Planning to visit Brazil with your pet? Travelling to Brazil is simple, you just need to have the necessary documents and vaccinate your pet against infectious viruses.

Pets are NOT required to have a microchip to travel to Brazil. Also, if you are bringing a dog or cat, you do NOT need to obtain an import permit. For entry with any other pets, an import permit must be requested from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply.

When you travel to Brazil with a pet, you must consider the following sanitary requirements:

• Each pet must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate obtained and issued by an official veterinarian in the country of import. A pet passport is allowed, but only for those countries that approve the Brazilian pet passport (European pet passport is not suitable for entering Brazil). The veterinary certificate, like the pet passport, is valid for 60 days from the date of issue;

• Animals over 90 days old must be vaccinated against rabies. After the introduction of the first vaccine, a minimum period of 21 days must elapse;

• Young animals under 90 days of age may enter Brazil without vaccination, provided that they have been in a country with a low risk of rabies infection since birth. The veterinarian must provide written proof that the animal was less than 90 days old at the time the certificate was issued;

• Pets may be imported without proof of rabies vaccination if they come from a rabies free country, listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE);

• Within 15 days prior to the issuance of the veterinary certificate (or pet passport) the animal must be treated for external and internal parasites;

• The pet must be clinically examined by a licensed veterinary authority in the country of export within 10 days prior to receiving a veterinary certificate (or pet passport). During the examination, the doctor must confirm that the animal is completely healthy and devoid of any signs of infectious diseases.

Your pet may be denied entry to Brazil if it has previously been diagnosed with leishmaniasis.