Bringing a Dog or Cat to Colombia: Entry Rules

Dogs and cats entering Colombia need a health certificate, current vaccine records and an arrival inspection by the animal-health authority (ICA). The certificate’s issue date must fall within 10 calendar days before entry (ICA requirements). It needs official issue or endorsement.

Who it applies to

This guide covers dogs and cats traveling as accompanied baggage or cargo. Other animals need their own ICA rules. Airlines set their own transport rules, as USDA APHIS explains. Airline acceptance does not replace ICA clearance.

Steps

Check the return country's requirements before booking the outward trip.
Ask the airline about its pet transport rules for every flight.
Give the veterinarian the current ICA requirements and the full itinerary.
Arrange the required vaccines and parasite treatment with the veterinarian.
Obtain the health certificate and the origin country's official endorsement when needed.
Register through the ICA entry page for its online system, SISPAP.
Submit the request for the sanitary inspection certificate (Certificado de Inspección Sanitaria, CIS).
Pay the applicable inspection charge through the official process.
Print the request and payment receipt.
Take the pet and documents to the ICA office at the arrival airport, port or border crossing.

ICA checks the documents and the animal. It issues the CIS if those checks are satisfactory. If SISPAP cannot process the request, ICA describes an arrival-office route with the pet, paper documents and payment. This fallback does not waive health requirements.

Costs

ICA charges for inspection and the CIS. Use the tariff link on the official entry page for the current amount. This guide quotes no fee. ICA says the arrival office accepts listed debit and credit cards, not cash. Veterinary and airline charges are separate.

Documents

Original health certificate issued or endorsed by the origin country's official animal-health authority.
Current vaccine record with vaccine name, batch number, administration date and validity.
Printed CIS request and payment receipt.

The health certificate must identify the animal. It must confirm freedom from infectious and parasitic disease and fitness for transport. It must record internal and external parasite treatment within 60 days before travel. The record includes product, active ingredient and treatment date.

For departure from the US, APHIS requires a USDA-accredited veterinarian's certificate with USDA endorsement. It also requires a photocopy of the original health certificate. APHIS says that certificate does not need a notary signature or Colombian consular stamp.

Vaccines in ICA's checklist

Animal	Listed vaccines
Dog	Rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, canine coronavirus and parainfluenza. ICA specifies canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae for leptospirosis.
Cat	Rabies, feline panleukopenia, feline viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus.

A veterinarian must compare the record with ICA's list. The listed canine coronavirus vaccine is an animal vaccine.

Deadlines

Checked 25 October 2026: ICA sets a minimum entry age of 15 weeks. A first rabies vaccine must precede embarkation by at least 21 days. The health certificate must be no older than 10 calendar days at entry. That is an arrival-based limit, so delays matter.

Common mistakes

Bringing only a private vet's note: the official issue or endorsement matters.
Counting the certificate window from the wrong date: ICA uses entry into Colombia.
Planning only the outward flight: return-country documents can need action before leaving home.

Exceptions

If the origin country does not vaccinate against rabies, ICA requires an official certificate confirming that fact. Entry then involves home quarantine and vaccination by a veterinarian with a Colombian professional registration. ICA requires a vaccine registered with ICA. For other listed vaccines not used in the origin country, ICA requires official confirmation. Its page says that exception alone does not require home quarantine.

A failed inspection can lead to sanitary measures, including quarantine or return transport, at the owner's cost. ICA does not certify an animal as a service or emotional-support animal. Other rules may apply to particular dogs and travel arrangements.

Returning to the United States

CDC lists Colombia as high risk for dog rabies. Its rules examine the dog's travel during the previous 6 months. Dogs must appear healthy, be at least 6 months old and have a readable microchip. For this route, the chip must precede the rabies vaccination.

For a US-vaccinated dog, CDC's current rule requires its Dog Import Form receipt and the US-issued rabies certification form. A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes that certification before the dog leaves the US, with USDA endorsement. A USDA-endorsed export certificate issued no later than 31 July 2025 can be an alternative, with conditions. It must appear in USDA’s database and record the required age, microchip and current US rabies vaccination. Later export certificates do not replace the CDC form. Missing documents can require the foreign-vaccinated route.

The foreign-vaccinated route requires an endorsed rabies-and-microchip form, the import receipt and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal facility. Arrival must be by air at that facility's airport. Without an accepted antibody test, the reservation must include 28 days of quarantine. CDC requires English documents or certified English translations. USDA and destination-state rules also apply. Open CDC's dog-import page to reach its navigator and the full requirements. These dog rules do not establish the rules for cats.

Returning to the United Kingdom or Canada

Great Britain requires microchip, rabies and travel-document checks. Its blood-test rules apply to travel from unlisted countries. The test and waiting period need review before departure, including any return-trip exception. Dogs can also need tapeworm treatment. Northern Ireland has separate guidance. Check the exact destination and route.

Colombia is absent from the UK's listed-country table. The unlisted-country blood-test route requires sampling at least 30 days after rabies vaccination. The usual wait is 3 months from sampling. The UK page waives that wait for pets vaccinated, blood-tested and given a pet passport or Great Britain health certificate in the EU before travel to an unlisted country. The vaccine must stay current. A pet arriving from Colombia needs a Great Britain pet health certificate.

For Canada, use the CFIA pet-import tool. Select the species, age, purpose, origin and whether the owner accompanies the animal. Personal travel and commercial import are different categories. A Colombian CIS alone does not prove that every Canadian requirement is met.

For personal dogs and domestic cats, CFIA's reference rules include a rabies-vaccination certificate route. A veterinarian's certificate in English or French identifies the animal and confirms current vaccination. Age, origin and travel arrangements affect the requirements. The rules also contain alternative evidence and exemptions; use the CFIA tool to select the right category.

Human entry documents are separate: see visas, cash declarations and traveler health requirements.

Sources

Checked 25 October 2026.

Educational information, not legal or tax advice. Ask a Colombian lawyer or accountant for your case.

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Frequently asked questions

How recent must the pet’s health certificate be?

The certificate’s issue date must be within 10 calendar days before entry into Colombia. It needs official issue or endorsement. A flight delay can affect the window.

How long before travel must a first rabies vaccine be given?

ICA requires at least 21 days before embarkation for a first rabies vaccine. Its minimum entry age is 15 weeks.

Does airline approval replace the ICA inspection?

No. Airlines set transport rules. ICA checks the animal and documents at arrival before issuing the CIS if the checks are satisfactory.

Can a US-vaccinated dog return using only its usual vaccine card?

No. CDC has specific forms for dogs that visited a high-risk country. Arrange the US-issued rabies certification before leaving the US. Limited older-document alternatives have conditions.

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