Country entry guide · South America
Traveling to Colombia with your dog
Colombia welcomes dogs, and it runs one uniform national scheme managed by the ICA (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario), the official animal-health authority. There is no EU pet passport here: the key document is a Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS) that the ICA issues at the airport, seaport or land border when you arrive. Before you travel you register online and pay, then carry an official veterinary health certificate from your country of origin (issued within 10 days), proof of a valid rabies vaccination and several other canine vaccinations, and evidence of internal and external parasite treatment. Colombia asks for no rabies antibody test and no routine quarantine for a compliant, healthy pet. One important warning: Colombian law bans the import of certain pit-bull-type and "potentially dangerous" breeds. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and when, before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes (some breeds banned) |
| Microchip | Not required (recommended for ID) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required |
| Other canine vaccinations | Required (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza) |
| Official veterinary certificate + CIS | Required |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Required |
| Quarantine | Not required for a compliant, healthy pet |
⏱️ 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 Colombia
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Colombia (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Colombia★★★★★
Colombia applies its own ICA scheme: an official health certificate, a valid rabies vaccination plus other canine vaccinations, internal and external parasite treatment, and a Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS) issued on arrival after online registration and payment. No microchip and no rabies antibody test are demanded — but certain breeds are banned from import.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The health and vaccination certificate must be issued or endorsed by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, with its seal and signature, and dated no more than 10 calendar days before entry. Its timing drives your whole preparation. No apostille or consular legalization is required.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
If rabies vaccination is not practised in the origin country, the official service must certify this; the dog may then enter only on condition of a home quarantine during which it is vaccinated in Colombia by an ICA-registered veterinarian. The dog's health status on arrival always decides acceptance.
So read the requirements below as Colombia's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin, breed and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Not required | — | The ICA identifies the dog by its physical characteristics (species, breed, sex, age, coat colour and distinguishing marks). A microchip is not demanded for entry, but is strongly advised for identification and the return trip. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | A current rabies vaccination is required, certified with vaccine name, lot number, date and validity. A first (primary) rabies vaccination must be given at least 21 days before the shipment date. | If rabies vaccination is not carried out in the origin country, the official veterinary service must certify this; the dog then enters only under a home quarantine, during which it is vaccinated in Colombia by an ICA-registered vet with ICA-registered products. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required | — | Colombia does not require a rabies antibody test to enter. The ICA only recommends it for pets that will later return to the European Union or to other countries that demand it — that is, before leaving Colombia, not to enter it. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Other canine vaccinations | Required | For dogs the certificate must show current vaccination against distemper (Carré), canine hepatitis, leptospirosis (canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae), parvovirus, coronavirus and parainfluenza, each with product name, lot, date and validity. | If one of these vaccinations is not administered in the origin country, the official service must certify this; the dog is then allowed to enter without a home quarantine (only missing rabies vaccination triggers quarantine). | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Official veterinary health certificate | Required | Original certificate issued or endorsed by the official veterinary authority of the origin country, with seal and signature (handwritten or electronic), dated no more than 10 calendar days before entry. It certifies the dog's characteristics, freedom from infectious and parasitic diseases, parasite treatment and fitness to travel. | No apostille or consular legalization is required for cats and dogs. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Required | The dog must have received internal and external antiparasitic treatment within the 60 days before travel, with products authorised in the origin country; the certificate must state the product name, active ingredient and date of administration. | — | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Advance ICA registration & CIS request (SISPAP) | Required before arrival | Before travelling, register as an ICA user online, then request the Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS) in the SISPAP system, enter the traveller and pet data, pay, and print the request and payment receipt to present on arrival. | If the online request is impossible, it can be completed at the ICA office at the point of entry, presenting the pet and the physical documents and paying on site (card only, no cash). Up to 10 animals of the same species per request. | ICA — Guía de registro del viajero y pago del CIS |
| Border check & CIS issuance (ICA inspection) | Required on arrival | At the airport, seaport or land border, the ICA veterinarian performs a documentary inspection (certificate, vaccination record, request and payment) and a physical inspection of the dog, then issues the Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS) if everything is satisfactory. | If the inspection is not satisfactory, the ICA may apply retention, home quarantine, re-shipment (reembarque) or humane sanitary sacrifice, depending on the dog's health; all costs fall on the owner. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Minimum age | At least 15 weeks | The minimum age to enter the country is 15 weeks. This aligns with the rule that a primary rabies vaccination must be given at least 21 days before shipment. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
| Restricted / banned breeds | Import prohibited for listed breeds | Colombian law prohibits importing pit-bull-type dogs — Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Terrier — and their crosses or hybrids. The ICA also states that dogs classed as 'potentially dangerous' under the National Police and Coexistence Code cannot enter the country. | Check your dog's breed against the current legislation before booking — a banned breed will be refused entry regardless of its documents. | Ley 746 de 2002; Ley 1801 de 2016 (Código Nacional de Policía y Convivencia) |
| Quarantine | Not required (conditional cases only) | No routine quarantine for a compliant, healthy pet. | A home quarantine applies only where rabies vaccination is not available in the origin country (to be vaccinated in Colombia), or as a sanitary measure if the arrival inspection is not satisfactory. | ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Standard scheme — health certificate + CIS
For almost every origin the path is the same. Before travelling you register as an ICA user online and request the Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS) via SISPAP, entering your and your dog's details and paying. Your dog needs an official veterinary health certificate from the origin country (issued within 10 days, with seal and signature), proof of a valid rabies vaccination and the other canine vaccinations, and internal and external parasite treatment within 60 days. On arrival the ICA inspects the documents and the dog and issues the CIS. No microchip, no antibody test and no apostille are required.
