Vietnam does not require specific vaccinations for most foreigners to enter, apart from yellow fever proof for travellers arriving from countries where that disease is present. For people planning to live in Vietnam, doctors usually review routine vaccinations first, such as tetanus, diphtheria, measles and influenza, and then discuss hepatitis A and B, typhoid, rabies and Japanese encephalitis according to your age, health, work, lifestyle and where you will live. The right list is individual, so see a travel medicine doctor ideally six to eight weeks before you move, bringing your vaccination record.
This guide explains what each commonly discussed vaccine protects against, why it matters for residents rather than short-term tourists, and how vaccination works once you are living in Vietnam, including for children. It draws on general guidance from the World Health Organization and does not replace individual advice from a doctor.
Why residents are assessed differently from tourists
Vaccination advice depends on exposure, and exposure grows with time. A two-week holiday in hotels and on tour buses carries different risks from several years of living in a neighbourhood, eating at street stalls, travelling by motorbike to rural areas, keeping pets, or working in schools and clinics. That is why travel medicine doctors ask detailed questions about how you will live, not just where you are going.
Long stays also make some rare risks more relevant. An infection that is unlikely on any single day becomes more plausible over years. The aim is not to vaccinate against everything, but to match protection to a realistic picture of your life in Vietnam.
Age and health matter as well. Older adults may need vaccines against pneumococcal disease and shingles; people with weakened immune systems may not be able to receive certain live vaccines. Pregnancy changes the picture too. These are reasons to have the conversation with a doctor who knows your history.
Vaccines commonly discussed for long-term residents
The table summarises what each vaccine protects against and the situations in which doctors typically raise it. It is not a recommendation for any individual.
| Vaccine | Protects against | Often discussed for |
|---|---|---|
| Routine adult boosters | Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio | Everyone; check your record is up to date |
| Influenza | Seasonal flu, which circulates in Vietnam with patterns differing between north and south | Most adults, especially older people and those with chronic illness |
| Hepatitis A | A liver infection spread through contaminated food and water | Most long-term residents |
| Hepatitis B | A liver infection spread through blood and body fluids | Long-term residents, healthcare workers, anyone who may need medical procedures |
| Typhoid | A bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water | People eating widely outside the home or travelling to rural areas |
| Rabies (pre-exposure) | A viral infection from animal bites or scratches that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear | Children, people who travel to remote areas, those working with animals |
| Japanese encephalitis | A mosquito-borne brain infection, rare but serious | Residents spending time in rural areas, especially near rice paddies and farms |
Other vaccines, such as those against chickenpox, pneumococcal disease, shingles, HPV or dengue, may be discussed depending on age and health. COVID-19 vaccination advice continues to evolve; follow your doctor and current national guidance.
Rabies: why it deserves particular attention
Rabies is present in Vietnam, mainly carried by dogs, though cats and other mammals can also transmit it. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal, but it is preventable with prompt care after an exposure. The World Health Organization identifies dog-mediated rabies as a continuing problem in parts of Asia, and Vietnam's health authorities report human rabies deaths each year, largely among people who did not receive treatment after a bite.
Pre-exposure vaccination is a short course given before any bite. It does not remove the need for medical care after an exposure, but it simplifies the treatment needed and removes the need for rabies immunoglobulin, which can be hard to find quickly, particularly outside big cities. That is why doctors often recommend it for children, who are more likely to be bitten and less likely to report a minor scratch, and for adults who travel to remote areas.
After any bite, scratch or lick on broken skin from a mammal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for around fifteen minutes and seek medical care the same day, whether or not you have been vaccinated and whether or not the animal seems healthy. Do not wait to see whether the animal becomes ill.
Food- and water-borne infections: hepatitis A and typhoid
Eating out is one of the great pleasures of life in Vietnam, and most residents eat street food regularly without harm. Over years, though, the chance of meeting a food- or water-borne infection adds up. Hepatitis A causes a liver infection that can make adults ill for weeks; the vaccine gives long-lasting protection after a full course. Typhoid is a bacterial infection; vaccines offer partial protection for a number of years and need boosters.
Vaccination works alongside, not instead of, ordinary food hygiene: drink bottled, boiled or filtered water, choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh and served hot, and wash hands before eating. Ice in cities is generally made from treated water, but practices vary, and people with weaker immune systems may choose to be more careful.
Hepatitis B is different: it spreads through blood and body fluids, including through unsterile medical, dental or cosmetic procedures, tattoos and sexual contact. Many adults from countries with infant hepatitis B programmes are already vaccinated. A doctor can check your record or test your immunity.
Preparing before the move
Vaccination is easiest to organise in your home country, with your own doctor and records. A timeline helps, because some vaccines need several doses weeks apart.
- Find your vaccination records, including childhood ones if possible; if they are lost, a doctor can advise on blood tests or catch-up doses.
