Importing a Pet to Indonesia: 2026 Process for Bali, Jakarta and Beyond

Indonesia draws hundreds of thousands of international workers and their families to Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, and the wider archipelago. For anyone arriving with a dog or cat, the move is achievable, but it sits at the more demanding end of the Southeast Asia spectrum. The process centres on a single document: the rekomendasi, an advance import permit that must be in hand before your pet boards any flight. No permit, no entry.

This guide covers the full 2026 import process: what the rekomendasi is and how to apply, why most dogs cannot enter Bali directly, how Jakarta and Surabaya compare as entry points, a realistic timeline, and typical costs.

What is the Indonesian rekomendasi import permit?

The rekomendasi, formally the Surat Izin Pemasukan, is an advance import authorisation issued by the Directorate of Animal Health within Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture. It confirms that Indonesian authorities have agreed to receive your specific animal at a specific designated port of entry. The document is issued before your pet travels. It names the pet individually by species, breed, age, sex, colour, and microchip number, along with your Indonesian address. It cannot be transferred, amended, or used for a different animal. If your permit names Jakarta as the entry point and your pet arrives in Surabaya, the permit is invalid for that journey.

How to apply

The rekomendasi application has two stages. First, you need a recommendation letter from the Directorate General of Animal Husbandry office at the provincial level in your destination province in Indonesia. This provincial step confirms your address and signals to the national authority that the receiving province is prepared. Second, with the provincial letter in hand, you apply to the Directorate of Animal Health in Jakarta.

Documentation required for the national application:

1. Copy of your passport
2. Your Indonesian address (confirmed)
3. Pet details: species, breed, age, sex, colour, microchip number
4. Current vaccination records including rabies vaccination date and batch number
5. FAVN rabies antibody titre test results (0.5 IU/ml or above)
6. Provincial recommendation letter

Applications go through Barantin’s online portal at karantinaindonesia.go.id. Barantin (Badan Karantina Indonesia) is Indonesia’s cabinet-level quarantine authority, formed in 2023 as the successor to the former Agricultural Quarantine Agency (BARANTAN). It now holds overall responsibility for live animal import procedures.

Allow 4 to 6 weeks from the start of the provincial step to permit issuance, and plan for up to 8 weeks if any clarification is needed. The permit is valid for 30 days from issue, which means your travel must be completed within that window. Confirm the validity period when your permit arrives and book flights accordingly.

Documents required on arrival at the port of entry

Barantin quarantine officers will check the following on arrival:

• Original rekomendasi permit
• ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip (must predate all vaccinations)
• Rabies vaccination: administered at least 30 days before arrival, not more than 12 months old
• FAVN titre test result of 0.5 IU/ml or above from a recognised laboratory
• Species-specific additional vaccinations: DHLPP for dogs, FVRCP for cats
• Health certificate from an official government veterinarian in the country of origin, endorsed by the relevant national authority (APHA in the UK; USDA APHIS in the USA; DAFF in Australia)
• Parasite treatment record
• IATA-compliant travel crate

The health certificate has a short validity window, typically 5 to 10 days from the date of issue. Time the government vet appointment carefully relative to your cargo booking. A certificate issued too early may expire before arrival; one issued too late leaves no margin for delays.

Note that dogs must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry. Confirm this and any additional species-specific conditions with Barantin or your agent before finalising travel dates.

Source: Barantin (Badan Karantina Indonesia), karantinaindonesia.go.id, 2026; Directorate of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, 2026.

Why can’t dogs enter Bali directly in 2026?

Bali is one of the most popular destinations for international relocating workers in Indonesia, and it is also the source of the most confusion in pet import planning. The short answer is that Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is not a designated approved entry point for live animal imports from most countries. Bali operates strict controls on incoming animals as part of its efforts to manage canine rabies on the island.

Bali experienced a major rabies outbreak beginning in 2008, and Indonesian authorities have maintained heightened controls on animal movement in and out of the island since then. Preventing direct importation of dogs from rabies-endemic countries is part of those controls.

The practical consequence for anyone moving to Bali with a dog is that entry must go via the mainland. Jakarta (CGK) is the standard route. The pet enters Indonesia through Jakarta, completes its quarantine period at the mainland Barantin facility, and is then transported onward to Bali once the quarantine and post-arrival health check are completed. The total time from Jakarta arrival to a pet being in Bali depends on the quarantine outcome and internal transport arrangements.

Cats face fewer restrictions and may have a more direct pathway to Bali in some circumstances, but they still require the same mainland rekomendasi process and are subject to arrival quarantine. Do not assume a different rule applies to cats without confirming directly with Barantin for your specific origin and destination province.

If your destination is Bali, name the Bali province as your destination address in the rekomendasi application. The permit will still specify Jakarta (or another mainland port) as the entry point, and the provincial letter will still come from Bali’s animal health authority. The inland transfer to Bali after quarantine is a separate logistics step.

Source: Barantin, karantinaindonesia.go.id, 2026; Bali Provincial Veterinary Authority, 2026.

Jakarta vs Surabaya: which entry point is simpler?

