If you plan on bringing your dog to Costa Rica from the US or moving to Costa Rica with pets, here is how we did it. We flew our dog from Costa Rica to the US and vice versa back in 2018.
If you have any questions about bringing your pet to Costa Rica/US, please consult your veternarian and check requirements of each country. This is just a blog post about how we did it, we cannot give official recommendations. Also please note this was back in 2018 and things have changed, particularly with airlines contact your airline and veterinarian for up to date, official information.
Introducing Patacon, Our Rescue Dog
First, here’s a little information about the dog we brought. This is Patacon, a street dog we rescued in the Tamarindo area. We always spend around 6-8 weeks in the US and we didn’t want to leave him in doggy day care so he went with us!
Patacon is a mixed breed, neutered male weighing 51 pounds (23 kilos). Because he is a medium sized dog, he has to go in cargo. He can’t go in the cabin.
Bringing Dog to Costa Rica from USA Step 1: Vet Appointment
If you’re moving to Costa Rica with pets, here is how to bring your dog from the US.
The first step into bringing your dog to Costa Rica from the US is a vet check if your dog hasn’t already been checked or if he looks sick. If your dog already has all its vaccinations and is healthy, then your appointment will be to fill out the Costa Rican health certificate. If your dog is sick or has an infectious disease, he will not be able to travel.
So when you make your appointment with your vet, let them know they are traveling to Costa Rica. Your vet should have the health certificate printed (kinda like a Costa Rica pet passport or Costa Rica pet import permit) and ready to fill out during your appointment but ask them in case you need to bring it.
You need to do this appointment within 2 weeks of your departure date.
Veterinary Certificate for Costa Rica
These are the requirements your vet needs to fill out for the Costa Rican health certificate:
- Rabies vaccination
- Distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis and leptospirosis vaccination
- Internal and External parasite treatment within 15 days
Since we did all the vaccinations in Costa Rica, I brought all his records and papers from our vet down there. The US vet filled in the information needed since they have to find the brand name of the vaccinations, lot number, active ingredients and manufacturer. Our US vet gave him Frontline and Interceptor since they have to witness the treatment.
The vet will fill out the entire form in blue ink and sign and date on the last page. Make sure you know the address you are going to in Costa Rica and the airports you are flying in and out of. This is Patacon’s first page:
Another thing our veterinarian stressed to us is that since Costa Rica is a country where rabies is present, a rabies vaccination is required. Dogs must be at least 3 months old for the rabies vaccination so the youngest puppy that can enter the US is 4 months old. For dogs that have never been vaccinated, they must be at least 30 days before arrival. Dogs that are renewing their vaccination do not need to wait the 30 days, they can be imported immediately after their renewal booster vaccination.
Dogs also do not need to be microchipped to enter Costa Rica.
USDA Accredited Veterinarians
Once this health certificate is filled out and signed by the vet, then you have to make an appointment with an USDA veterinarian to get it endorsed and signed by them. Costa Rica requires an international health certificate signed by a veterinarian and then endorsed by APHIS (animal and plant health inspection service). See if your normal vet is USDA accredited. If they are, then you don’t need additional endorsement but if they aren’t, then you will.
I recommend making an appointment at least 4-8 weeks before as they fill up quickly. You can check the USDA website to find accredited veterinarians in your area. I live in Washington state and appointments were full two weeks out so I went to a regular and vet and then sent the papers in to get endoresed via mail.
Endorsement by USDA Vet Requirements Via Mail
If appointments are full, the USDA endorses 95% of the health certificates via mail.
You must send the following:
- Proof of examination within 2 weeks of departure date. An invoice, receipt or chart notes work.
- The Costa Rica international health certificate completed and signed by the vet filled out in blue ink.
- Rabies vaccination certificate proof.
- Distemper, hepatitus, parvovirus and leptospirosis vaccination.
- If you have a cat, it needs to be vaccinated against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia and feline leukemia.
- Pet has to been treated within 15 days prior to departure date with Internal and External Parasite.
- Endorsement fee of $38 payment. You can fill out a credit card form to pay for the fee.
I called the USDA office in Washington state and they sent me an email with the endorsement list requirements and credit card form. You must find your state APHIS office and get the requirements from them.
I sent my documents via UPS with one day delivery (I needed it asap). They took 48 hours to send the papers back to me signed and completed by the USDA veterinarian complete with a certificate number, date of issue and veterinary authority.
Checking on Your Endorsement Status
I did run into one little mishap with our endorsement. My vet forgot to fill out my home address so the USDA office called them and then they called me to go to their office to get the missing information. If this happens to you, make sure your vet uploads the form via PDF/email instead of faxing. My vet faxed it and when I called the USDA to confirm he sent in the missing information, they didn’t have it because they didn’t check their faxes!
If I hadn’t called the USDA to check, it would have just sat in the fax and I probably wouldn’t have gotten it back in time since they didn’t call back my vet office to confirm.
