COVID-19 vaccines if you live abroad
General information for British people living abroad about getting a vaccine in the country where they live, with links to guidance from regulatory bodies.
Getting a vaccine where you live
Wherever possible British nationals should aim to be vaccinated in their country of residence.
If you live overseas you should find out about COVID-19 vaccines available locally, and contact your healthcare provider for further advice.
If you are considering a vaccination for somebody under 16 years old, you may wish to read the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) statement on vaccinating children and young people aged 12 to 17 years, and seek medical advice from your local healthcare provider.
Local authorities where you live should provide information about COVID-19 vaccines used in the national vaccination programme, including their regulatory status.
We will publish and update information on other countries’ national COVID-19 vaccine programmes on our travel advice pages. You can sign up to get email alerts each time a country’s travel advice page is updated.
Regulatory information on vaccines authorised in the UK
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK authority responsible for assessing the safety, quality and efficacy of vaccines. It only assesses a vaccine if a marketing authorisation in the UK has been applied for.
The MHRA has authorised 4 COVID vaccines for supply and use in the UK:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Oxford/AstraZeneca
- Moderna
- Janssen (Johnson and Johnson)
Find out more about MHRA approval for these vaccines.
World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines
Find out more about vaccines on the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 vaccine advice page. This includes information on which vaccines the WHO has approved for emergency use.
To travel to the UK, read about approved vaccines for entering England.