Colombia does not quarantine healthy pets, and there is no rabies titer test (a blood test measuring antibody levels) required for entry. That puts it among the more accessible destinations in South America. The process takes 8 to 10 weeks from start to finish, and most relocations vary in cost depending on your pet’s size, departure city, and whether they fly in-cabin or as cargo. What makes Colombia different from most destinations is the list of additional vaccinations your pet needs beyond rabies, plus breed restrictions that cover more than a dozen types. There is also a critical detail for dog owners planning to return to the US: Colombia is classified as a CDC high-risk country for dog rabies, which creates significant requirements for re-entry. Here’s exactly how it works.
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Your pet’s vaccination history, breed, and travel method all shape the plan. Colombia requires more vaccines than most destinations and restricts more than a dozen breeds. We build each plan from scratch.
Colombia's import authority is ICA (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario), and its requirements go further than you might expect. Beyond rabies, your dog needs current vaccinations for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Coronavirus. Cats need Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia. We confirm the full vaccination checklist for your species before your first vet visit so nothing is missed.
The US has excellent direct flight options to Colombia. Miami (MIA), Houston (IAH), JFK, Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Atlanta (ATL) all offer direct routes to Bogota (BOG), Medellin (MDE), Cartagena (CTG), and Cali (CLO). We match the best routing to your departure city, your pet's size, and each airline's live-animal policy.
One coordinator handles your file from the first call through arrival and ICA inspection at the Colombian airport. They track vaccination schedules, document timelines, and airline booking windows so you always know what is happening and what comes next.
Colombia welcomes pets from the United States without quarantine and without a titer test, but the preparation involves more steps than many first-time international pet movers expect. ICA requires a specific set of vaccinations beyond rabies, and there are breed restrictions covering more than a dozen types. The process starts with confirming your pet’s vaccination history and getting any missing shots current well ahead of travel. Your USDA-accredited veterinarian then completes Colombia’s specific APHIS health certificate form, and APHIS endorses it within 10 days of departure.
If you are still in the early stages of planning, our overview of how international pet shipping works walks through the general process. If you plan to bring your dog back to the US later, read our United States import guide carefully. Colombia’s CDC high-risk status for dog rabies means the return trip has its own set of strict requirements.
We coordinate the full process for you. That includes:
To keep everything clear, we break the process into steps:
We confirm Colombia's current import rules against your pet's microchip and vaccination history, and flag anything that affects timing before you spend a dollar.
Working backward from your travel date, we sequence every milestone so nothing expires before departure.
We give your vet the correct Colombia's certificate template and confirm every field before endorsement.
We cross check the chip number, vaccination dates, and test results across every document, because one mismatch can hold a pet at arrival.
We verify the crate meets IATA standards for your route and align the booking with the airline's live animal rules.
Your pet travels on the confirmed flight, and we brief you on exactly what happens at arrival before the wheels ever leave the ground.
For the most current rules, refer to these official sources:
The US has more direct flight options to Colombia than almost any other South American destination. Multiple airlines operate daily nonstop routes from several major hubs, making routing straightforward for most pet relocations.
Colombia does not quarantine compliant pets arriving from the United States. Puppies and kittens under four months of age must complete a home observation period. No rabies titer test is required for entry. A microchip is not mandatory under ICA rules, but we strongly recommend an ISO 11784/11785 microchip because it simplifies identification across documents and is essential if you plan to return to the US.
Rabies vaccination must be given at least 21 days before travel and administered in the country of origin. Beyond rabies, dogs need current vaccinations for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Coronavirus. Cats need Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia. Internal and external parasite treatment must be completed within 60 days of travel.
Colombia restricts more than a dozen dog breeds, including American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull, Staffordshire Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doberman, Bullmastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Mastiff, and crosses of these breeds. An ICA veterinarian inspects the pet and documents at the Colombian airport, with a fee of approximately an amount that varies.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether breed restrictions or CDC return requirements affect your plan. Request a quote to get a plan built around your travel date.
The United States has a Colombia-specific APHIS health certificate form (download here). Your USDA-accredited veterinarian completes this form, and APHIS endorses it within 10 days of travel. Electronic signatures are accepted. If your pet is traveling as checked baggage or cargo (not in-cabin), SISPAP (Colombia’s online sanitary registration system) registration is required before departure. Allow 3 to 4 weeks for the SISPAP application to be processed. The APHIS endorsement fee is approximately per certificate.
Start 8 to 10 weeks before your move date. Get all vaccinations current 6 to 8 weeks before departure so there is time for any required waiting periods. If your pet travels as cargo and needs SISPAP registration, submit that application 3 to 4 weeks before travel. Schedule the health certificate examination within 10 days of departure so the APHIS endorsement and your travel date both fall inside the validity window.
This is the detail that catches dog owners off guard. Colombia is classified by the CDC as a high-risk country for dog rabies. That does not affect your dog entering Colombia, but it creates strict requirements for any dog returning to the United States. To bring a dog back from Colombia, the dog must be at least 6 months old, have an ISO-compliant microchip, carry a valid rabies vaccination issued in the US before departure, have a FAVN rabies titer test result of 0.5 IU/ml or higher, and have a completed CDC Dog Import Form submitted and approved before re-entry. The titer test alone takes several weeks to process. If you plan to return to the US with your dog, we strongly recommend completing all CDC return requirements before you leave. Plan the return before departure.
The cost of a move depends on several things: your pet’s size and weight, which set the crate and cargo price, the airline and departure city, veterinary fees for the health certificate and any required tests, government endorsement and permit fees, and how much of the process you would like us to coordinate. Because those pieces change from one pet and route to the next, we quote the full journey up front, including government fees, so there are no surprises later. Tell us your pet and your destination and we will send a clear plan and a price.
Colombia requires significantly more vaccinations than most destinations. Dogs need current shots for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Coronavirus in addition to rabies. Cats need Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia. All vaccinations must be current at the time of the health certificate examination. If your pet is behind on any of these, that is usually the first thing to address when planning the move.
Colombia restricts more than a dozen breeds. The list includes American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull, Staffordshire Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doberman, Bullmastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Mastiff, and crosses of these breeds. Restricted does not always mean banned outright, but there are strict ownership requirements, muzzle and leash rules, and liability insurance obligations in Colombia. We check the current rules for your specific breed before you commit to anything.
Yes. Colombia is classified by the CDC as a high-risk country for dog rabies. Dogs returning to the US from Colombia must have an ISO microchip, a valid US-issued rabies vaccination given before departure, and a FAVN titer test showing 0.5 IU/ml or higher. You also need to complete and get approval for the CDC Dog Import Form before re-entry. The titer test takes several weeks to process, so we recommend completing it before you leave the US. This requirement does not apply to cats.
Colombia does not require a traditional import permit for dogs and cats. However, if your pet is traveling as checked baggage or as cargo (not in the cabin with you), you need to register the shipment through SISPAP, Colombia’s online sanitary tracking system. SISPAP registration should be submitted 3 to 4 weeks before travel. In-cabin pets do not need SISPAP registration.
We handle every step from your first call through arrival and ICA inspection at the Colombian airport. That means confirming current vaccination requirements, getting missing shots scheduled, completing the Colombia-specific APHIS health certificate, handling SISPAP registration if needed, selecting a compliant crate and flight, and preparing you for the arrival inspection. If you plan to bring your dog back to the US, we also walk you through the CDC return requirements before you leave. One coordinator manages your file the entire way. Request a quote to get started with a plan built around your move date.
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