Nina — a 34-year-old Finnish UX designer who had decided to relocate to Medellín with her two-year-old rescue cat, Lumi — started preparing the documents six months in advance, which turned out to be exactly the right amount of time. What she hadn't anticipated was that the Colombian veterinary authority (ICA — Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario) requires that the vet certificate be issued within ten days of travel, that the rabies vaccination must have been given between 30 days and one year before arrival, and that the certificate must include specific text fields in the exact format ICA requires — not just a standard vet health certificate. The Finnish veterinarian she worked with had never exported a pet to Colombia before. Together they downloaded the ICA certificate template from the ICA website, filled it in, had it signed and stamped by the official government vet of Finland, apostilled, and translated into Spanish. Lumi landed in Bogotá with zero complications. Three other cats on the same flight from Madrid were detained for hours because their owners had used a generic EU pet passport instead of the ICA-specific certificate.
Bringing a pet to Colombia — cats, dogs, and most small animals — is entirely feasible but requires a specific documentation chain that begins weeks before travel. The Colombian veterinary authority (ICA) has specific requirements that differ from those of most European and North American countries, and the most common failure mode is presenting a valid home-country pet travel document that doesn't match the ICA format.
issued within 10 days of travel
given at least 30 days before arrival
the Colombian authority
at Colombian airport
The ICA Certificate: The Critical Document
The ICA (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario) is Colombia's agricultural and animal health authority. For any pet entering Colombia by air, an official ICA veterinary certificate is required — not a generic pet health certificate, but specifically the ICA format. The ICA publishes the required certificate template on its website (ica.gov.co). The process: download the ICA template, complete it with your vet, have it signed and stamped by a registered official veterinarian in your country, and — for countries that are ICA signatories — have it endorsed by the official veterinary authority of your country (USDA APHIS in the US, CFIA in Canada, APHA in the UK). Apostille is additionally required for countries that use the Hague Convention. The certificate must be issued within 10 days of the pet's travel date.
Vaccination Requirements
For dogs and cats, the core vaccination requirement is rabies: the vaccine must have been administered at least 30 days before arrival and no more than one year before arrival (or within the vaccine's documented validity period, whichever is shorter). Puppies and kittens under three months old may not be vaccinated against rabies yet — they require a special authorization process through ICA. Multi-valent vaccines (DHPP for dogs, FVRCP for cats) are recommended but not specifically mandated by ICA for entry. Microchip (ISO 11784/11785 standard) is required for most pets entering Colombia.
At the Colombian Airport: What Happens
Upon arrival at El Dorado (BOG), José María Córdova (MDE), or Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (CLO), the owner proceeds to the ICA inspection point in the international arrivals area before customs. The ICA inspector checks: the original ICA certificate (with all required fields), microchip scan (must match certificate), physical inspection of the animal, and payment of the ICA inspection fee (approximately USD 60–150 depending on species and number of animals). If the documentation is complete and correct, clearance is issued and the animal enters Colombia. If documents are missing or incorrect, the animal may be temporarily held at airport quarantine facilities while documentation is corrected — a process that can take days and involves boarding fees.
Veterinary Care in Colombia's Major Cities
Colombia has a developed veterinary infrastructure in its major cities. Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali all have specialty veterinary hospitals offering surgery, oncology, and 24-hour emergency care. Standard annual checkups, vaccinations, and routine care run COP 60,000–150,000 per visit at private practices. Pet food brands familiar to European and North American owners (Royal Canin, Hills, Purina Pro Plan) are available at most pet stores in major cities. Apartment leasing in Colombia: always confirm with the landlord before signing that pets are permitted — many Colombian apartment buildings have no-pet policies that are actively enforced.