Bringing a dog or cat to Colombia
Fairly easy: no titer or permit in advance. Pets need an official health certificate dated within 10 days of entry, a rabies vaccine (21+ days for a first dose), core vaccines, and parasite treatment within 60 days. ICA inspects every pet on arrival and issues a CIS certificate, which you can request and pay for online beforehand.
Which rules apply to you
Colombia sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All countriesDogs and cats from any country. | No | — | No | Only if rules not met |
Step by step
Vaccinate
Dogs: rabies plus distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and coronavirus (and leptospirosis if given). Cats: rabies and feline panleukopenia. A first rabies vaccine must be given at least 21 days before shipment.
Treat for parasites
Give internal and external parasite treatment within 60 days before travel. Record the product, active ingredient and date on the certificate.
Get an official health certificate
The origin country's official authority issues or endorses it no more than 10 calendar days before entry. It lists species, breed, sex, age, colour, markings and microchip (if any), and states that the pet is healthy and fit to travel.
Request the CIS online
Register as a traveller-importer in ICA's SISPAP system, request the Certificado de Inspección Sanitaria (CIS), pay, and print the request and receipt. One request covers up to 5 pets of the same species. You can also pay at the ICA airport office by card only.
Report to ICA on arrival
Take the pet and documents to the ICA office at the airport, port or border. ICA checks the papers, inspects the animal and issues the CIS.
No quarantine if compliant. Pets under 15 weeks (unvaccinated), pets from countries that do not vaccinate against rabies, or pets without a valid certificate but with current vaccines can face home quarantine (at least 15 days) at the owner's cost. Other failures can lead to retention or return.
Good to know
- Cats
- Same process. Cats need rabies and feline panleukopenia vaccines (missing panleukopenia can be given after arrival at the owner's cost).
- How many pets
- Up to 5 pets of the same species per CIS request. No overall limit was found.
- Parasite treatment
- Internal and external parasite treatment within 60 days before shipment (dogs and cats).
- Arrival
- International airports, seaports and land borders with an ICA office.
- A microchip is not required to enter, but if the pet has one it must be listed on the certificate. (Pets under 12 months leaving Colombia need a 15-digit chip.)
- Colombia is on CDC's high-risk dog rabies list. Taking a dog from Colombia to the US triggers the strict CDC rules.
- Colombian national law (Ley 746/2002 and Código de Policía) sets muzzle, leash and insurance rules for listed 'potentially dangerous' breeds. It is not an import ban.
What we could not confirm
- ICA published a draft resolution on international pet travel in 2025. Whether it was adopted and changed these rules was not confirmed.
- The CIS fee amount and ICA office hours were not found.
- The 15-week minimum age comes from the USDA-issued Colombia certificate and the ICA ABC page ('approximately 15 weeks'). Unvaccinated younger animals may enter with home quarantine.
- The 15-day home-quarantine option for pets without a valid certificate comes from a 2021 news report.
Sources
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA) before booking.