Travelling to Argentina with your pet

The main document for entering Argentina with dogs and cats is the CVI, issued, signed and stamped by the veterinary authority of the country of departure: in Italy the official ASL vet, based on the data prepared by your own vet.

• One of the CVI's languages must be Spanish: use a bilingual model, such as the guidance model published by SENASA.
• It must show the rabies vaccination, parasite treatment and health certificate.
• It is valid for 60 days from issue, provided the rabies vaccination is valid on the day of entry.

You keep the original; it must not be retained at the border.

Instead of the CVI, SENASA accepts an official legalised passport, including the EU pet passport, on these conditions:

• it must be valid and contain the required health information: rabies vaccination, parasite treatment and clinical examination;
• it must be endorsed with the signature and stamp of the veterinary authority of the country of departure before boarding (in Italy, the ASL);
• besides Spanish, only English is accepted.

It is valid for 60 days from endorsement, with a valid rabies vaccination on entry. A passport without official endorsement is not accepted.

Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine authorised in the country of departure and with current immunity, according to the duration set by the vaccine manufacturer.

If it is the first vaccination, it must have been given at least 21 days before entry into Argentina. The vaccine must be valid on the day of entry, not just on the certificate date: check the expiry if your trip is long.

You keep the original vaccination record.

For dogs and cats under 3 months the veterinary authority must certify:

• the animal's age;
• that it has not been on any premises where a case of urban rabies occurred in the 90 days before boarding.

Mind the return: Italy does not accept puppies or kittens not vaccinated against rabies. To come back the animal must be at least 12 weeks old at vaccination and then wait 21 days, so such a young animal could not return before about 15 weeks of age.

The animal must receive a treatment against internal and external parasites (dewormer and flea and tick product) within the 15 days before the CVI is issued or the passport is endorsed, using veterinary products approved in the country of departure.

The treatment must be recorded in the CVI or passport with its date and the product used. If the CVI is issued a few days before departure, you can have the treatment done at the same visit where your vet prepares the health certificate.

Before the CVI you need a health certificate issued by an authorised vet in the country of departure (in Italy your own private vet can issue it) within the 10 days before the CVI is issued.

It must state that the animal is clinically healthy, shows no signs of parasites and is fit to travel.

A typical schedule: check-up, certificate and parasite treatment at your vet; in the following days, the CVI or passport endorsement at the ASL; departure within the 60-day validity.

On arrival SENASA staff at the border post check the documents (CVI or passport), the animal and its identity.

• If the animal travels with you (in the cabin or hold), no import request or advance notice is needed and the check is free of charge.
• If it travels as cargo without you, the forwarder must notify the border post at least 24 working hours in advance and the entry permit fee must be paid.

If the requirements are not met, SENASA may refuse, send back or detain the animal, at the owner's expense.

The rules described apply only to dogs and cats. For so-called non-traditional pets (ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, birds and similar) you need a SENASA import authorisation obtained before the trip, in addition to the veterinary certificate from the country of departure.

Requirements, timing and costs vary by species: start the application well in advance through SENASA's dedicated procedure and do not travel without the authorisation. Argentine consulates do not issue permits for bringing animals in.

Argentina is on the EU list of low rabies-risk countries, so no antibody titre test is needed to return to Italy.

• If the animal lives in Italy and the rabies vaccination recorded in its passport stays valid for the whole trip, the EU passport is enough on return.
• If the vaccine expires or is redone in Argentina, you need the EU animal health certificate issued by the Argentine authority within 10 days before arrival.

Coming from a third country, you must still enter through a travellers' point of entry (for example Fiumicino or Malpensa) and report for checks.