For most international moves, Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) is the practical first choice. It handles the largest volume of live animal cargo arrivals in Indonesia, has the most established Barantin quarantine facility, and has the widest range of direct flight connections from the UK, USA, Australia, and Europe.

Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport (SUB) is a fully designated entry point and is the natural option if your final destination is East Java or a nearby province. The quarantine infrastructure exists, but fewer international pet transport agents have established Surabaya-specific experience, which can matter if anything goes wrong.

Other designated points including Medan (KNO, Kualanamu International), Pekanbaru, and Manado serve regions where Jakarta and Surabaya are impractical as entry points. If your final destination is Sumatra, North Sulawesi, or another region served by these airports, applying for a permit that names the appropriate entry point is worth considering. Always confirm quarantine facility availability with Barantin for any entry point other than Jakarta before committing.

The one rule that cannot be bypassed: the entry point named in your permit is the entry point your pet must use. Book your cargo flights only after the permit is confirmed, and check that the routing matches the named entry point exactly.

How long does the rekomendasi take to issue?

Plan for a minimum of 4 weeks from the start of the application, and budget for 6 to 8 weeks to include realistic buffer for the provincial step and any back-and-forth on documentation. The two-stage application is sequential: the provincial recommendation letter comes first, and the national application cannot move forward without it.

A realistic preparation timeline for a move from the UK, USA, or Australia looks like this:

Start minus 20 to 24 weeks: Confirm microchip is in place and predates all vaccinations. Administer rabies vaccination if not already current. The vaccination must be at least 30 days old before the titre test blood draw.

Start minus 16 to 20 weeks: FAVN titre test blood draw at a recognised laboratory. Allow 1 to 3 weeks for results. A result of 0.5 IU/ml or above is required. A result below this threshold means a booster vaccination, a waiting period, and a repeat blood draw.

Start minus 14 to 18 weeks: Begin the Indonesian rekomendasi process. Start with the provincial recommendation letter, then submit the full national application to the Directorate of Animal Health. Allow 4 to 8 weeks.

Start minus 5 to 10 days: Health certificate from government vet, endorsed by the relevant national authority (APHA, USDA APHIS, or DAFF). This must be timed to still be valid on arrival.

Travel: Arrive at the port of entry named in the permit.

On arrival: Quarantine at the Barantin facility. Standard duration: 7 to 14 days for healthy animals with a complete document set. Extended quarantine applies for incomplete or non-compliant documentation.

From the point of rabies vaccination to travel, the minimum elapsed time is roughly 14 to 18 weeks assuming everything goes to plan. Allow 20 to 24 weeks to include a sensible margin.

Real 2026 costs: what to expect

Indonesia does not publish a single standardised fee schedule and total costs vary with pet size, origin country, airline route, and whether you use a professional agent. The main components are:

Preparation in the country of origin: FAVN titre test: approximately £80 to £150 in the UK (test plus laboratory processing), or $75 to $180 in the USA depending on the laboratory. Government vet health certificate consultation fees vary by practice. Endorsement fees: USDA APHIS endorsement is approximately $38 per certificate in the USA; APHA endorsement in the UK is charged per the current APHA fee schedule.

Airline cargo freight: The air freight charge depends on the combined weight of pet and crate. For a medium-sized dog (15 kg combined with crate) on a direct London Heathrow (LHR) to Jakarta (CGK) routing, cargo fees typically fall in the range of £700 to £1,500. From the USA via JFK, LAX, or SFO to Jakarta, expect $900 to $2,200 for a similar size. Larger dogs on longer routings cost proportionally more. These are freight costs only and do not include documentation, agent fees, or quarantine.

Quarantine on arrival: Barantin charges fees on arrival for the quarantine period. Exact current fees should be confirmed with Barantin or your agent in advance, as rates are subject to change. Allow for a meaningful quarantine cost as part of the overall budget.

Professional relocation agent: A specialist pet relocation agent, ideally one IPATA-registered with Indonesia-specific experience, typically charges USD 800 to USD 2,500 for a full managed service. This covers the rekomendasi application, the documentation chain, airline booking, and quarantine coordination. Given the two-stage permit process and the consequences of documentation errors on arrival, professional support is worth considering seriously for Indonesia.

All-in, a professionally managed move from the UK to Jakarta for a medium-sized dog is typically in the range of £2,800 to £5,000. From the USA, the equivalent in USD is approximately $3,500 to $6,500. These are estimates based on 2025-2026 industry practice. Request itemised quotes from IPATA-registered agents for accurate figures for your specific route and pet size.

Indonesia rewards preparation. The rekomendasi process is the document that everything else waits on, and the two-stage application takes longer than most pet owners expect. Get the titre test done and begin the Indonesian permit process in parallel, before you have confirmed your own travel dates. Once the permit is issued and its 30-day validity window begins, your travel schedule is fixed around it.

For official 2026 permit conditions and to begin your application, visit Barantin at karantinaindonesia.go.id.

Source: Barantin (Badan Karantina Indonesia), karantinaindonesia.go.id, 2026. Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate of Animal Health, Jakarta, 2026. Conditions verified June 2026.