Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Standard adult immunisations
Practical guidance
When to book the clinic
Book a travel-health clinic appointment 6 to 8 weeks before departure for Israel. Several recommended vaccines (Hepatitis A and B, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies pre-exposure) need a multi-dose schedule that does not compress; the full course can take 4 to 6 weeks. Yellow fever specifically takes 10 days to confer immunity and certificates are only valid 10 days after the shot, so this one is non-negotiable on timing.
Yellow fever specifics for Israel
Yellow fever proof is required only if you have transited or stayed in a yellow-fever-endemic country in the 6 days before arriving in Israel. If your itinerary is direct from a non-endemic country, no certificate needed; if you are routing via Brazil, sub-Saharan Africa, or northern South America, carry the ICVP.
What “recommended” actually means
The 3 recommended vaccines above are the CDC and WHO guidance for typical travellers to Israel. They’re not mandatory at the border; they protect against the diseases endemic to the region. Routine immunisations (MMR, dTaP, polio, COVID-19, annual flu) should already be current regardless of destination. Hepatitis A is the single highest-value travel vaccine for most destinations, transmitted through contaminated food and water, and worth getting even if you only plan to eat in established restaurants.
Cost and where to get them
UK NHS travel clinic is free for routine vaccines, charged at cost for travel-specific ones (yellow fever, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies). US travellers should expect $100 to $300 per dose at a travel clinic; many are not covered by standard health insurance. Cheaper option in some destinations: get yellow fever locally at a government clinic on arrival ($20 to $50 in most South American and African capitals) if your itinerary allows the 10-day window before your next entry. Always ask for the official yellow ICVP booklet, not a generic clinic slip.
Related for Israel
More on Israel
Israel is one of the most operationally complex tourist destinations to write about honestly. The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the resulting Gaza war reshaped the safety landscape and produced an approximately 75 percent drop in inbound tourism through 2024. The country’s situation has substantially stabilised through 2025 with tourism rebuilding, but the structural risks remain real and worth calibrating: closed Gaza Strip (entirely off-limits), partial-area advisories for the West Bank that vary by district and tension level, the northern border with Lebanon (Hezbollah exchanges through 2024 produced civilian fatalities and evacuations of northern communities, with quieter periods through 2025), the southern border around the Eilat-Taba area, and the April and October 2024 plus April 2025 Israel-Iran direct missile exchanges that produced brief national alerts and airport closures. The standard tourist circuit (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem Old City and central districts, Eilat, the Dead Sea, Masada, Galilee in calm periods) operates with sirens-and-shelter discipline. This guide unpacks the entry mechanics, the regional risk map calibrated honestly, the Home Front Command alert system, the religious-site etiquette, and the practical contacts for an Israeli itinerary.
Frequently asked about Israel
What vaccinations do I need for Israel?
Recommended vaccines for typical travellers to Israel: Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Standard adult immunisations. Yellow fever is required if arriving from a country with yellow-fever transmission. Routine immunisations (MMR, dTaP, polio, COVID-19, flu) should be current regardless of destination. Verify with a travel-health clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure.
Is yellow fever vaccination required for Israel?
Only if you have transited or stayed in a yellow-fever-endemic country in the 6 days before arriving in Israel. If your itinerary is direct from a non-endemic country, no certificate is needed.
When should I get my travel vaccinations for Israel?
Book a travel-health clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure. Several recommended vaccines (Hepatitis A and B, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies pre-exposure) need a multi-dose schedule that does not compress; the full course can take 4 to 6 weeks. Yellow fever specifically takes 10 days to confer immunity and certificates are only valid after that window.