Skip to content
Pawhopper

Pet travel route

Dog or cat from the Dominican Republic to Argentina

Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 3 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination, health certificate from an authorised vet and health certificate from a vet, with an up-to-date vaccination record and 2 more.

Rules checked up to 12 October 2026From 2 official pages

In short

Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving the Dominican Republic publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DIGEGA's page lists the steps and documents but gives no deadline before departure and doesn't say when the Dominican veterinary college (COLVET) stamp or the VUCE single-window process is needed. Start early and ask DIGEGA (809-535-9689, ext. 307) what applies to your destination.

At a glance

The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.

How early to start

3 weeks

if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet

Set by: Rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before entry (first vaccination))

1 day

if it is already microchipped and vaccinated

Set by: International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or legalised passport (before departure; DIGEGA answers within 1 to 24 hours: one day is our margin, not an official figure)

The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.

On this route

  • No rabies blood test
  • No import permit
  • No quarantine
  • Parasite treatment before travel

Prefer a feed reader? Dominican Republic rule changes · Argentina rule changes

Dominican Republic → Argentina

What your pet needs

In the order you do them. Each step says whether the Dominican Republic (leaving) or Argentina (entering) asks for it.

  1. Get ready

    1. VaccinationEntering Argentina

      Rabies vaccination

      Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine authorised by the authority of the country of origin and with immunity still valid according to the vaccine maker's validity period. If it is the first vaccination, it must have been given at least 21 days before entering Argentina.

      Details and the official words

      The 21-day wait only applies to a first vaccination; the plan shows it for every vaccine date, so a pet with an in-date booster can ignore it.

      The original vaccination record must not be kept by the authorities: it stays with the owner.

      “Cuando se trate de animales vacunados por primera vez, la vacuna debe haber sido aplicada al menos 21 (veintiún) días previos al ingreso a la República Argentina.”

  2. In the days before you travel

    1. Vet examEntering Argentina

      Health certificate from an authorised vet

      A vet authorised in the country of origin certifies that your pet is clinically healthy, shows no signs of parasites and is fit to travel. It is issued within the 10 days before the date the CVI is issued.

      Details and the official words

      “Emitido dentro de los 10 (diez) días previos a la fecha de emisión del CVI por un veterinario autorizado en el país de origen”

    2. Vet examLeaving the Dominican Republic

      Health certificate from a vet, with an up-to-date vaccination record

      Take your pet to a vet for a health certificate. Bring an up-to-date vaccination record with a current rabies vaccination and a current parasite treatment, a microchip where your destination requires one, and any extra document your destination asks for (such as a rabies blood test). Get the Dominican veterinary college (COLVET) signature and stamp when it is required.

      Details and the official words

      “Certificado de salud emitido por médico veterinario.”

      “Récord o tarjeta de vacunación actualizado.”

      “Vacuna antirrábica vigente.”

      “Documentación adicional exigida por el país de destino (Serología vacuna de Rabia).”

      “Obtener firma/sello del COLVET cuando sea requerido.”

    3. TreatmentEntering Argentina

      Internal and external parasite treatment

      A treatment against internal and external parasites, with a product approved by the authority of the country of origin, within the 15 days before the CVI is issued (or before the passport is endorsed).

      Details and the official words

      “Tratamiento contra parásitos internos y externos dentro de los 15 (quince) días previos a la fecha de emisión del CVI o a la intervención del pasaporte”

    4. PaperworkThe Dominican Republic and Argentina

      International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or legalised passport

      Your pet needs a CVI issued, signed and stamped by the veterinary authority of the country it comes from (one of its languages must be Spanish), or a valid official passport carrying the same health information, endorsed by the veterinary authority before boarding (English is accepted as the only alternative language besides Spanish). It is valid for 60 calendar days from issue, as long as the rabies vaccination is still valid on the day your pet enters.

      Details and the official words

      DIGEGA validates the documents; official inspection at the port of exit: Present the documents to DIGEGA (Ciudad Ganadera, Santo Domingo, Monday to Friday 8 am to 4 pm) to be signed and stamped (RD$ 500), and complete the VUCE single-window process where it applies. DIGEGA answers within 1 to 24 hours. Then go to the port of exit, where an official vet inspects your pet and issues the zoosanitary certificate.

      “deben contar con el Certificado Veterinario Internacional (CVI) o con Pasaporte oficial legalizado”

      “Uno de los idiomas del CVI debe ser el español.”

      “El CVI o el Pasaporte oficial legalizado son válidos por 60 (sesenta) días corridos desde su emisión o legalización para ingresar a la Argentina con su perro o gato, siempre que la vacuna antirrábica se encuentre vigente el día del ingreso.”

      “Presentar la documentación ante DIGEGA para validación (Firma y sellado).”

      “Realizar el proceso correspondiente en VUCE cuando aplique.”

      “Dirigirse al puerto de salida para la inspección veterinaria oficial y emisión del certificado zoosanitario correspondiente.”

      “Lunes a Viernes de 8:00 am – 4:00 pm”

      “1-24 Horas”

      “RD$ 500.00 pesos según el protocolo específico publicado por DIGEGA; conviene validar si existen costos adicionales asociados al trámite/VUCE o al destino.”

Good to know

  • SENASA's page cites MERCOSUR Resolution GMC 17/15 for the health requirements. Brazil has since adopted a newer MERCOSUR text (GMC 20/24), so Argentina's page may be updated: check it before you travel.
  • A pet from a country or zone declared rabies-free by WOAH may enter if the issuing vet authority states this on the CVI or passport. We ask for the vaccination from every pet aged 3 months or older, the safe side.
  • To take your pet back to the country it came from you need a new CVI from SENASA, unless the CVI it entered with expressly says it is valid for the return, gives a maximum period and is still valid.
  • A pet that arrives without meeting the requirements can be subjected to the health measures SENASA considers appropriate, which can include delays or re-export, and the owner pays the costs.
  • For a pet travelling with its owner as accompanied baggage, no prior import application to SENASA, no notice to the border post and no SENASA entry permit are needed. SENASA staff check the documents, the animal and its identity on arrival, at no charge.
  • Meeting DIGEGA's requirements doesn't replace your destination's entry requirements: check them before you start, as some countries ask for a microchip, a rabies blood test or other certificates. DIGEGA recommends starting well ahead of your travel date.

Money

What it costs

Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in the Dominican Republic publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.

Government fees on this route

Government fees in total: 500 DOP (each currency separately)

May also apply, depending on your case

  • SENASA check of an accompanied pet at the border (no charge)Entering ArgentinaFree
    “la verificación de mascotas que ingresan bajo la modalidad de equipaje acompañado no tiene costo alguno.”

    Ingresos con perros y/o gatos (SENASA) · as of 2026-10-09

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

We have no published vet or lab prices for the Dominican Republic yet.

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Round trip

Coming back to the Dominican Republic

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves the Dominican Republic.

The trip back asks for 6 steps: vet examination within 72 hours before departure, internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination, rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure and rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and more.

Every step from Argentina to the Dominican Republic

Nearby routes

Other routes

Where this comes from

Official sources

Questions owners ask

Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from the Dominican Republic to Argentina?

No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.

Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into Argentina?

No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.

Will my dog or cat be quarantined in Argentina?

Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.

How early should I start preparing my pet for the Dominican Republic to Argentina?

With nothing done yet, start at least 3 weeks ahead. The main steps: rabies vaccination, health certificate from an authorised vet and health certificate from a vet, with an up-to-date vaccination record and 2 more.

Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake

Read next

Turn this into dates for your pet

Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.

Make a dated plan