Our pets are part of our family, we wouldn’t dare leave them behind. Moving to a different country with your beloved pet might seem like a daunting task. Don’t worry! If you’re planning on coming from USA to Panama, just follow these steps:
Step 1 – HEAD TO YOUR VET! You will need:
- Health Certificate
- Vaccination certificate for Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis, and Leptospirosis.
- Certificate of origin
HEAD TO YOUR VET! You will need
Step 2 – Send Health Certificate to the USDA in an overnight envelope.
- Health and Vaccination certificates must be certified by the USDA who have offices all over USA. The USDA typically takes 2 business days to authenticate your documents.
Step 3 – Apostille or Certification with the Panama Consulate or Embassy.
- The health, vaccination, and USDA certificates must be authenticated by the nearest Panamanian Embassy or Consulate.
- If there is not one near you, send the documents in an overnight envelope to the Consulate of Panama in Washington. The address is the following:
CONSULATE OF PANAMA
2862 McGill Terrace, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
- Please write in clear print “TRAVELING WITH PET” on the outside of the envelope that you are mailing so the consulate can process it faster.
- The Consular Fee is $30 per document, payable by money order made out to the Consulate of Panama.
- Include a self-addressed prepaid envelope for the return of your documents.
- The health certificate can also be apostilled by the Authentication Office of the Secretary of State located in the state where the document originates.
Step 4 – Receive all the paperwork back and double check the authentication.
Step 5 – Check with your airline for their guidelines on traveling with pets.
Step 6 – Home Quarantine Request (WE RECOMMEND THIS).
Home Quarantine Request (WE RECOMMEND THIS)
- Panama requires all pets entering the country to be quarantined, although we have the option of home quarantine.
- To do so, you must fill out the Home Quarantine Request Form at least five days prior to the travel day (click to download).
- Send form to camzoonosis@gmail.com and cam@minsa.gob.pa.
Step 7 – TRAVEL DAY! Make sure you have the following:
- All the requested documents above upon arrival in Panama.
- $15 per pet for animal inspection. Your pet will be checked by the airport vet.
- $10 per specie for Phytozoosanitary Importation License.
- Home Quarantine Form if you are requesting home quarantine.
- $130 per pet for home quarantine.
- The fees must be paid in cash. Bring the exact amount.
Panama is an extremely pet friendly country with countless places you can take them. There are many dog parks throughout Panama City, our favorite is El Patio in Costa del Este. This unique and fun space also has a pet store, food trucks, and a bar with craft beers and cocktails. It is the ideal place to relax at the end of the day with your friends and family while playing with your pup. You can get there using Uber by requesting the Uber Pet option in the app. If you are looking where to live, we have plenty of pet friendly properties available all over Panama. Reach out to us for more information.
