Country entry guide · South America
Traveling to Chile with your dog
Chile welcomes dogs, and its entry rules are set by SAG (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero), the national agricultural and livestock authority. Chile is not part of the EU pet-passport system; it runs its own scheme. For most origins your dog needs a single document — an Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI), also presented as an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI), issued by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from within 10 days before entry. It must certify a clinical examination, permanent identification (microchip or tattoo), a valid rabies vaccination and internal and external antiparasitic treatment. Dogs coming from the European Union may instead travel on the EU pet passport. There is no kennel quarantine, but SAG asks that the dog stay confined at its destination address for 10 days after arrival. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and the timing to respect, before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Identification (microchip or tattoo) | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required (accepted as an optional alternative) |
| Zoosanitary certificate (CZI/CVI) or EU passport | Required |
| Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external) | Required |
| Post-arrival home confinement (10 days) | Required |
| Kennel quarantine | Not required |
⏱️ Estimated preparation time
Times are indicative. The rabies antibody test alone adds a fixed 3-month wait.
⚠️ Important
- MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
- Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.
Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.
Find a flight to Chile
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Chile (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Chile★★★★★
Chile applies its own SAG scheme (Resolución 6.508/2021): one Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI/CVI) covering a clinical exam, permanent identification, a valid rabies vaccination and antiparasitic treatment. No kennel quarantine, but a 10-day home confinement on arrival.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The certificate must be issued, in Spanish and the country's official language, by the official veterinary authority of the country you depart from, within 10 days before entry. EU departures may use the EU pet passport instead. This timing drives your whole preparation.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
For Chilean residents making a short trip, the return route is simpler: a dog abroad for under 21 days (under 60 days from Argentina) may re-enter on a copy of the SAG export certificate plus proof of a valid rabies vaccination.
So read the requirements below as Chile's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification (ISO microchip or tattoo) | Required | The dog must carry individual, permanent identification — a microchip compliant with ISO 11784/11785 or a legible tattoo. The ID number must match the one recorded on the veterinary certificate. | A tattoo is accepted as an alternative to a microchip, but a microchip is strongly advised (and required by most airlines). | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 (identification) |
| Clinical examination | Required | Carried out by a veterinarian within the 10 days before entry to Chile; the dog must show no clinical signs of infectious or parasitic disease. | Its content is embedded in the Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI/CVI). | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | A primary (first-in-life) rabies vaccination — regardless of the dog's age — must be given at least 21 days before entry and remain within its validity period. For a non-primary vaccination, the last two doses must be certified. | If the last two doses are not documented, the dog is treated as newly (primary) vaccinated and the 21-day rule applies. | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 (rabies vaccination) |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required (optional alternative) | SAG's published procedure accepts, as an alternative to the rabies-vaccination window, a rabies antibody test carried out between 3 and 24 months before travel. | It is not a mandatory additional test; most travellers rely on a valid rabies vaccination instead. | SAG — Autorización sanitaria para ingresar a Chile con perros y gatos |
| Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI/CVI) or EU passport | Required | Issued by the official veterinary authority of the country of origin/departure, in Spanish and the country's official language, within 10 days before travel to Chile. Valid 10 days, extendable by up to 5 days depending on travel conditions. | Dogs from EU member countries may use the EU pet passport instead. The Chile–Argentina certificate can be issued digitally and presented as a QR code at the border. | SAG — Ingreso de perros, gatos y hurones mascotas |
| Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external) | Required | A broad-spectrum internal and external antiparasitic treatment given between 5 and 30 days before entry, with a product approved in the country of origin at the manufacturer's recommended dose. The active ingredient, dose and date must appear on the certificate. | — | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 (antiparasitic treatment) |
| Advance import permit / notification | Not required for dogs (accompanied pet) | For a dog travelling as an accompanied pet, no prior SAG permit is required — checks are done on arrival at the border post. | Ferrets require a DIPROREN internment authorisation; a dog shipped as unaccompanied cargo is an importation subject to customs processing. | SAG — Ingreso de perros, gatos y hurones mascotas |
| Border check (SAG inspection) | Required on arrival | At an authorised Chilean border post, SAG verifies that the zoosanitary certificate, the EU passport or (for ferrets) the DIPROREN resolution meets the national sanitary requirements. | If the documents are not presented or requirements are not met, SAG may apply whatever sanitary measures it considers appropriate. | SAG — Ingreso de perros, gatos y hurones mascotas |
| Post-arrival home confinement | Required (10 days) | Once in Chile, the dog must remain confined at its destination address for a period of 10 days. | This is a home confinement, not a kennel quarantine; the destination address is listed on the certificate. | SAG — Autorización sanitaria para ingresar a Chile con perros y gatos |
| Minimum age / puppies | No specific SAG minimum | SAG sets no explicit minimum age: rabies vaccination is required regardless of age, with the primary dose at least 21 days before entry. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter. | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 |
| Kennel quarantine | Not required | — | There is no compulsory kennel quarantine — only the 10-day home confinement above, unless requirements are unmet and SAG imposes sanitary measures. | SAG — Res. 6.508/2021 |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
From the European Union — EU pet passport
Dogs coming from EU member countries may travel on the EU pet passport instead of an Import Zoosanitary Certificate. The underlying requirements are the same: a clinical examination within 10 days before entry, permanent identification (microchip or tattoo), a valid rabies vaccination (primary dose at least 21 days before entry) and internal & external antiparasitic treatment 5–30 days before entry. On arrival the dog stays confined at its destination address for 10 days.