Where rabies vaccination is not available at origin
If your dog comes from a country where rabies vaccination is not carried out, the official veterinary service must certify that fact. The dog may then enter only on condition of a home quarantine, during which it must be vaccinated against rabies in Colombia by an ICA-registered veterinarian using ICA-registered vaccines. All other requirements — health certificate, other vaccinations, parasite treatment, CIS — still apply.
Banned breeds & non-compliant arrivals
Certain breeds cannot be imported at all: Colombian law bans pit-bull-type dogs (Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier) and their crosses, and the ICA states that 'potentially dangerous' breeds under the National Police Code may not enter. If a dog arrives without meeting the sanitary requirements, the ICA may apply retention, home quarantine, re-shipment or humane sanitary sacrifice; the resulting costs fall on the owner.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Colombia centres on the ICA office at your point of entry.
- Go straight to the ICA office at the airport, seaport or land border where you enter, with your dog and all documents, to obtain the Sanitary Inspection Certificate (CIS).
- The ICA carries out a documentary inspection (health certificate, vaccination record, printed CIS request and payment receipt) followed by a physical inspection of the dog.
- Payment is by card only (debit/credit) — the ICA does not accept cash. For pets in the cabin or as accompanied baggage, pay the ICA officer at the international pier; for pets arriving as cargo, pay by bank transfer, PSE or Baloto points.
- The official health certificate is valid only if issued within the 10 calendar days before entry, so time your departure accordingly.
- If documents are missing or the dog does not pass inspection, the ICA may apply retention, home quarantine, re-shipment or humane sanitary sacrifice, at the owner's expense.
- A banned breed will be refused entry regardless of its paperwork, so verify the breed rules before you travel.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Unlike many countries, Colombia does restrict certain breeds at the border. Colombian law bans the import of specific pit-bull-type dogs, and the ICA's official guidance states that 'potentially dangerous' breeds cannot enter the country. This is an entry restriction, not only an ownership rule.
Import prohibited: Colombian law (Ley 746 de 2002) prohibits importing Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Terrier dogs, and any crosses or hybrids of these breeds, given their classification as highly dangerous.
Potentially dangerous breeds: the National Police and Coexistence Code (Ley 1801 de 2016, Chapter IV) defines a wider list of 'potentially dangerous' dogs, and the ICA's official notice states that such dogs cannot enter Colombia. If your dog could fall into this category, confirm its status against the Code before booking.
Because these are import restrictions, verify your dog's breed before you book. A prohibited breed will be refused entry even with a perfect health certificate and CIS request.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Colombia
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Register as an ICA user online and request the CIS via SISPAP; pay and print the request and payment receipt
- ☐Official veterinary health certificate from the origin country, sealed and signed, issued within 10 calendar days before entry
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (primary shot at least 21 days before shipment); dog at least 15 weeks old
- ☐Other canine vaccinations current: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza
- ☐Internal & external parasite treatment within 60 days before travel (product, active ingredient, date)
- ☐Original vaccination record (booklet, passport or equivalent) showing product, lot, date and validity
- ☐Check your dog is not a banned or 'potentially dangerous' breed under Colombian law
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if in the hold; a card to pay the ICA (no cash)
📚 Official sources
- ICA — Ingreso de perros y gatos a Colombia (entry requirements)
- ICA — Entry and exit of companion animals (dogs & cats) hub
- ICA — Traveller registration guide & CIS payment (Guía de registro del viajero)
- ICA — News: Requirements to enter Colombia with your pet
- ICA — ABC for entering Colombia with your pet
- Ley 1801 de 2016 — National Police and Coexistence Code (potentially dangerous dogs, Ch. IV)