Every few years, the Federal Government of Nigeria changes the policy of obtaining a yellow card in Nigeria. In the last six years, I’ve owned two yellow card certificates and I am about to get the third one. Two cards in six years don’t seem like that many but when you consider that these cards should last a minimum of 10 years, you realize that it is one too many.
I remember when I got my first card – you know, we always remember our firsts. She was so young and full of sunshine and hope; excited to see the world, excited to experience the menace of Nigerian immigration officers and the condescension of immigration officers abroad.
Sadly, she never got to experience any of these things. Barely two weeks after I had her, the Government had not only declared that she was invalid but had also declared that the vaccines could no longer be given in private hospitals. So, I had to get another card.
That short fan fiction brings us back to the reason for this post. It’s 2019 and Nigerian travellers are required to get a new (e)yellow card. But before I get into details of the process of obtaining one, I’ll like to elaborate more on this card and its importance.
What's Covered in this Post
What Exactly is a Yellow Card and Why is it Important?
Yellow (fever) cards or certificates are needed to show proof that you have received a vaccination against the disease. The vaccines are administered to prevent an outbreak and to protect travellers that may be exposed to infection in areas where the disease is prevalent.
Countries with Risk of Yellow Fever Transmission
AFRICA – Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda.
AMERICAS – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
Source: https://www.iamat.org/country/nigeria/risk/yellow-fever
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/
There is no treatment or cure for the disease at this time. However, you can prevent infection by preventing mosquito bites and getting vaccinated.
How and Where to Get the New Yellow Card Certificate in Nigeria
The steps below detail the process of getting the new yellow card online;
- Start your online application by logging on to the yellow card Nigeria portal: https://yellowcardnigeria.com/
- Click on the ‘Register’
- Fill in your personal information
- Click “Pay Now” and generate a receipt
- Make a payment of ₦2,000 on the same page (or go to the bank with the RRR code provided) and print the payment confirmation
- Go to the Port Health Services Office closest to you with the printed documents and a copy of your passport biodata page
- A vaccine will be administered after your payment has been confirmed.
You would not need to take the vaccine again if you have done so before and it is still valid. When I went to get my second yellow card, I mentioned that I had already been vaccinated, so I wasn’t given another one. I just paid for the card.
Where is the Port Health Office in Lagos Located?
The Port Health office in Lagos is located at Airport Rd, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos, right by the toll gate on your way to the International airport. Look out for a yellow-coloured building to your left (before the toll) if you’re coming from Ikeja.
Countries that Require Yellow Fever Vaccination (and Cards) for Entry
As a rule, my yellow card accompanies my international passport everywhere it goes. That being said, some countries don’t need proof of vaccination. You can find a list of countries that do here.
Final Thoughts…
From April 1st, 2019, all old yellow cards will become invalid. Personally, I think this would be a source of ruckus and more extortion, especially at the land borders. I can imagine the officials telling you that there is a different charge for ‘new entries.’ It would be a miracle if travel went smoothly after this change.
Edit #1:
- If you have taken the vaccine in the past, you don’t need to take it again. Simply go to the Port Health office with the old card and you would be fine.
- Children below 10 years have been immunized at 9 months. There’s no need to take another vaccine or bring them at all.
- Pregnant women and nursing mothers are exempted from taking the vaccine
- Adults above 60 years are also exempted from taking the vaccine
- If you have registered on the website, you will be provided with a RRR code. You can use that code to pay at any bank or through your bank’s mobile/internet banking app.
- Apart from the Port Health office at Ikeja, you can get the vaccine and yellow card at Tincan Island Sea Port, Apapa Sea Port, Idiroko border, Seme border and all Federal Secretariats.
Edit #2: Update March 2020
- Emirates Airlines now requires all international travellers flying from and into Nigeria to have a yellow card certificate
- Read the Nigerian CDC Site FAQ to find out if you are exempted from taking the vaccine
I’d like to hear your thoughts… Have you travelled recently with the new yellow card? Was it easy getting and travelling with one?
Found this post helpful?
Hello, I am planning to travel on the 22nd, but I’ll just be getting the new card on the 20th. Who can I confirm from if I’d be allowed to travel with my old card?
Hi, you would be allowed to travel with it. I just did last week. I went to the airport with both cards. Presented the new e-yellow card but the lady told me she couldn’t let me travel with it since it was gotten 2 days before my trip. I showed her the old one and she let me travel with it. She even asked me to always present that first.