From any other country — Import Zoosanitary Certificate
From all non-EU origins the path is the same. Your dog needs an Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI), presented as an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI), issued by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, in Spanish and the country's official language, within 10 days before entry. It certifies the clinical exam, identification, rabies vaccination and antiparasitic treatment. The certificate is valid 10 days (extendable by up to 5). With Argentina it can be issued digitally and shown as a QR code.
Chilean residents returning & non-compliant arrivals
A dog resident in Chile that travelled abroad for under 21 days (under 60 days from Argentina) may re-enter on a copy of the SAG export certificate (CZE) plus proof of a valid rabies vaccination, rather than a full foreign certificate. If a dog arrives without meeting the requirements, SAG may apply the sanitary measures it deems appropriate to protect the country's animal-health status; the resulting costs fall on the owner.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Chile depends on how it travels and its documents.
- At an authorised Chilean border post, SAG staff carry out a documentary and physical check of the zoosanitary certificate (or EU passport) and the dog's identification.
- As an accompanied pet, no prior SAG import permit is needed; if the dog is shipped as unaccompanied cargo, the arrival is an importation subject to customs processing.
- The certificate must be issued within 10 days before entry and is valid 10 days, extendable by up to 5 days depending on travel conditions.
- Once in Chile, the dog must remain confined at its destination address for 10 days; after entry, health rules set by the Ministry of Health also apply.
- If documents are missing or requirements are not met, SAG may apply whatever sanitary measures it considers appropriate, at the owner's expense.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Chile has no breed-specific import ban. No dog breed is refused entry on the basis of its breed, provided the SAG sanitary requirements are met. Chile does, however, regulate 'potentially dangerous' dogs for ownership under Law 21.020 (Responsible Pet Ownership, the 'Ley Cholito').
No banned category at entry: no breed is prohibited from entering Chile. Any healthy dog meeting the SAG requirements (certificate, identification, rabies vaccination, antiparasitic treatment) may be imported, regardless of breed. Note: hybrids crossing a domestic dog or cat with a wild species are prohibited from entry.
Ownership rules for 'potentially dangerous' dogs: under Law 21.020 and its regulation, breeds such as Pit Bull, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Presa Canario, Presa Mallorquín, Rottweiler, Doberman, Bullmastiff and Tosa Inu (and their crosses) are classed as potentially dangerous. Owners must be over 18, register the dog, and use a muzzle, harness and leash in public. These are ownership obligations, not entry bans.
Because there is no national breed ban at the border, focus on the SAG sanitary rules for entry. If you will live in Chile, check the Law 21.020 obligations for potentially dangerous breeds (registration on registratumascota.cl, muzzle, leash).
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Chile
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Import Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI/CVI) in Spanish, endorsed by the origin's official veterinary authority — or an EU pet passport for EU-origin dogs
- ☐Clinical examination by a vet within 10 days before entry (no signs of infectious or parasitic disease)
- ☐Permanent identification: ISO 11784/11785 microchip (or tattoo) matching the certificate
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination — primary dose at least 21 days before entry
- ☐Internal & external antiparasitic treatment 5–30 days before entry, with active ingredient, dose and date noted
- ☐Check the certificate is used within its 10-day validity (extendable up to 5 days)
- ☐Plan to keep the dog confined at its destination address for 10 days after arrival
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if in the hold
📚 Official sources
- SAG — Entry of pet dogs, cats and ferrets (Ingreso de perros, gatos y hurones mascotas)
- ChileAtiende — Sanitary authorisation to enter Chile with dogs, cats and ferrets (ficha 2602)
- SAG — Request for sanitary authorisation to enter Chile with pet dogs and cats
- SAG — Resolución Exenta N° 6.508/2021 (consolidated sanitary requirements for dogs, cats & ferrets)
- SAG — Resolución N° 3.543/2023 (modification of the pet-import requirements)
- BCN — Law 21.020 on Responsible Pet Ownership (Ley Cholito)