If I was vaccinated for COVID-19 outside of the United States, do I need to get or can I get a U.S.-based vaccine?

This depends on the type of vaccination you received and whether you completed the series.

For recipients of FDA-authorized vaccines

  • If you had two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or a single dose of Johnson and Johnson, you have completed the initial dose series.
  • If it has been more than 2 months since you received a Johnson and Johnson dose, you should get a booster shot.
  • If you are 18 or older and it has been more than 5 months since you completed your initial dose series of Pfizer or Moderna, you should get a booster shot.
  • If you are immunocompromised, you should get an additional dose if you received Moderna or Pfizer. Anyone initially vaccinated with Johnson and Johnson at least two months ago should get a booster of either an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) or Johnson and Johnson.
  • If you received just one dose of Moderna or Pfizer, you should seek a second dose as close to the recommended timeframe as possible (28 days for Moderna, 21 days for Pfizer)

For recipients of WHO-approved vaccines listed for emergency use

  • If you completed an initial vaccine series, you are considered fully vaccinated.
  • If it has been more than 5 months since you completed your initial dose series and you are 18 or older, you should get a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
  • If you completed just part of a series, you should seek a complete, FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series. You should wait until it’s been at least 28 days since your last dose to begin an FDA-authorized vaccine series.

For recipients of non–WHO-listed or FDA-authorized vaccine

  • If you received all or part of a vaccine that is not currently authorized by the FDA or granted emergency use listing by the WHO, you should seek a complete, FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series. You should wait until it’s been at least 28 days since your last dose to begin an FDA-authorized vaccine series.

You must receive all recommended doses of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 initial vaccine series to be considered fully vaccinated.