French Guiana is one of the few destinations where a vaccination certificate is not a recommendation but a condition of entry. Yellow fever vaccination has been compulsory here since 1967, and the certificate is checked on arrival. It belongs on your list next to your passport.
The rules are simple once you know them. Here is what the official sources say, and what to organise before you fly.
Important — this is general information, not medical advice. Requirements change, and personal circumstances change what is right for you. Amazon Conciergerie is a rental and concierge company, not a medical service. Before travelling, confirm the current rules with the official French authorities and discuss your own case with your doctor or a travel-health clinic.
The yellow fever certificate: who it applies to
According to the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) Guyane, yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for residents and travellers aged over one year, whatever country they arrive from. The obligation is set out in article R3115-63 of the French public health code. The UK national travel health service, NaTHNaC (TravelHealthPro), gives the same threshold: a certificate is required from one year of age.
ARS Guyane notes one exception, for passengers in airport transit of less than twelve hours. If you think you may qualify for that, or for a medical exemption, have it confirmed before departure.
Timing, validity and where to get vaccinated
Two dates matter. The certificate becomes valid ten days after the injection, which is why ARS Guyane asks travellers to be vaccinated at least ten days before entry. The World Health Organization explains why: immunity develops in 80 to 100 percent of people within ten days. A dose given the week before your flight is too late.
Then there is validity. Since the change to the International Health Regulations applied from 2016, the international certificate no longer expires. ARS Guyane confirms that vaccinated people are considered protected for life, and WHO states that a single dose gives lifelong immunity with no booster needed. If you were vaccinated years ago for another trip, dig out the old certificate.
In France, the vaccine can only be given by an approved yellow fever vaccination centre (centre de vaccination antiamarile habilité), which is also the body authorised to issue the international certificate. Santé.fr publishes the official list. Elsewhere, your national travel-health service will name the equivalent designated centre. Book early.
What to carry with you
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis | Checked on entry. Carry the paper original with your passport, plus a digital copy. |
| Insurance details and prescriptions | Medicines in original packaging, with the prescription. |
Mosquitoes here bite by day
Dengue, chikungunya and Zika all circulate in the region and are transmitted by Aedes aegypti. ARS Guyane describes a small black mosquito with silvery-white markings, and flags the detail that catches visitors out: it bites preferentially at the start and end of the day, not at night. A net alone will not protect you at breakfast or at sunset.
The measures ARS Guyane recommends are straightforward: long clothing, repellent on exposed skin, a net where appropriate, and no standing water around the home. Ask your pharmacist which repellent suits you, especially for children. NaTHNaC advises pregnant travellers to speak to a health professional specifically about Zika.
The coastal strip and the interior are not the same
Malaria risk is not spread evenly across the territory. The Institut Pasteur describes transmission as low and concentrated in the interior and along the border rivers — between Saül and Maripasoula, the Oyapock, Approuague and Haut-Maroni zones, and the communes of Régina and Saint-Georges-de-l’Oyapock. NaTHNaC places Cayenne in its low-risk category, where the advice is bite avoidance rather than tablets.
A stay in Cayenne or Rémire-Montjoly is therefore a different conversation from a week on the Maroni. If your trip includes the interior, say so at your travel-health appointment. One point both sources make: if you develop a fever during your stay or within three months of returning, see a doctor and mention French Guiana.
Healthcare, pharmacies and water
French Guiana is a French department, so the health system is the French one. Cayenne has a hospital, the Centre Hospitalier Andrée Rosemon, plus private practices and laboratories. Pharmacies across Cayenne and Rémire-Montjoly are the right first stop for repellents and everyday advice. Check your insurance cover before leaving.
On water, ARS Guyane runs regular controls on the public supply — around 1,100 analyses a year — and confirms mains tap water can be consumed safely. Away from the networks, in isolated communes of the interior, sealed bottled water is the sensible choice.
Staying comfortable: air conditioning, screens and Wi-Fi
Comfort is part of health here. The climate is equatorial, warm and humid all year, and the most useful thing a property can do is be properly cooled and properly screened. Every property we manage has air conditioning, insect screens and Wi-Fi.
- Kaz’Alizés, Rémire-Montjoly: air-conditioned apartment, quiet residence with pool, beach 100 m away (Airbnb · Booking).
- Cocon Montabo, Cayenne: air-conditioned studio for two, fitted kitchen, parking, near Montabo beach (Booking).
- L’écrin tropical, central Cayenne: modernised Creole house with garden, three air-conditioned bedrooms, sleeps six (Airbnb · Booking).
- Kaz Toti, Montabo: villa for four with private pool and terrace, fibre Wi-Fi (Airbnb · Booking).
See our guide on where to stay in French Guiana, or browse all our properties.
Pre-departure checklist
- Check the current entry rules with the official French sources before booking flights.
- Book an approved vaccination centre early, allowing the ten days before entry.
- Find your old certificate if you have ever been vaccinated — it does not expire.
- Ask your doctor about routine vaccinations and hepatitis A, commonly advised here.
- Tell your doctor which parts of the territory you will visit, coast or interior.
- Pack repellent, light long-sleeved clothing and sun protection.
- Carry the certificate with your passport, plus a digital copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the certificate really checked on arrival?
Yes. It is a regulatory entry requirement under the French public health code, as stated by ARS Guyane, and travellers without a valid certificate risk being refused entry.
My certificate is from ten years ago. Do I need another dose?
Certificates issued under the International Health Regulations no longer expire: WHO considers a single dose to give lifelong protection, and ARS Guyane applies the same rule. Even so, only your doctor can review your record.
Does the requirement apply to babies and young children?
ARS Guyane sets the obligation for travellers aged over one year, and NaTHNaC gives one year and over. Vaccinating infants has its own medical considerations, so families with a baby should raise it with a paediatrician well in advance.
Do I need to worry about malaria in Cayenne?
The Institut Pasteur places malaria risk in the interior and along the border rivers rather than the coastal towns, and NaTHNaC classes Cayenne as low risk. Describe your itinerary to a health professional and follow their guidance.
Planning your stay
Sort the health paperwork early and the rest of the trip gets easy. We handle the local part: verified properties, direct booking with no commission, a personal welcome and fast help on WhatsApp. We also arrange relocation and settling-in support, and everything we do is on our services page.
Questions about dates or which property fits your trip? Message us on WhatsApp, write to contact@amazon-conciergerie-guyane.com, or use our contact page. When you are ready, go to our booking page — we answer in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese, and a video visit is possible.
Sources: ARS Guyane — Fièvre jaune, ARS Guyane — Dengue, ARS Guyane — Eaux potables, World Health Organization, NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro, Institut Pasteur, Santé.fr. Verify with the official sources before travelling.