Dog or cat from Ecuador to Switzerland: the rules

Dogs

1. Get ready

   1. IdentificationEntering Switzerland

      Microchip

      Your pet must be microchipped before (or at the same time as) its rabies vaccination.

      Details and the official words

      “All animals must be chipped (before the rabies vaccination) and must have a valid rabies vaccination and the necessary supporting documents.”

      “vaccinations are valid only after microchip implantation”

   2. VaccinationEntering Switzerland

      Rabies vaccination

      Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when first vaccinated. The vaccination becomes valid 21 days later; keep boosters up to date so there's no gap.

      Details and the official words

      “The first vaccination is possible from the age of 12 weeks.”

      “It only takes effect (in other words becomes valid) 21 days later.”

      “above an age of 12 weeks and without lapses in vaccination”

   3. Blood testEntering Switzerland

      Rabies antibody blood test (titer)

      Because your pet comes from (or was recently in) a rabies-risk country, a vet takes a blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and an EU-approved laboratory must measure at least 0.5 IU/ml. Your pet can enter Switzerland no earlier than 3 months after the blood sample.

      Details and the official words

      The FSVO says the 3-month wait applies to the first entry and to animals vaccinated and/or tested in a third country. We always show it; a Swiss pet tested in Switzerland before it left may not need to wait — check with the FSVO.

      List of approved labs: 'EU-designated laboratories for performing rabies antibody titration tests' (linked from the FSVO page).

      If this is missed: If the waiting period isn't over, the FSVO writes the earliest entry date on the authorisation ('import not before').

      “To confirm the effectiveness of rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody test (titration) from a designated laboratory is required and long waiting times have to be complied with.”

      “only tests from EU-approved laboratories and with blood samples that were taken at least 30 days after rabies vaccination are valid”

      “enter 3 months at the earliest after the blood sampling. This applies to the first entry and for animals that were vaccinated and/or tested in a third country”

   4. PermitEntering Switzerland

      FSVO import authorisation (flying in from a rabies-risk country)

      For a pet flying into Zurich, Geneva or Basel from (or after a stay in) a rabies-risk country, send the FSVO application form (one per animal, with the microchip, vaccination and lab report proofs) to infobew@blv.admin.ch at least 21 days before the planned entry date.

      Details and the official words

      The authorisation is needed when the pet enters by direct flight through Zurich, Geneva or Basel airport and travels with its owner (or a person with written power of attorney).

      If the authorisation says 'only valid with veterinary certificate', the pet also needs the health certificate below.

      “For direct entry by plane an import authorisation from the FSVO is also required.”

      “sent 21 days at the latest before the planned date of entry”

2. In the days before you travel

   1. Vet examLeaving Ecuador

      Health check by a vet registered with Agrocalidad (valid 10 days)

      A vet registered with Agrocalidad examines your pet and enters the health certification online in Agrocalidad's GUIA system, checking your destination's requirements. The health certification is valid for 10 days. The vet attaches the original vaccination card (vaccines and dates, microchip date, sterilisation if any, internal and external parasite treatments) and any extra document your destination asks for.

      Details and the official words

      “La certificación de salud animal tendrá una vigencia de 10 días, la información de la inspección clínica será ingresada en línea mediante el Sistema GUIA habilitado para cada médico veterinario registrado ante la Agencia, donde deberá cumplir las exigencias sanitarias establecidas por el país destino.”

      “El Médico Veterinario Registrado ante AGROCALIDAD deberá adjuntar los siguientes requisitos en el sistema GUIA y aquellos adicionales que establezca el país de destino en formato PDF.”

      “Carnet de vacunas original, debe incluir las fechas y vacunas aplicadas, fecha de aplicación del microchip y esterilización (si corresponde), así como, las fechas de las desparasitaciones internas y externas.”

   2. PaperworkEcuador and Switzerland

      Veterinary health certificate

      Your pet needs the veterinary health certificate (EU model) issued by the authorities of the country you're travelling from. It's valid for 10 days from issue to the entry check. If your pet already met Switzerland's requirements before it left (e.g. a Swiss pet coming home), a valid Swiss or EU pet passport is enough instead.

      Details and the official words

      Agrocalidad export health certificate: Once the request is approved, you collect the paper certificate at the Agrocalidad office or exit border post your vet chose. Its dates follow the destination's rules for the certificate.

