Lead time needed
40-52 weeks
Quarantine
10 days
Route complexity
Very High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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BO
AU

Pet Transport from Bolivia to Australia: 2026 Guide

Shipping a dog or cat from Bolivia to Australia rewards owners who start planning early. Give yourself close to 40-52 weeks, as several stages run on fixed clocks that no agent can shorten. Your pet will spend 10 days in quarantine after landing. A rabies …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from Bolivia to Australia typically takes around 40-52 weeks. Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival. A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Step by step

The Bolivia to Australia import process

Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.

1
Before the 180-day residency clock can start.
Choose an approved Group 1, 2 or 3 staging country. The direct BoA flight into Miami makes the United States a practical default, since it removes an extra connecting leg most other non-approved origins in this build don't avoid.

Responsible: Owner.

2
Fixed minimum; DAFF recommends allowing at least 6 months total.
180 consecutive days of residency in the approved staging country.

Responsible: Owner.

3
Identity check before the RNATT blood draw, at a separate appointment, to access the 10-day quarantine pathway.
Formal microchip identity verification, then rabies vaccination if not already current, in the staging country.

Responsible: Competent authority in the staging country and a local vet.

4
After the residency period and vaccination requirements are met.
RNATT blood draw at a DAFF-approved laboratory in the staging country.

Responsible: Vet and DAFF-approved laboratory.

5
As early as possible; processing has run 20-123 business days.
Apply for the DAFF import permit through BICON.

Responsible: Owner or agent.

6
10 to 30 days depending on which pathway applies.
Book cargo to Melbourne and complete Mickleham quarantine on arrival.

Responsible: Owner or cargo agent, and DAFF's quarantine facility.

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Australia

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
Required, and its identity must be officially verified by a competent authority …
Rabies vaccination
Required, but not directly from Bolivia. Bolivia doesn't appear on DAFF's Group …
Rabies titre test
Required. A Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT), valid for 12 months …
Quarantine
Mandatory Post-Entry Quarantine at the Mickleham facility near Melbourne for …
Import permit
Required, applied for through DAFF's Biosecurity Import Conditions system …
Health certificate
Required near the point of export from the approved staging country, in that …
Export permit
Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación issued by SENASAG (Servicio Nacional de …
Costs

What this route typically costs

SENASAG export certificate and health certificate for the initial move …
Living costs and veterinary care during the 180-day staging residency: …
RNATT titre test and laboratory fee: AUD 250-450.
BICON import permit: DAFF-set fee, confirm the current rate at …
Mickleham quarantine, 10-30 days: AUD 2,700-8,100 depending on …
Cargo from the staging country to Melbourne: AUD 1,600-3,800.
Total typical range: AUD 5,000-13,500 plus staging-country living …

Critical points

This is not a direct Bolivia-to-Australia route. Bolivia isn't on any DAFF approved-country list, so the pet must genuinely relocate to and live in an approved country for at least 180 consecutive days before Australia will even begin processing the import.

The 180-day residency clock only starts once the pet is actually resident in the approved country. A transit stop in Miami on the way to somewhere else does not satisfy this requirement, the pet has to actually live there.

BoA's cargo hold policy excludes brachycephalic dogs and cats entirely. A flat-faced pet needs a different carrier for the initial leg out of Bolivia, checked separately.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

Boliviana de Aviación
Runs the only nonstop link out of Bolivia toward a DAFF-approved country, Santa Cruz Viru …
Passenger Hold
Copa Airlines
Connects Santa Cruz to a wide range of approved-country destinations through its Panama …
Cargo Only
Qantas
Picks up the final leg into Melbourne once the 180-day residency and the Australian import …
Cargo Only

What Australia requires

Entry to Australia is tightly controlled, and officials verify each requirement in turn. Treat it as a sequence where every step gates the next.

Avoiding the common mistakes

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Bolivia doesn’t appear on any of DAFF’s approved-country lists, so the pet must first live continuously in an approved Group 1, 2 or 3 country, commonly the United States given Bolivia’s direct flight link, for at least 180 days before Australia will process the import.
Boliviana de Aviación runs the only nonstop flight out of Bolivia toward any DAFF-approved country, Santa Cruz Viru Viru to Miami. Landing directly in an approved country removes a connecting leg that most other non-approved origins in this build can’t avoid.
No. The pet needs genuine, continuous residency in the approved country for the full 180 days, documented accordingly. A transit stop or short visit does not satisfy this rule.
Realistically 40 to 52 weeks, covering the mandatory 180-day staging residency plus the standard RNATT titre test, BICON import permit processing and Mickleham quarantine that follow.
Airline guides
  • Boliviana de Aviación
  • Copa Airlines
  • Qantas
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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BO AUBolivia to Australia
International pet transport route
Lead time40-52 weeks
Quarantine10 days
ComplexityVery High
Airlines3
ServiceDoor to door
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