Moving from 🇬🇧 United Kingdom to 🇦🇺 Australia: your child's vaccines

The short version

Every disease on Australia's routine schedule is also covered in United Kingdom, so a child who is up to date is unlikely to need extra vaccines - although the timing of some doses differs.

United Kingdom also routinely vaccinates against Meningococcal B, which Australia does not include for all children. Keep the record of those doses - they still count.

For Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough, Polio, Hib and Hepatitis B and others, both countries vaccinate but at different ages. If you move part-way through a course, the new clinic will fit the remaining doses into the local schedule; a dose your child has already had is not wasted.

What to do when you arrive

1. Bring written records. Your child's vaccination record (the UK "red book", a clinic printout or an app export) with the vaccine names, dates and batch numbers if you have them. If it is not in English, a translation helps.
2. Register with a doctor or clinic early and ask for a vaccination review rather than waiting for the next scheduled appointment.
3. Expect to continue, not restart. Doses already given are normally counted; the clinic fills the gaps to match Australia's schedule for your child's current age.
4. Check nursery and school requirements. Australia's health service will usually ask for your child's vaccination history when you register with a doctor or clinic, and may compare it with the local schedule before nursery or school.
5. Moving the other way later? Keep copies of everything - see moving from Australia to United Kingdom.

See the full schedules: United Kingdom · Australia · or compare any two countries on the comparison page.

This page compares routine childhood schedules and is general information, not medical advice. Your new doctor or nurse will advise on your own child, including any vaccines for health conditions or travel.