Okay noted.
Thank you.
Am travelling 22 Nov, 2021, and i want to go for it on Sunday hope is not to late.
Hello, your yellow card should be valid for at least 10 days before your travel. If you’re taking it a day before your trip, you’re probably going to have issues at the airport. If you have taken the vaccine before, you should travel with your old card in addition to the new one or ask if it is possible to backdate the new card.
Please I want to know if the column for state means your state of origin or state of resident. Thanks
I put in my state of residence
Please do they open on weekends. Saturday to be precise. Thanks
Yes, they do.
Good day,I was making research online and got to this post.
Please I want to know if it’s advisable for my 5 year old Son and my 6 month pregnant wife can get the vaccination ,because we will be embarking on a trip soon.
Also have been trying to register on the yellow card website for almost a week now ,but to no avail ,the page doesn’t redirect to the payment page,what other option do I have if i keep trying and get the payment done successfully,where around Sango Otta or Abeokuta can i get the vaccination and the card?
The airport health authority you talking about,is it the building around the toll gate entrance of the Airport ?
I will appreciate a quick reply
Children below 10 years have been immunized at 9 months. There’s no need to take another vaccine or bring them at all. Go to the Port Health office (yes, the one around the toll gate) with their immunization card and you can get the yellow card. Also, pregnant women are not expected to take the vaccine.
If you have registered on the website, you will provided with a RRR code. You can use that to pay at any bank or through your bank’s mobile/internet banking app. Apart from the Port Health office at Ikeja, you can get the vaccine and yellow card at Tincan Island Sea Port, Apapa Sea Port, Idiroko border, Seme border and all Federal Secretariats.
Thank you Amarachi for the reply ,concerning my child immunization,my son was not born in Nigeria,he was born in Cairo Egypt,though he received all his necessary immunization there back then.
My concern are,his Egyptian immunization card is fully written in Arabic,i wonder how our health authority can read this,however we have all his original genuine document Such as his birth certificate in ENGLISH stating that he was born in Egypt which has our Nigerian embassy in Cairo notarization stamps,so would they be able to process his card without him being vaccinated again with this above circumstances
Finally I have been able to make the payment for three of us online successfully,I should be ready to visit the airport health authority by 29th of this month ,I hope they won’t tell me it been a while i made the payment ?
It won’t matter how long since you made the payment for the card. As long as you have the receipt, you would be fine. I also think you’ll be fine with your child’s immunization card. Just ensure it was in fact given to him (for your own peace of mind). I don’t think they argue with you whether or not it was given.
Also confirm if the child got an OPV. In Nigeria, children are administered this in schools and elsewhere, I’m not sure if it’s the same thing in Egypt.
Thanks once again Amarachi for your precious replies.
OPV is mandatory in Egypt ,so my child got all required vaccines ,I think am all clear now. By 29th I will go to the Airport health authority ,I shall give a feedback here on whatever the result I get from there.
Have a wonderful weekend
Regards !
Thanks for the quite helpful post. However, I live in Abeokuta, must I travel to Lagos to get the card, after paying online? Thanks, again.
Hello IK.. sorry I don’t have a lot of information about the Port Health service in Abeokuta. I know you can get the vaccine and card at all land borders, so if you’re close to one, that would be great.
Hi Amarachi, thanks for sharing this information with us. I’d like to know how long it takes for me to be scheduled for an appointment after making the payment? Also, can I register and delay my payment till when I am ready to go for the appointment? Looking forward to your response
Hi Lola,
Yes, there’s an option to register and pay later. You can go to the Port Health office anytime after registration
Hi Amarachi, your write up was quite useful.
However, I registered online and made payment but later learnt the transaction was unsuccessful. Yet my account was debited and I tried to pay another fee to no avail. The bio-metrics is slated for tomorrow and only hope Port Health office resolves this before the appointment.
Hi Odutayo, if the transaction failed, I assume you will get a reversal from your bank (if you don’t, you should follow up with them). In the meantime, if you’ve tried again and nothing seems to work, go very early to the Port Health office, I’ve heard that you can register there. I’ve also heard that you can get the card at the Lagos Island registry. So try any one of those places.
Hi Amarachi, I don’t have an international passport but I possess the ecowas travel certificate, how do I apply when it’s time to input my PASSPORT NUMBER
Hi Agatha, the ECOWAS certificate should have a document number. You can use that to apply for the yellow card.
