Moving from the US to Germany: your child's vaccinations
Germany's schedule covers the same core diseases as the US one, but the timing is different, there's one vaccine US babies don't routinely get, and measles vaccination is a legal requirement for daycare (Kita) and school. Here's what to sort out before or soon after you arrive.
The rule you can't skip: measles proof (Masernschutzgesetz)
- Children in a Kita, Hort, childminder care or school must show proof of measles protection.
- From age 1: at least one measles vaccination. From age 2: at least two.
- Proof can be the vaccination record, a doctor's certificate, or a blood test showing immunity.
- US children usually get their second MMR at 4–6 years. A 2- or 3-year-old coming from the US often has only one dose and needs the second before starting Kita. Germany allows the second dose as early as 4 weeks after the first.
Key differences at a glance
| US | Germany (STIKO) | |
|---|---|---|
| MMR | 12–15 months, 4–6 years | 11 months, 15 months |
| Varicella (chickenpox) | 12–15 months, 4–6 years | 11 months, 15 months |
| Meningococcal B | Not routine for infants | 2, 4 and 12 months |
| Hepatitis A | 12 and 18 months | Not routine |
| Flu | Every year from 6 months | Only for children with risk factors |
| Hepatitis B | Birth dose, then 1–2 and 6–18 months | In the 6-in-1 at 2, 4 and 11 months |
| Pre-school booster | DTaP + polio at 4–6 years | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough at 5–6 years |
| MenACWY | 11–12 and 16 years | Once at 12–14 years |
| HPV | From 9–12 years | 9–14 years |
What your child may need after the move
- Second MMR and varicella dose if your child is older than 15 months and hasn't had the US 4–6 year doses yet.
- Meningococcal B. Not routine in the US. Germany recommends it at 2, 4 and 12 months, and catch-up up to the 5th birthday.
- MenACWY for teens. Germany gives one dose at 12–14, with catch-up up to age 24. If your teen already had it in the US, bring the record.
- Nothing to undo. Hepatitis A and flu doses from the US still count; Germany just doesn't routinely give them.
What happens to US records
- Your paediatrician (Kinderarzt) can enter the US doses into a German vaccination record (Impfpass). Bring the original record with clear vaccine names, dates and doses.
- In Germany, only documented vaccinations count. If a dose can't be shown, the doctor will usually give it again. STIKO considers a possible extra dose acceptable for reliable protection.
How VaxFile helps
Add your child's US doses (or scan the record), then switch the country to Germany. VaxFile shows what's still due on the German schedule, and you can export a PDF for the paediatrician or the Kita.
Sources: RKI, MMR FAQ · RKI, general vaccination FAQ · BIÖG/BZgA, Masernschutzgesetz FAQ
This page compares the US schedule with the German STIKO schedule, for information only. It isn't medical advice. Your paediatrician decides which vaccines your child needs.
Last checked against the official sources: October 2026.