Country entry guide · South America
Traveling to Uruguay with your dog
Uruguay welcomes dogs, and it runs one uniform national scheme managed by the MGAP (Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca) through its animal-health authority, the DGSG. There is no EU pet passport here: the key document is an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of your country of origin under Mercosur Resolution GMC 17/15 — or a current official passport endorsed by that same authority. Your dog must carry an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a clinical examination, and internal and external parasite treatment (the internal product must contain praziquantel). Dogs from countries not declared free of Leishmaniosis must also show a recent negative test. Uruguay is officially rabies-free, asks for no rabies antibody test and no routine quarantine, and simply inspects your dog at the border. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and when, before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| ISO microchip | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required (exemption from a rabies-free country/zone) |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required |
| Leishmaniosis test (dogs) | Required from countries not declared free of Leishmaniosis |
| Veterinary certificate (CVI or endorsed passport) | Required |
| Parasite treatment (internal with praziquantel & 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 Uruguay
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Uruguay (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Uruguay★★★★★
Uruguay applies its own MGAP/DGSG scheme under Mercosur Res. GMC 17/15: an International Veterinary Certificate covering a clinical exam, an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and internal & external parasite treatment. A rabies antibody test is not demanded, and there is no routine quarantine — but for dogs a praziquantel dewormer and, from some origins, a Leishmaniosis test are required.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The CVI must be issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from (or an official passport endorsed by that authority before shipment). Its timing drives your whole preparation: the clinical exam within 10 days before issue, deworming within 15 days before issue.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A dog from a country/zone recognised as rabies-free by the WOAH (OMSA) may enter without rabies vaccination if the CVI certifies it. But a dog from a country not declared free of Leishmaniosis needs a negative Leishmaniosis test within 60 days, and a dog previously diagnosed with Leishmaniosis is refused entry outright.
So read the requirements below as Uruguay'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 | Required | Since 1 October 2018, dogs (resident and non-resident) must enter and leave Uruguay with individual electronic identification (microchip), associated with the International Veterinary Certificate. | The microchip requirement is set for dogs by DGSG Resolution 273/2018. (Cats are not subject to this microchip rule.) | DGSG — Resolución Nº 273 de 27/08/2018 |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | With a vaccine authorised in the country of origin and immunity still valid per the manufacturer; the CVI must state the vaccination date, type, series and brand. A first (primary) vaccination must be given at least 21 days before entry. | A dog from a country or zone meeting the WOAH (OMSA) Terrestrial Code conditions to be declared rabies-free may enter without rabies vaccination, provided this condition is certified on the CVI or passport. | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos; Res. Mercosur GMC 17/15 |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required | — | Uruguay's published entry requirements for dogs do not include a rabies antibody test for any origin. | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
| Clinical examination | Required | Carried out within the 10 days before the CVI is issued, by a registered veterinarian in the exporting country, certifying the dog is clinically healthy, free of parasitosis and fit to travel to Uruguay. | Its content is embedded in the International Veterinary Certificate (CVI). | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
| Parasite treatment (internal with praziquantel & external) | Required | Internal and external deworming, stating date and product, done within the 15 days before the CVI is issued (or before the passport is endorsed), with products approved by the origin's veterinary authority. For dogs, the internal antiparasitic must contain praziquantel as active ingredient (against Echinococcus / hydatid tapeworm). | — | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
| Leishmaniosis test (dogs) | Required from countries not declared free of Leishmaniosis | For countries that do not declare themselves free of Leishmaniosis to the WOAH (OMSA), a negative immune-response test (IFAT, ELISA or direct agglutination) or agent detection (molecular methods) is required, dated no more than 60 days before the dog's entry, performed per the WOAH Terrestrial Manual. | Uruguay will not authorise the entry of dogs previously diagnosed with Leishmaniosis. Cats are not subject to this requirement. | DGSG — Resolución Nº 326 de 31/10/2016; Res. Nº 374 de 29/11/2016 |
| International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or endorsed passport | Required | The CVI is issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of the country of origin under Mercosur Res. GMC 17/15, and presented at the border post on entry. | A current official passport is accepted instead if it carries all the required sanitary information (microchip, valid rabies vaccination, internal & external parasite treatment, health exam and, for dogs, a negative Leishmaniosis test) and is endorsed with the signature and stamp of an official veterinarian before shipment. Passports without official validation are not accepted. | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
| Advance notification / import authorization | Not required when you travel with your pet | If you enter Uruguay together with your dog, no MGAP import authorization is needed — you simply present the documents and the animal at the MGAP office at the border post on arrival. | If the dog arrives as cargo via Carrasco Airport, the arrival must be notified at least 72 working hours in advance by email to [email protected], sending the scanned sanitary documentation before shipment. | MGAP — Solicitud de ingreso con mascotas al Uruguay |
| Border check (MGAP inspection) | Required on arrival | At the MGAP office set up at the border post, staff carry out a documentary check (CVI or endorsed passport) and verify the animal on entry to the country. | For dogs and cats accompanying a traveller the entry procedure has no cost. If the stay is under 30 days, you may return with the same entry certificate provided its validity is stated on it. | MGAP — Solicitud de ingreso con mascotas al Uruguay |
| Puppies / minimum age | Special certification under 3 months | If the dog is under 3 months old, the veterinary authority must certify the animal's age and that it has not been on any premises where a case of urban rabies occurred in the 90 days before shipment. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter. | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
| Quarantine | Not required | Uruguay's published entry procedure sets no routine quarantine for a compliant, healthy pet; the dog is released after a satisfactory border inspection. | A dog that does not meet the requirements — or is diagnosed with Leishmaniosis — will not be authorised to enter. | MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Standard scheme — CVI or endorsed passport
For almost every origin the path is the same. Your dog needs an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, under Mercosur Res. GMC 17/15. It must show a clinical exam (within 10 days), an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and internal & external parasite treatment within 15 days — the internal product containing praziquantel. A current official passport carrying the same information and endorsed by an official veterinarian before shipment is accepted instead. You present the documents and the dog at the MGAP office at the border; travelling together with your pet needs no import authorization.
