COVID-19 Returning to Australia FAQs

Last Updated: 30 March 2022

This page contains advice for Australians in Vietnam who are travelling to Australia.

For the latest requirements on vaccination certificates, visit: Guidance on foreign vaccination certificates | Australian Passport Office (passports.gov.au)

Q: What does my vaccination certificate need to include?

Travellers vaccinated in Vietnam can access more favourable entry rules to Australia if they are able to present vaccination certificates that meet the following criteria:

name as it appears in the traveller's passport*
date of birth or passport number or national identity number**
the vaccine brand name, and
the date of each dose or the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed.

* If the name on the vaccination certificate differs from the name on the passport, including a name on an Australian passport, the traveller will need to show some evidence of being the certificate’s rightful holder, such as a driver licence or marriage certificate.

** If a certificate contains only a national identity number, and if that number does not appear in the traveller’s passport, then the traveller needs to show a national identity card that matches the identity number and name on the vaccination certificate.

You can have your certificate translated from Vietnamese to English at any Vietnamese notary public (văn phòng công chứng)

Q: Will my vaccine be recognised?

The vaccine you received must be approved or recognised by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

To qualify as fully vaccinated, you need to have had either

Two full doses at least 14 days apart of
- Novavax/Biocelect Nuvaxovid
- Gamaleya Research Institute Sputnik V
- Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (for people under 60 years of age on arrival in Australia)
- Bharat Covaxin
- Sinovac Coronavac
- Moderna (Spikevax or Takeda)
- Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty
- AstraZeneca COVISHIELD
- AstraZeneca Vaxzevria
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 the traveller is under 60 years of age on arrival in Australia.

Q: Do I need my certificate certified or notarised by the Consulate or Embassy?

No.

There is no requirement to have your Vietnamese vaccination certificate certified or notarised by the Consulate or Embassy. Your certificate must meet the requirements outlined here: www.passports.gov.au/guidance-foreign-vaccination-certificates.

Q: Do I need a batch dose number on my vaccination certificate?

No. Batch numbers are not required on foreign vaccination certificates.

For advice on what is required, please read here: Guidance on foreign vaccination certificates | Australian Passport Office (passports.gov.au)

Q: I was vaccinated in Vietnam. Can I still register my vaccination on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)?

If you’ve received your vaccination in Vietnam, an Australian health professional can add them to the AIR when you return. To find out how to register your vaccination received in Vietnam, go to the Services Australia website.

Q: What if I’ve recovered from COVID with only one vaccine dose?

You do not meet the definition of fully vaccinated unless you have received a full course of vaccine or are medically exempt from vaccination.

Q: What if I'm medically unable to be vaccinated?

You will need to provide evidence of a medical exemption. If you cannot provide certifiable evidence, you may be required to quarantine. You may wish to discuss your situation with your airline, who is responsible for verifying your documents at check-in.

Q: What about children?

All children aged under 12 years count as fully vaccinated for travel purposes. Special arrangements apply for certain returning Australian children aged 12-17 years who are not fully vaccinated.

Q: How do I get the Australian internationally recognised proof of vaccination document?

Australia's International COVID−19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC) was made available to the public on 19 October 2021.

Travellers eligible for the ICVC can use it immediately if they are overseas and have their vaccination status recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register.