US
United States
✈️
BO
Bolivia
Pet Transport from United States to Bolivia
6-10 weeks
Typical preparation
None
Quarantine on arrival
Moderate
Route complexity
✓ Managed
Full door-to-door service
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United States to Bolivia
typically takes around 6-10 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
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Overview
Bringing your dog or cat from United States to Bolivia takes some coordination, but the requirements are well defined. Around 6-10 weeks is typical, with a straightforward sequence to work through. No routine quarantine applies as long as every requirement is met.
You will not need a rabies titre test here. Map your dates against the steps below and you will stay on track.
Step by step
The United States to Bolivia process
1
Any point before the certificate is drawn up, ideally 4-6 weeks out to leave room for a booster if the current vaccination has lapsed.
Confirm the rabies vaccination is current and get the exact date and product name from your vet, since both must appear on the health certificate.
Responsible: Your USDA-accredited vet
2
About 10 days before travel.
Have your vet complete APHIS Form 7001. Aim for roughly 10 days before travel even though APHIS's stated window for this route runs to 3 months, since a tighter certificate is less likely to raise questions on arrival.
Responsible: USDA-accredited veterinarian
3
Immediately after the certificate is signed.
Submit the certificate for APHIS Veterinary Services endorsement, either through VEHCS or your vet's usual endorsement route.
Responsible: USDA-accredited vet, endorsed via APHIS
4
As soon as the certificate is endorsed. Postal turnaround alone can take a week or more each way, so build in slack.
Get the endorsed certificate notarised by a US notary public, then mail it to the Bolivian Consulate in Washington DC with the $85 money order and a prepaid return envelope for legalisation.
Responsible: You
5
As early as possible, ideally alongside step 4.
Confirm the SENASAG import permit position directly with SENASAG or the consulate, since APHIS's own US-Bolivia page does not mention it while SENASAG's general framework does.
Responsible: You or your agent
6
6-8 weeks before travel.
Book pet-hold space, ideally the BoA nonstop Miami to Santa Cruz service, or a connecting Copa or Avianca itinerary via Panama City or Bogotá.
Responsible: You or a pet transport agent
7
Final 2 weeks before travel.
Carry the legalised, notarised certificate and any SENASAG paperwork together, and confirm the import permit position with SENASAG or the consulate before the final booking is locked in.
Responsible: You
8
Day of arrival.
Arrive at Santa Cruz Viru Viru or another Bolivian port of entry for final SENASAG inspection and clearance.
Responsible: SENASAG inspector at the port of entry
Checklist
Bolivia: entry requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Microchip | Not listed as a formal requirement on either APHIS's US-Bolivia page or SENASAG's general import guidance, but recommended regardless, and where fitted the number must appear on every document in the file. Source: SENASAG import requirements, APHIS pet-travel-us-bolivia page. |
| Rabies vaccination | Current rabies vaccination required, with the date and product used recorded on APHIS Form 7001. Broader SENASAG guidance for pets entering Bolivia generally puts this at a minimum of 30 days before arrival and a certificate no more than 12 months old, though this is not spelled out with the same precision the US or UK give their own outbound rules. Source: SENASAG, APHIS. |
| Rabies titre test | Not required. Bolivia does not ask for a rabies titre test from pets entering the country, regardless of country of origin, including the United States. Source: SENASAG. |
| Quarantine | None for a pet arriving with compliant, legalised paperwork. Bolivian regulation allows quarantine for non-compliant animals, and in serious cases a pet can be returned to origin, so getting the legalisation step right before departure matters more than the flight itself. Source: SENASAG import regulations. |
| Import permit | SENASAG's general framework for pets entering Bolivia references a Permiso Zoosanitario de Importación de Animales de Compañía (form SENASAG-IMP-FOR-001), granted before the pet leaves its country of origin. Notably, APHIS's own dedicated US-to-Bolivia page does not mention this permit separately, so treat it as unconfirmed for the US route specifically until SENASAG or the Bolivian Consulate verifies it in writing. Source: SENASAG, vuce.gob.bo; aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-us-bolivia. |
| Health certificate | The APHIS-endorsed Form 7001 must then be notarised by a US notary public and mailed to the Bolivian Consulate for legalisation before it will be accepted on arrival. The main consulate handling this is at 4420 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 2, Washington DC 20008, marked for the attention of the Departamento de Legalización, and requires an $85 money order made out to the Bolivian Consulate plus a prepaid return envelope. Personal cheques are not accepted. Source: Bolivian Consulate, Washington DC, as reported by US pet owners who have used the process. |
Leaving United States of America
Export requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Export permit | No general US export permit for pets. Bolivia's own APHIS country page asks only for a USDA-endorsed health certificate, though the certificate then needs a further legalisation step once it reaches Bolivia's side of the process. Source: aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel, US-to-Bolivia page, 2026. |