- Book a travel medicine appointment six to eight weeks before departure, or earlier if you are moving with children.
- Describe your life in Vietnam honestly: city or countryside, work, pets, outdoor activities, travel plans, and plans for pregnancy.
- Start multi-dose courses at home and ask whether they can be completed in Vietnam if time runs short.
- Keep a single record of every dose, including brand and batch number where possible, as a photo and a paper copy.
If you move at short notice, do not skip vaccination altogether. Many vaccines can be started at home and completed in Vietnam, and some give partial protection after the first dose.
Getting vaccinated once you live in Vietnam
Vietnam has an extensive vaccination system. The national Expanded Programme on Immunization provides a schedule of free vaccines for children through public health stations, and a large network of private vaccination centres, as well as international clinics and private hospitals, offers both childhood and adult vaccines, including many not in the free programme.
For adults, the practical route is usually a private vaccination centre or an international clinic. Bring your vaccination record and ask which brand of vaccine is being used, since schedules can differ slightly between brands. Private centres are generally used to explaining schedules and recording doses in a booklet or app.
Most vaccination centres ask for a short health check before each dose: temperature, recent illness, allergies and pregnancy. Expect to wait for around thirty minutes afterwards so staff can watch for any reaction, which is standard practice in many countries. Mild soreness or a low fever for a day is common; anything more should be reported to the clinic.
Supply of individual vaccines occasionally tightens, so for courses that must be completed on time, such as rabies after an exposure, ask the clinic to confirm availability for every dose in advance.
Children's vaccinations in Vietnam
Foreign children living in Vietnam can be vaccinated at private vaccination centres, international clinics and, in many cases, public health stations. Vietnam's national schedule differs from those of other countries in timing and in which vaccines are included, so parents usually aim to follow their home country's schedule, adapted to local risks, or a combined plan agreed with a paediatrician.
Before moving, ask your child's doctor for a printed schedule showing doses already given and those due. In Vietnam, a paediatrician can map this onto locally available vaccines. Schools and kindergartens usually ask for vaccination records at enrolment, and international schools often require them in English.
Babies born in Vietnam to foreign or mixed families are usually offered the first vaccines in hospital shortly after birth, in line with the national programme. Parents can ask which vaccines were given and make sure they are recorded in the child's booklet, so that the rest of the schedule can be planned with a paediatrician.
Keeping a complete record matters when you move on. A child who leaves Vietnam with a clear, dated list of every dose, including brands, will have a much easier time enrolling in school in the next country.
Older adults, pregnancy and chronic illness
Retirees and older residents often benefit from a review that goes beyond travel vaccines. Doctors commonly discuss annual influenza vaccination, pneumococcal vaccines that protect against a common cause of pneumonia, and shingles vaccination, which is recommended for older adults in many countries. A booster against tetanus is worth checking too, since minor injuries in the garden or on the road are common.
Pregnancy changes the advice. Some vaccines are recommended during pregnancy to protect the baby, while live vaccines are generally avoided. Women planning a pregnancy in Vietnam should discuss vaccination, including measles, rubella and chickenpox immunity, before conception if possible.
People with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems, whether through illness or medicines such as chemotherapy or long-term steroids, need individual advice. Some vaccines work less well for them and some should not be given. Bring a summary of your condition and medicines to the vaccination appointment.
Whatever your age, the most useful habit is a yearly check of your record, ideally at the same time as an annual health review. It takes a few minutes and catches boosters that have quietly fallen due during busy years abroad.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Are any vaccinations required to enter Vietnam?
For most travellers, no specific vaccinations are required. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required for those arriving from countries where yellow fever is present. Requirements can change, so check with the Vietnamese embassy or official health advice before you travel.
Do I need the rabies vaccine to live in Vietnam?
It is not compulsory, but doctors often recommend pre-exposure rabies vaccination for children and for adults who travel to remote areas or work with animals. Even after vaccination, any bite or scratch from a mammal needs washing and medical care the same day.
Is Japanese encephalitis a risk in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi?
The risk in city centres is very low. Japanese encephalitis is mainly found in rural areas with rice farming and pig rearing. Doctors usually discuss the vaccine for residents who spend extended time in such areas or travel widely in the countryside.
Can adults get vaccinated in Vietnam?
Yes. Private vaccination centres, international clinics and private hospitals offer a wide range of adult vaccines. Bring your vaccination record, ask which brand is used, and keep a dated record of each dose in a booklet or on your phone.
Will my child follow Vietnam's vaccination schedule?
Not necessarily. Many expat families follow their home country's schedule, adjusted for local risks, with help from a paediatrician in Vietnam. Some vaccines in Vietnam's national programme are free at public health stations; others are available privately.
What if I lost my vaccination records?
A doctor can advise whether to restart some vaccines, give catch-up doses, or test your immunity for diseases such as hepatitis B and measles. Starting a new, carefully kept record now is the most important step.