From a rabies-free country or zone
If your dog comes from a country or zone that meets the WOAH (OMSA) Terrestrial Code conditions to be declared free of rabies, it may enter without the rabies vaccination, provided the official veterinary authority certifies this condition on the CVI or passport. All other requirements — clinical exam, microchip, praziquantel deworming and (where applicable) the Leishmaniosis test — still apply, and there is no antibody test in any case.
Leishmaniosis origins, puppies & non-compliant arrivals
A dog from a country not declared free of Leishmaniosis to the WOAH needs a negative Leishmaniosis test dated within the 60 days before entry, and a dog previously diagnosed with Leishmaniosis is not authorised to enter at all. A puppy under 3 months needs the CVI to certify its age and that no urban-rabies case occurred where it lived in the previous 90 days. A dog that fails to meet the sanitary requirements at the border will be refused entry.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Uruguay centres on the MGAP office at your border post.
- When you travel together with your dog, go to the MGAP office at the border post (airport, port or land crossing) with the animal and all documents; no prior MGAP import authorization is required.
- MGAP staff carry out a documentary check (CVI or endorsed official passport) and verify the animal. For accompanied dogs and cats the procedure is free of charge.
- If your dog arrives as cargo via Carrasco Airport, the arrival must be notified at least 72 working hours ahead by email to [email protected], with the scanned sanitary documents sent before shipment.
- The clinical exam must be within 10 days before the CVI is issued, and deworming within 15 days before it — so time your veterinary appointments and departure carefully.
- If the stay is under 30 days, you may return with the same entry certificate, provided its validity is stated on it; otherwise you must redo the certification as for exit from Uruguay.
- If documents are missing or invalid, or the dog is diagnosed with Leishmaniosis, MGAP will refuse entry; verify every requirement before you travel.
🧳 Real traveller experience
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🚫 Restricted dogs
Uruguay has no national breed-specific import ban. National law regulates 'potentially dangerous dogs' (perros potencialmente peligrosos) for responsible ownership, not for entry at the border. A parliamentary bill proposing to prohibit the breeding and import of certain breeds has been discussed but is not law.
No banned category at entry: no dog breed is refused entry to Uruguay on the basis of its breed, provided the MGAP/DGSG sanitary requirements (CVI or endorsed passport, microchip, rabies vaccination, praziquantel deworming, Leishmaniosis test where applicable) are met.
Ownership regulation: a joint resolution (Res. 2/019, under Ley 18.471 on animal welfare and Decree 204/017) defines a 'potentially dangerous dog' not only by breed but by a typology — marked aggression, large size (over 25 kg), strong build, powerful jaws, a history of attacks, or training for attack/defence. These criteria govern ownership, breeding and presence in public spaces, not border import.
Because there is no national breed import ban, focus on the MGAP/DGSG sanitary rules for entry. If you will live in Uruguay, check the responsible-ownership rules for potentially dangerous dogs that may apply to you as a resident.
🛂 Airports in Uruguay
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐ISO microchip fitted and associated with the certificate (required for dogs since 1 October 2018)
- ☐International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) under Mercosur Res. GMC 17/15, signed and stamped by the origin's official veterinary authority — or a current official passport endorsed by an official vet
- ☐Clinical examination within 10 days before the CVI (clinically healthy, parasite-free, fit to travel)
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (primary shot at least 21 days before entry), with date, type, series and brand recorded
- ☐Internal deworming containing praziquantel plus external treatment, within 15 days before the CVI (date and product recorded)
- ☐For a dog from a country not declared free of Leishmaniosis: negative Leishmaniosis test within 60 days before entry
- ☐For a puppy under 3 months: certification of age and no urban-rabies case where it lived in the last 90 days
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if in the hold; for cargo via Carrasco, notify MGAP 72 working hours ahead
📚 Official sources
- MGAP/DGSG — Ingreso de caninos y felinos a Uruguay (entry requirements)
- MGAP — Solicitud de ingreso con mascotas al Uruguay (procedure, cargo notice, cost)
- MGAP — Travel with pets: canines or felines entry to Uruguay (English page + model CVI)
- DGSG — Resolución Nº 273 de 27/08/2018 (mandatory microchip for dogs)
- DGSG — Resolución Nº 326 de 31/10/2016 (Leishmaniosis requirements for dogs)
- Mercosur — Resolución GMC 17/15 (sanitary requirements for pet dogs & cats)
- MGAP — Resolución Nº 2/019: definition of 'potentially dangerous dog' (ownership, Ley 18.471)