      “If your animal already meets the necessary requirements before travelling to Switzerland, you will need a valid Swiss or EU pet passport.”

      “If your animal does not meet the requirements that apply in Switzerland, or the animal is travelling to Switzerland for the first time, you will need the veterinary certificate below, which is issued by the authorities in the exporting country”

      “This animal health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian”

      “not less than 90 days prior to the date of issue of this animal health certificate”

      “Una vez aprobada su solicitud podrá retirar el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación, de forma física en la oficina de la Agencia o punto fronterizo de salida que seleccionó en la solicitud.”

   3. Official stampLeaving Ecuador

      Your vet requests Agrocalidad's export health certificate, at least 72 hours before the trip

      Your registered vet sends the request for the export health certificate in GUIA at least 72 hours before the trip and chooses the Agrocalidad office (or exit border post) where you collect the paper certificate, giving the request number. It costs USD 28.90 per animal, debited from the vet's GUIA account: settle it with your vet.

      Details and the official words

      “Para poder solicitar el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación de animales de compañía convencionales el Médico veterinario registrado, deberá enviar la solicitud 72 horas previas al viaje y seleccionar la oficina de AGROCALIDAD más cercana para retirar el documento en físico.”

      “Recordar que el valor del Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación emitido por la Agencia es de $28,90 dólares por animal”

3. Travel day and arrival

   1. RouteEntering Switzerland

      Entry check at an approved entry point

      Coming from outside Europe, your pet must have an entry check: fly into Basel, Geneva or Zurich (in the cabin or as excess baggage) and take the red customs exit with your pet and its documents.

      Details and the official words

      If this is missed: During the mandatory entry control, animals with missing documents are refused entry.

      “An entry control must always be carried out. You must present the animal at the red customs exit.”

      “Animals can be directly brought into Switzerland by plane either accompanied (in the passenger cabin or as excess luggage) via the airports in Basel, Geneva or Zurich”

Cats

1. Get ready

   1. IdentificationEntering Switzerland

      Microchip

      Your pet must be microchipped before (or at the same time as) its rabies vaccination.

      Details and the official words

      “All animals must be chipped (before the rabies vaccination) and must have a valid rabies vaccination and the necessary supporting documents.”

      “vaccinations are valid only after microchip implantation”

   2. VaccinationEntering Switzerland

      Rabies vaccination

      Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when first vaccinated. The vaccination becomes valid 21 days later; keep boosters up to date so there's no gap.

      Details and the official words

      “The first vaccination is possible from the age of 12 weeks.”

      “It only takes effect (in other words becomes valid) 21 days later.”

      “above an age of 12 weeks and without lapses in vaccination”

   3. Blood testEntering Switzerland

      Rabies antibody blood test (titer)

      Because your pet comes from (or was recently in) a rabies-risk country, a vet takes a blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and an EU-approved laboratory must measure at least 0.5 IU/ml. Your pet can enter Switzerland no earlier than 3 months after the blood sample.

      Details and the official words

      The FSVO says the 3-month wait applies to the first entry and to animals vaccinated and/or tested in a third country. We always show it; a Swiss pet tested in Switzerland before it left may not need to wait — check with the FSVO.

      List of approved labs: 'EU-designated laboratories for performing rabies antibody titration tests' (linked from the FSVO page).

      If this is missed: If the waiting period isn't over, the FSVO writes the earliest entry date on the authorisation ('import not before').

      “To confirm the effectiveness of rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody test (titration) from a designated laboratory is required and long waiting times have to be complied with.”

      “only tests from EU-approved laboratories and with blood samples that were taken at least 30 days after rabies vaccination are valid”

      “enter 3 months at the earliest after the blood sampling. This applies to the first entry and for animals that were vaccinated and/or tested in a third country”

   4. PermitEntering Switzerland

      FSVO import authorisation (flying in from a rabies-risk country)

      For a pet flying into Zurich, Geneva or Basel from (or after a stay in) a rabies-risk country, send the FSVO application form (one per animal, with the microchip, vaccination and lab report proofs) to infobew@blv.admin.ch at least 21 days before the planned entry date.

      Details and the official words

      The authorisation is needed when the pet enters by direct flight through Zurich, Geneva or Basel airport and travels with its owner (or a person with written power of attorney).

      If the authorisation says 'only valid with veterinary certificate', the pet also needs the health certificate below.

