Destination guide
Bringing a dog or cat into the Philippines
The entry requirements for a family pet travelling with its owner, quoted from the official government pages, and what changes depending on where your pet is coming from.
Make my dated planLimited official guidance. Bureau of Animal Industry publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. This is a short summary of what the Bureau of Animal Industry publishes on its pet page and in its Citizen's Charter. The circular that sets the rules themselves (BAI Memorandum Circular 43 of 2020: the pet's minimum age, which vaccinations, parasite treatment timing, and how recent the veterinary certificate must be) is on a site that returns an error, so none of those deadlines are shown. Ask BAI (nvqsd@bai.gov.ph) before you travel.
Short summary, under review. We summarised this from a short or older official page, so it may be incomplete. Ask the official authority what else applies before you travel.
The short version
- Import permit needed
How early to start
The least time the officially fixed waiting periods allow, by where your dog is coming from. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times come on top.
| From | Microchipped and vaccinated | Nothing done yet |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No fixed wait | No fixed wait |
| United Kingdom | No fixed wait | No fixed wait |
| Canada | 1 day | 1 day |
| Australia | 2 weeks | 2 weeks |
| Germany | No fixed wait | No fixed wait |
| France | No fixed wait | No fixed wait |
| India | 7 days | 7 days |
| United Arab Emirates | No fixed wait | No fixed wait |
Every requirement
For every pet
Permit
SPS Import Clearance (SPSIC) from BAI
A dog or cat cannot enter the Philippines without an SPS import permit (SPSIC) from BAI's National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division. You apply with a letter of intent and your documents: proof of the microchip numbers, vaccination and deworming records, a photograph of the pet, the pet passport if any, a BIR-issued ID with a tax number, and a notarized affidavit of undertaking (Annex A for Filipinos, Annex C for foreigners).
Details and the official words
BAI's pages we could read give no processing time or deadline for applying.
“Acquiring SPS Import Permit is a requirement before any dog or cat can enter into the Philippines.”
“Proof of Microchip Numbers”
“Vaccination and Deworming Records”
“Photograph of the Dog and/or Cat”
Identification
Microchip (the number goes on every document)
Your pet's microchip number is part of the SPSIC application.
Details and the official words
“Proof of Microchip Numbers”
Paperwork
Export permit / international veterinary health certificate (EP/IVHC) from the exporting country
The veterinary authority of the exporting country issues the export permit / international veterinary health certificate (EP/IVHC). You present the original to the BAI quarantine officer when the pet arrives.
Details and the official words
The BAI page used to list what the certificate must state (breed, species, age, microchip number, vaccinations and parasite treatment, in English or with a translation). It no longer shows that list (checked 2026-10-12), so ask BAI what the certificate must contain.
How recent the certificate must be is not given on the pages we could read.
“Original copy of the EP/IVHC issued by the veterinary authority of the exporting country”
On arrival
Present the SPSIC and the original EP/IVHC to the BAI quarantine officer on arrival
At the international port of entry you present printed copies of the approved SPSIC and the original EP/IVHC to the BAI Veterinary Quarantine Officer (for a pet released from the cargo terminal, also the airway bill stamped by the airline). You pay the fees at the airport's veterinary quarantine office; with complete documents the pet can be released the same day.
Details and the official words
“Upon arrival of the dog/cat at any international port of entry, the consignor/consignee shall present to the BAI Veterinary Quarantine Officer (VQO) at the airport/port of entry the following documents:”
“Printed copies of the approved SPSIC;”
“Provided you have all the required documents, the animal/s can be released the same day.”
When this route doesn’t work
Not covered by us yet · The pet is being sold, adopted or rehomed
BAI treats importers who bring dogs and cats for breeding, resale or other regular business purposes differently (they need a Certificate of Accreditation). We only describe pet owners bringing their own pets.
Good to know
- A pet owner counts as a 'one-time importer' with a maximum of 3 animals once a year (or more than once a year only for the same animals, identified by microchip number).
- Fees (paid at the airport's veterinary quarantine office on arrival): SPS import clearance Php 100, lodgement Php 55, inspection Php 250 per head for the first 2 pets and Php 300 for each further pet.