Donating Blood After a Trip Abroad: What Are the Waiting Periods?

Donating blood: a simple, free gesture that can save lives.

You're back from holiday and want to (or have been invited to) donate your blood? You book an appointment, but when you arrive at the donation centre, you're told: "Not just yet!"
Frustrating? Maybe. Unfair? No. And above all, avoidable if you know the rules in advance.
Because even if you feel in great shape after a trip abroad, your body may still carry a risk of transmission without you knowing it. After exposure to certain infectious agents, there can be a symptom-free period during which a risk of transmission cannot be ruled out. This is why precautionary waiting periods exist after certain trips and certain risk situations.

It is precisely to protect recipients (often weakened by an illness or an operation) that waiting periods have been set according to the destinations visited.

Important: the rules on deferral after travel are not the same from one country to another. If you donate blood in Belgium, your eligibility is assessed according to the criteria of the Blood Service (Red Cross Belgium) and according to a list of countries and regions that is regularly updated.

This guide explains it all: why these waiting periods exist, which visited countries are affected, and how to check your eligibility before you even travel to the centre.

Why do you sometimes have to wait before donating blood after a trip?

After exposure to certain infectious agents (a virus, a parasite, a bacterium), there can be a symptom-free period during which a risk of transmission cannot be ruled out. Screening tests cannot always guarantee a total absence of risk during this period.

If you donate blood during this period, the donation may appear healthy in the laboratory, and yet still present a risk for the recipient.
This is not a matter of trust in the donor. It's a matter of medical precaution based on epidemiological data.

Transfusion centres therefore apply precautionary waiting periods calibrated according to the destinations visited and the type of donation concerned. These waiting periods are regularly updated by the Blood Service according to how risks evolve around the world.

Three main risk categories

• Vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitoes or insects (malaria, Zika, dengue, West Nile virus).
• Blood-transmissible infections linked to invasive procedures (tattoos, acupuncture, dental care).
• Emerging diseases monitored by the WHO, according to current epidemic alert zones.

Understanding these categories already means understanding why your holiday destination has a direct influence on your eligibility to donate blood.

Destinations and waiting periods: the risk map

Not all destinations carry the same level of risk for donation. In Belgium, the waiting period depends on the destination and your return date: anyone who has stayed or transited in a risk area must wait a minimum of 28 days before being able to donate blood, plasma or platelets.

Since the areas concerned change over time, always check the official list of countries and regions published by the Blood Service before travelling to a centre: donneurdesang.be.

Europe: beware of West Nile virus (summer)

Travelling in Europe is not enough to guarantee immediate eligibility to donate. Some regions of the continent (particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe) are affected by the seasonal circulation of the West Nile virus, transmitted by mosquitoes.
This virus can cause serious neurological symptoms in immunocompromised people.

The applicable waiting period depends on the area visited and the time of your stay. Check the official list of affected areas, updated by the Blood Service, to find out whether your destination triggers a waiting period.

Good to know: even a short stay of a few days in a risk area is enough to trigger a waiting period.

Tropical areas: malaria, Zika, dengue

This is the category where the rules are most important to know, and the least well known by travellers.

Malaria remains the most common contraindication after travelling in an intertropical zone (sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, Central and South America, Oceania).

Please note: in Belgium, waiting periods vary depending on the type of donation.

• For a trip to a country at risk of malaria (excluding other contraindications), plasma donation may be possible 1 month after returning.
• Whole blood donation, on the other hand, may be possible 4 months after returning.
• In the case of confirmed malaria, longer waiting periods may apply, and a test may be considered. Always disclose your situation during the pre-donation interview.

For the Zika virus, dengue and other vector-borne diseases, don't rely on fixed waiting periods per disease: the Belgian rules are structured by country and region, and regularly updated. The general rule remains: a minimum of 28 days after a stay in a risk area, but only the official list is authoritative.

Reference: List of countries and regions - Blood Service

Other travel-related exclusions

Infectious risk is not limited to mosquitoes. Certain procedures carried out before, during or after a trip can also defer your eligibility to donate.

Tattoos, piercings, permanent make-up, acupuncture: what are the waiting periods?

In Belgium, after a tattoo, a piercing (including earrings) or permanent make-up, you must wait 4 months before donating blood. This waiting period applies regardless of the destination where the procedure was carried out.

For acupuncture, you can donate if the session was carried out with sterile, single-use needles. Otherwise, a 4-month waiting period applies.

These rules apply regardless of the country where the procedure was carried out. If in doubt about the hygiene conditions, always mention it during the pre-donation interview.

Invasive dental care

An extraction, a crown fitting or a deep scaling may lead to a deferral of donation depending on the conditions under which they were carried out. Report any recent invasive dental care during your pre-donation interview. The medical team will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.

Transfusions and transplants

If you have received a blood transfusion or undergone a tissue transplant, a temporary exclusion period (or even a permanent one, depending on the case) applies. These situations are assessed individually by the donation centre.

Remember: always mention all your recent medical and cosmetic procedures during the pre-donation interview. No piece of information is trivial for the medical team.

Sexually transmitted infections

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are also a risk that can explain a waiting period before being able to donate blood.

The right reflex: take the online test before travelling to the centre

You now know the main rules. But between a destination, a return date and a recent invasive procedure, it can be hard to know for certain whether you are eligible today.

It is precisely to avoid this uncertainty, and to save you an unnecessary trip, that the Blood Service provides online self-assessment tools.

The official tools to check

In Belgium, the Blood Service (Red Cross Belgium) provides an official list of at-risk countries and regions, as well as tools to estimate your waiting period before donating. These resources are regularly updated based on global epidemiological data.

To check before booking an appointment:

• Official list of at-risk countries and regions
• Self-assessment tools - donneurdesang.be

Before your next appointment at a donation centre, remember three simple reflexes:

• Note down your destinations as soon as you return, along with your travel dates.
• Report any recent invasive procedure (tattoo, dental care, acupuncture).
• Check the official list and online tools before travelling to the centre.

And if your donation has to wait a few weeks? Book a date. Your gesture will have exactly the same value; perhaps even more, since it will have been carefully prepared.

Frequently asked questions about donating blood after a trip abroad

First published: 02/2020 - Updated: 06/2026