병원 |
Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul |
1577-5587 |
| Hanyang University Seoul Hospital |
한양대학교병원 |
Seongdong-gu, Seoul |
02-2290-8114 |
| Seoul National University Bundang Hospital |
분당서울대병원 |
Seongnam, Gyeonggi |
1588-3369 |
| NHIS Ilsan Hospital |
건강보험공단일산병원 |
Goyang, Gyeonggi |
1577-0013 |
| Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital |
인제대학교일산백병원 |
Goyang, Gyeonggi |
031-910-7000 |
| Hanyang University Guri Hospital |
한양대구리병원 |
Guri, Gyeonggi |
1644-9118 |
| Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital |
가톨릭의정부성모병원 |
Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi |
1661-7500 |
| Bucheon Sejong Hospital |
부천세종병원 |
Bucheon, Gyeonggi |
1599-6677 |
| Incheon Medical Center |
인천광역시의료원 |
Jemulpo-gu, Incheon |
032-580-6570 |
| Inha University Hospital |
인하대병원 |
Jemulpo-gu, Incheon |
032-890-2219 |
Outside these three areas, the list has 28 more. Busan has four. Gwangju and South Jeolla together have four. South Gyeongsang has four. Daejeon and Gangwon have three each. North Chungcheong and Jeju have two each. Sejong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, Ulsan, North Gyeongsang and Daegu have one each. The KDCA institution page shows them by region.
Call before you go. Booking methods differ by hospital. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, for example, takes yellow fever bookings by phone only.
How much it costs and how to pay
Fees verified October 2026 · KDCA vaccination guide · Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Annex 3
The Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act sets the structure. You pay the actual cost of the vaccine, an administration fee, and 1,000 KRW for the certificate. KDCA publishes the amounts.
What the yellow fever shot costs
KDCA, international vaccination guide (designated hospitals)
| Item |
Fee |
| Vaccine |
38,250 KRW |
| Certificate |
1,000 KRW |
| Administration fee, under age 1 |
22,380 KRW |
| Administration fee, age 1 to 5 |
20,750 KRW |
| Administration fee, age 6 or older |
19,610 KRW |
For an adult, the three KDCA amounts add up to 58,860 KRW. KDCA asks you to buy a revenue stamp before the visit to pay for the vaccination. The type is an electronic revenue stamp for paper documents (종이문서용 전자수입인지). Banks, post offices and the e-revenue stamp website sell it.
Ask the hospital what to buy
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital asks for a 39,250 KRW revenue stamp. That is the vaccine plus the certificate. It also charges its own consultation fee. Hospitals word these items in different ways, so ask about the stamp and any fee when you book.
Bring your passport as well. The certificate is in English or French, so the name on it should match your passport.
What happens on the day
Step 1 — Check your route and book
Check whether your destination, or a country you pass through, asks for the certificate. Then call a designated hospital. Book the shot for at least 10 days before you enter a risk country.
Step 2 — Buy the revenue stamp
Buy the electronic revenue stamp for paper documents for the amount the hospital gives you.
Step 3 — See the doctor and get the shot
KDCA asks you to talk with the doctor before the shot. Afterwards, stay at the hospital for 20 to 30 minutes so staff can watch for a serious allergic reaction. Avoid heavy drinking and hard exercise that day.
Step 4 — Collect the certificate on the spot
The designated hospital issues the certificate at the same visit. Check the spelling of your name against your passport before you leave. Do not donate blood for 14 days.
The yellow card is not the only vaccination paper in Korea.
That paper comes from the national vaccination record. It does not replace the yellow card at a border, and the yellow card does not replace it at a school.
How to replace a lost or old card
Reissue rules verified October 2026 · KDCA certificate guide · Gov24
KDCA lists four reasons for a reissue: loss, damage, a change in personal details, and a change of the validity period. The last one matters if your old card shows an end date. A reissue costs 1,000 KRW per copy.
Where to get a reissue
KDCA, certificate guide · Gov24, 국제공인예방접종 증명서 재발급
| Where |
How you receive it |
Notes |
| The designated hospital that gave your shot |
In person |
It can reissue only its own records |
| National quarantine station |
In person |
Incheon Airport Quarantine Station (Terminal 1, 3rd floor) and Incheon Quarantine Station |
| Gov24 online |
Pick up at a quarantine station or by mail |
Not open to foreign nationals or minors |
So a foreign resident who lost the card goes in person. Bring the old certificate if you still have it, your ID, and papers for any change in personal details. A proxy needs a letter of authorization. The airport desk is open on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00, except public holidays.
If you cannot get the shot
✓
Exemption certificate (예방백신접종 면제 확인서). For people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and for babies under 9 months.
✓
Issued on a doctor’s note. The note comes from a designated hospital.
✓
Not accepted everywhere. Some countries may still screen you or refuse it, so ask the embassy first.
The exemption certificate is a separate paper from the yellow card. It does not show a vaccination.
What to say at the counter
A hospital reception desk runs in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.
황열 예방접종 예약하고 싶어요.
Hwang-nyeol ye-bang-jeop-jong ye-ya-ka-go si-peo-yo.
“I would like to book a yellow fever shot.”
Use this when you call the hospital.
황열 예방접종 받으러 왔습니다.
Hwang-nyeol ye-bang-jeop-jong ba-deu-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
“I am here for a yellow fever shot.”
Say this first at the reception desk.
수입인지 가져왔습니다.
Su-i-bin-ji ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
“I brought the revenue stamp.”
Hand it over with this line.
증명서 이름은 여권과 같게 써 주세요.
Jeung-myeong-seo i-reu-meun yeo-gwon-gwa gat-ge sseo ju-se-yo.
“Please write my name on the certificate as it is in my passport.”
Show your passport when you say this.
증명서를 잃어버려서 재발급받고 싶어요.
Jeung-myeong-seo-reul i-reo-beo-ryeo-seo jae-bal-geup-bat-go si-peo-yo.
“I lost my certificate and would like a reissue.”
Use this at a quarantine station or the hospital that gave the shot.
Frequently asked questions
Is yellow fever vaccine for life now?
Yes. KDCA states that one dose is valid for life. The certificate takes effect 10 days after the shot. If your old card shows an end date, KDCA lists a change of the validity period as a reason for a reissue.
Where can I get my yellow fever vaccine from?
In Korea, only at one of the 49 designated hospitals on the KDCA list. National quarantine stations, including the one at Incheon Airport, issue and reissue certificates but do not give the shot.
How much will a yellow fever vaccine cost?
KDCA lists 38,250 KRW for the vaccine, 1,000 KRW for the certificate, and 19,610 KRW to administer it from age 6. That is 58,860 KRW for an adult. A hospital may add its own consultation fee.
What do I need to get the yellow fever vaccine?
A booking at a designated hospital, the revenue stamp, and your passport. Go at least 10 days before you travel.
Do I really need a yellow fever vaccine?
It depends on your route. KDCA lists 21 countries that ask every arriving traveler for the certificate. Others ask only if you have been in a risk country. Check with the embassy of your destination.
Official sources
Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.
Information verified as of October 2026. Designated hospitals, fees and country requirements change. Confirm the details with the hospital, the embassy of your destination, or the KDCA call center at 1339 before you go.
This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
