When is vaccination certificate translation required?
Vaccination records may need to be submitted to Australian authorities in a range of contexts:
- Health examinations (HAP examinations) for Australian visa applications — applicants are encouraged to bring vaccination records to their panel physician appointment. See our health examination guide for more detail.
- Student visa health requirements in some circumstances.
- Permanent visa applications where vaccination history is relevant to the health assessment.
- Child visa applications involving unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children.
Vaccination records in many countries
Vaccination records in Latin American countries are typically issued as a carnet (booklet) known as the Carnet de Vacunación, Tarjeta de Vacunación, or Libreta de Vacunación. These records document vaccines received, dates of vaccination, and the issuing health authority. The issuing authority varies by country:
- Colombia — the Carnet de Vacunación del ICBF or records issued by a health clinic.
- Chile — managed by the Registro Nacional de Inmunizaciones (RNI).
- Argentina — through the Calendario Nacional de Vacunación.
- Peru — through the Ministry of Health (MINSA).
- Mexico — through the Secretaría de Salud.
- Venezuela — through the national health authorities.
- Ecuador — through the Ministry of Public Health.
What does the translation include?
A NAATI-certified vaccination certificate translation covers the full text of the document, including the holder's name and date of birth, vaccine names, dates of vaccination, lot numbers (if recorded), issuing authority, and any official seals or stamps. Where vaccines are recorded by their brand or generic name, the translator uses the standard English-language equivalent. Where the original record is handwritten, the translation will reflect the handwritten entries and note any sections that are illegible.
Submitting vaccination records to a panel physician
If you are attending a HAP health examination and your vaccination records are in Spanish, bring the original record to your appointment. The panel physician may accept an informal translation for the examination itself. However, if the Department of Home Affairs formally requests vaccination documentation as part of your visa application — for example, in connection with a child applicant — a NAATI-certified translation will be required.
How Trans Lingo translates vaccination records
Trans Lingo provides NAATI-certified vaccination certificate translations from $59 per page. Records are returned as a digital PDF within 24 hours, formatted to mirror the original layout where possible.