| Health certificate | APHIS Form 7001 (International Health Certificate), completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and recording the rabies vaccination date and product used, then endorsed by USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. The published APHIS guidance for this specific route allows issuance up to 3 months before arrival, a wider window than most destinations give, though owners who have actually made the move report their vet completing the form closer to 10 days before travel as standard practice. Confirm the working timeframe with your accredited vet rather than assuming the full 3 months applies in practice. Source: aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-us-bolivia, 2026. |
Costs
What this route typically costs
| 1 | USDA-accredited vet consultation and APHIS Form 7001: USD 100-250 |
| 2 | APHIS Veterinary Services endorsement fee: USD 38 per certificate, per APHIS's published fee schedule |
| 3 | Bolivian Consulate legalisation, money order plus return postage: roughly USD 90-110 |
| 4 | SENASAG import permit, if confirmed as required: minimal fee, paid in Bolivianos |
| 5 | IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 70-280 |
| 6 | Pet-hold fare, Miami to Santa Cruz direct or via Panama City/Bogotá: USD 1,200-2,800 depending on crate size and season |
| 7 | Agent and handling fees at both ends: USD 250-500 |
| 8 | Total typical range: USD 1,750-3,800 |
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ The Bolivian Consulate legalisation step is done by mail, not in person, and that is where most delays on this route actually happen. Budget at least 2-3 weeks for the round trip by post, longer during December and January when consular offices slow down, rather than assuming a next-day turnaround.
⚠ APHIS's own guidance for this exact route states the certificate can be issued up to 3 months before arrival, but pet owners who have completed the move report vets working to a much tighter window in practice, closer to 10 days. Treat the 3-month figure as an outer limit, not a target.
⚠ BoA's cargo hold policy excludes brachycephalic dogs and cats entirely. A flat-faced pet on this route needs an alternative connecting itinerary through Panama City or Bogotá, confirmed separately with each carrier.
⚠ SENASAG's general import permit requirement is not mentioned on APHIS's dedicated US-Bolivia page, which is an inconsistency worth resolving directly with SENASAG or the consulate rather than guessing either way.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
Boliviana de Aviación (BoA)
Runs the only nonstop service between the US and Bolivia, Miami International (MIA) to Santa Cruz Viru Viru (VVI), roughly 7 hours in the air, operating up to twice daily. BoA publishes its own international pet fee and excludes brachycephalic dogs and cats from the cargo hold entirely. Confirm current hold-space availability before booking.
Copa Airlines
Connects Santa Cruz Viru Viru to numerous US cities through its Panama City (PTY) hub. A useful option if your nearest gateway is not Miami, though a two-leg itinerary means confirming pet acceptance separately on each segment. Copa also offers in-cabin travel for small pets under 10 kg combined weight on eligible sectors, for a fee.
Avianca
Also serves Santa Cruz Viru Viru, connecting through its Bogotá (BOG) hub. As with Copa, this is a two-leg pet booking, so confirm both carriers' current cargo hold policies before ticketing.
United Airlines
Does not fly directly into Bolivia, but is relevant for the US domestic leg into Miami or JFK, the two gateways with onward Bolivia service. Confirm pet acceptance on the domestic sector separately, since United's own in-cabin and cargo pet rules differ from the international carriers completing the trip.
Meeting Bolivia's entry requirements
Getting a pet into Bolivia is a middle of the road process. The rules are well defined, so most of the work is simply staying on schedule.
Advice worth following
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.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
FAQ
Common questions
No. Bolivia does not require a rabies titre test from pets entering the country regardless of origin, which puts this route well ahead of most South American destinations on complexity. A current rabies vaccination recorded on the health certificate is what matters instead.
Bolivia requires the APHIS-endorsed Form 7001 to be notarised and legalised at the Bolivian Consulate before it counts as valid on arrival. The main consulate handling this sits at 4420 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC, and the process runs entirely by mail with an $85 money order and a prepaid return envelope, not an in-person appointment.
Yes. Boliviana de Aviación flies nonstop from Miami International to Santa Cruz Viru Viru, around 7 hours, operating up to twice daily. Copa Airlines via Panama City and Avianca via Bogotá are the main connecting alternatives for owners departing from other US cities.
Budget roughly USD 1,750 to USD 3,800 all-in. That covers the vet consultation and APHIS Form 7001, the USD 38 APHIS endorsement fee, the Bolivian Consulate legalisation by mail, the crate, the Miami to Santa Cruz flight or a connecting itinerary, and agent fees. Crate size and season both move the final figure.
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