      “For direct entry by plane an import authorisation from the FSVO is also required.”

      “sent 21 days at the latest before the planned date of entry”

2. In the days before you travel

   1. Vet examLeaving Ecuador

      Health check by a vet registered with Agrocalidad (valid 10 days)

      A vet registered with Agrocalidad examines your pet and enters the health certification online in Agrocalidad's GUIA system, checking your destination's requirements. The health certification is valid for 10 days. The vet attaches the original vaccination card (vaccines and dates, microchip date, sterilisation if any, internal and external parasite treatments) and any extra document your destination asks for.

      Details and the official words

      “La certificación de salud animal tendrá una vigencia de 10 días, la información de la inspección clínica será ingresada en línea mediante el Sistema GUIA habilitado para cada médico veterinario registrado ante la Agencia, donde deberá cumplir las exigencias sanitarias establecidas por el país destino.”

      “El Médico Veterinario Registrado ante AGROCALIDAD deberá adjuntar los siguientes requisitos en el sistema GUIA y aquellos adicionales que establezca el país de destino en formato PDF.”

      “Carnet de vacunas original, debe incluir las fechas y vacunas aplicadas, fecha de aplicación del microchip y esterilización (si corresponde), así como, las fechas de las desparasitaciones internas y externas.”

   2. PaperworkEcuador and Switzerland

      Veterinary health certificate

      Your pet needs the veterinary health certificate (EU model) issued by the authorities of the country you're travelling from. It's valid for 10 days from issue to the entry check. If your pet already met Switzerland's requirements before it left (e.g. a Swiss pet coming home), a valid Swiss or EU pet passport is enough instead.

      Details and the official words

      Agrocalidad export health certificate: Once the request is approved, you collect the paper certificate at the Agrocalidad office or exit border post your vet chose. Its dates follow the destination's rules for the certificate.

      “If your animal already meets the necessary requirements before travelling to Switzerland, you will need a valid Swiss or EU pet passport.”

      “If your animal does not meet the requirements that apply in Switzerland, or the animal is travelling to Switzerland for the first time, you will need the veterinary certificate below, which is issued by the authorities in the exporting country”

      “This animal health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian”

      “not less than 90 days prior to the date of issue of this animal health certificate”

      “Una vez aprobada su solicitud podrá retirar el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación, de forma física en la oficina de la Agencia o punto fronterizo de salida que seleccionó en la solicitud.”

   3. Official stampLeaving Ecuador

      Your vet requests Agrocalidad's export health certificate, at least 72 hours before the trip

      Your registered vet sends the request for the export health certificate in GUIA at least 72 hours before the trip and chooses the Agrocalidad office (or exit border post) where you collect the paper certificate, giving the request number. It costs USD 28.90 per animal, debited from the vet's GUIA account: settle it with your vet.

      Details and the official words

      “Para poder solicitar el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación de animales de compañía convencionales el Médico veterinario registrado, deberá enviar la solicitud 72 horas previas al viaje y seleccionar la oficina de AGROCALIDAD más cercana para retirar el documento en físico.”

      “Recordar que el valor del Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación emitido por la Agencia es de $28,90 dólares por animal”

3. Travel day and arrival

   1. RouteEntering Switzerland

      Entry check at an approved entry point

      Coming from outside Europe, your pet must have an entry check: fly into Basel, Geneva or Zurich (in the cabin or as excess baggage) and take the red customs exit with your pet and its documents.

      Details and the official words

      If this is missed: During the mandatory entry control, animals with missing documents are refused entry.

      “An entry control must always be carried out. You must present the animal at the red customs exit.”

      “Animals can be directly brought into Switzerland by plane either accompanied (in the passenger cabin or as excess luggage) via the airports in Basel, Geneva or Zurich”

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Ecuador (dogs).

The trip back asks for 6 steps: older than 4 months, identified by name, tattoo or microchip, vet examination within 10 days before the trip, internal and external parasite treatment within 21 days before boarding and rabies vaccination valid on arrival (a first vaccination at least 14 days before) and more.

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Ecuador (cats).

The trip back asks for 6 steps: older than 4 months, identified by name, tattoo or microchip, vet examination within 10 days before the trip, internal and external parasite treatment within 21 days before boarding and rabies vaccination valid on arrival (a first vaccination at least 14 days before) and more.