In the future, while travelling to non-ECOWAS countries, you may need to carry the certificate in addition to your International passport, just in case there are questions about the validity of your card.
Thanks Amarachi for this one, we found it useful as we are preparing for our vacation. Question now is my wife is few weeks pregnant and it is not advisable to take a yellow fever vaccine during pregnancy. I was wondering if you know what we can do. She’d be 3 months pregnant by our travel time.
Hi Francis, I’d advice that she still goes to the Port Health office with a Doctor’s note to try to get a card. I currently don’t know any other way
My wife got one last weekend. She informed the guys at the port health authority that she was pregnant. They stamped on the yellow card that she was exempted from vaccinaton due to pregnancy.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Good day,
I would appreciate a quick response from you in regards to this e-yellow card. I have a flight on Monday which is Easter Monday and what I have is my old yellow card. Is there any chance that I will get it same day on Monday cos I need it urgent as I don’t know if they will reject my old yellow card. Please advise my email is
Hi Japhet,
This response is late as your comment got caught up in spam. I assume you already made the trip? Hopefully, you were able to get the e-yellow card on time.
Please do one need essentially the new yellow card to apply for a visa when indicated it is needed among the visa requirements. I have the old one.
Yes you do. The old one would suffice for now.
I’m in cross river state, can I get it here?
Hi Testimony, sorry, I don’t have an answer to that. You can try looking up Port Health Services Office close to you to find out.
Amarachi, thanks for this powerful information. I so much appreciate.
What am I to fill in the passport column on the e-yellow registration format
Your international passport number
Hello, quick one. In the case of a visiting expatriate on business for just 3days or less, would he also need the e-yellow card?
Hi, these particular (e-yellow) cards are gotten in Nigeria. They don’t apply to other countries but an expatriate would definitely need a yellow card (gotten from the country he’s coming in from) – regardless of the duration of the visit.
Hello Amarachi,
Many thanks for your great post. It’s really an eye opener.
I just registered for the ‘e-yellowcard’ on the website (www.yellowcard.com). I was routed to the remita webpage where I made the payment online successfully (using pay with card option).
Thereafter, I printed out my registration details from the yellow card website. To my utter surprise, the registration details bore the names of a totally different person, instead of my names.
Meanwhile my Remita receipt bears my name and the same Remita Reference ID, which has now been used to register someone else. I wish I could upload the registration details and Remita Receipts, so you could see for yourself. It’s all so strange, more so, I went over my personal details meticulously to avoid any errors.
Unfortunately, there’s no contact detail indicated on the yellow card website. I wonder how I could go about correcting this error from the website.
Any thoughts/Advice would be highly appreciated.
Thanks.
Wow, this sounds very strange. It’s most likely a system glitch and I’d have suggested refreshing or using the ‘Get User Detail’ button to see if your correct details come up. If that fails, it may be better to just head on to the Port Health office with your payment ID. They should be able to sort things out there.
Please let’s know how it goes and how you’re able to resolve it.
Hi Amarachi, please when you say Port Health office, you mean Airport right in this case. By the way, I am going to the EU and it is not required to get it but I plan to get it so I do not get surprised at the airport.
Hi Chukwuma, there is a Port Health office close to the international airport – That’s where I’m referring to. I think it’s a good idea to just have it as well. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Thank you Amarachi! My husband and I just did ours. *Hugs*
You’re welcome! 🙂
The thoroughness with which you do your research and give us information ! I giving you ten thousand hugs.
I think this yellowcard thing is just a money making machine biko. I also have two yellowcards…likewise none has reached its promised useful life of ten years.
I really don’t see what is ‘e’ about this new card…was even thinking it had a barcode or rfid tag or something…same old same old…i tire
Thanks, Fisayo 🙂
I also don’t see the ‘e’ part of this card. I’m guessing they have called it so because of the online registration and hopefully, the QR code has some use too.
Bless you Amarachi. Where can I get the r-yellow card in Oyo State Thank you
Hi Victoria, you can check the Federal Sec Complex, Ibadan. I got this from the Ministry of Health’s website. You’ll need to confirm though.
Dear Amarachi,
Thank you for the update on the Yellow Card.
As always, your write-up was so comprehensive and insightful to say the least.
May you never lack the strength and resources to continue the excellent jobs you’re doing with your posts. Also, I pray and hope that you receive more than the venerations and rewards that you deserve.
Please keep it up.
Cheers!
Danny.
Thank you, Daniel