Work, travel and living overseas

Some places you travel to or live in can affect whether you can donate, or when. Find out how. 

Chagas disease is an insect-borne infection, present in:

  • Argentina
  • Belize
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • French Guiana
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Honduras
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru…
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For most people, not at all.  

You can still donate blood if you work in an abattoir, or as a healthcare worker. But, if you're a professional athlete there are some things to consider before you donate. 

We don't recommend giving blood during a competitive period or season. It could have a minor, temporary impact on performance — it’s common to feel a bit tired after donating…

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Yes, you can! There used to be a rule preventing people who lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 from giving blood in Australia, but it was changed on 25 July 2022.

Another rule preventing people who had received a blood transfusion in the UK from 1980 onwards from giving blood was discontinued on 13 November 2023.

These rules were related to the fatal variant Creutzfeldt-…

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It depends on the type of vaccine. Check yours here

Some vaccines don't include any live material and you can donate straight away after having one. Other vaccines are made from live material, meaning you can give plasma right away but need…

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It depends where you’ve travelled – most commonly, either you may only be able to donate plasma for a period, or you may be able to donate blood or plasma immediately.

The best thing to do is double check before you book. Check the travel page to see when you can donate.