Step 2: Kennel Requirements
Kennels are checked by the TSA and your dog can be denied boarding if the kennel doesn’t fit the requirements. Patacon went in the cargo so he had to go in a kennel.
You can check the airline you are flying for the specific requirements. We flew with Alaska Airlines (I’ll talk about our experience in a second) which you can check kennel requirements here.
Step 3: At the Airport
You have the kennel and health certificate ready so all that’s left to do is the actual traveling part! At Sea-Tac airport, we checked in at the “Special assistance” area of Alaska Airlines.
The airline agent asked for Patacon’s health certificate and I had to fill out a short form (Patacon’s age, type of dog, color). She then weighed his kennel (dog and kennel can’t weigh more than 150 lbs), checked me in and gave us our clearance to fly. Then we had to wait for TSA to check the kennel and take Patacon.
My flight was at 5 AM but TSA didn’t open until 4 AM. We waited at the special assistance area (make sure to check in with the agent to get in line). When the TSA agent came, he checked Patacon’s kennel, wiped it down and placed it on the cart. We put Patacon’s bed and blanket in there along with some dog treats and his food/water bowl.
After the agent gave the OK, we put Patacon in the kennel and that was it! They took care of the rest to board and load him into the plane. We did put some zip ties on the door for extra security.
It was a little nerve wracking but we had a great experience with Alaska.
Arriving in Costa Rica
When you land, you will go through immigration first yourself. Your dog will meet you at baggage claim and then you must find the SENASA customs official to clear your dog. He will ask for your dog’s papers (make sure to have a copy) and if it’s all clear, he’ll stamp it and hand it back to you.
Then you will go through customs and at that time, you can take your dog out of the kennel if you like. Since I didn’t have scissors to cut the zip ties and my hands were full with 3 pieces of luggage, I wheeled him through customs and took him out of the kennel outside the airport.
Cost of Bringing Dog to Costa Rica from USA
For my US vet, they charged $80 for the health certificate, $21.29 for the Frontline and $8.80 for Interceptor. The USDA endorsement cost $38.
With Alaska Airlines, they chargef $100 per dog.
Bringing Dog from Costa Rica to USA Step 1: Vet Check
Similarly to US, you need to first do a vet check to make sure your dog is in good health and not carrying any infectious diseases. Since we rescued Patacon in Costa Rica, our Costa Rican vet had all his initial records and was familiar with his history. She already had all his vaccinations so we made an appointment to fill out the paperwork.
The form is an exportation certificate and we needed to give her our departure date and airport.
Requirements
Patacon had to have been dewormed and vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitus, parvovirus and leptospirosis. The vet signed and dated that Patacon was healthy, had his vaccinations and was free of infectious diseases and parasites.
SENASA Endorsement
Next, the certificate had to be signed and endorsed by SENASA, the National Animal Health Service of Costa Rica. Most veterinarians in Costa Rica will send in the papers for you so we didn’t need to do anything more after the appointment. We waited until she called us saying Patacon got the stamp, picked up the papers and that was it.
If your Costa Rican veterinarian doesn’t do the authorization, you will need to go to the Ministry directly to get it done yourself. You need to bring a fiscal and archivo stamp which you can buy at most bookstores.
The Costa Rica pet export certificate takes 1-2 days for authorization and needs to be done within 30 days before your departure date to the US. Additionally, this certificate is valid for only 21 days (used to be 30).
Step 2: At the Airport
When we checked in, the SENASA agent came to the counter to check Patacon’s papers and make sure everything was good. We also brought all the invoices and other records just in case and we knew we needed them to bring Patacon back.
After we got the go ahead, we loaded Patacon into the kennel and they put him on the baggage carousel.
Kennel
For his kennel, we tied some food, the wheels, water and his leash to the top. You can’t put the wheels on but I saw some people putting them on when they picked up the dog to make it easier to carry. I just paid for the carts to wheel him out of the airport in Sea-Tac when we arrived.
Step 3: Arriving in the US
Similar process to bringing a dog to Costa Rica from the US. You will go through immigration yourself first and then pick up your dog at baggage claim. You then need to take him through customs where you’ll present the health certificate and import permit. Once he’s clear, you can go through customs and exit the airport.
If you have a connecting flight, then you’ll have to put him back in the kennel and depending on how long your layover is, the flight agents will take him out to pee in the pet areas.
Because they zip-tie the front door, I recommend asking the person picking you up to have a pair of scissors to cut it open. I asked the baggage claim agent who lent me his.
Cost of Bringing Dog to USA from Costa Rica
The SENASA stamp and endorsement cost 7,703 colones (about $13 USD). Our veterinarian charged us 120,000 colones for everything (around $206 USD) which includes the SENASA stamp. The Alaska Airline dog ticket was $100.
Airline We Flew With: Alaska Airlines
I had read many good reviews about flying with pets on Alaska Airlines. A few of my friends also recommended them. Now, Alaska Airlines is the only one flying pets in cargo to Costa Rica to Liberia International Airport (LIR).
For us, we had an excellent experience with Alaska. When purchasing my ticket, I called first to check whether pets were allowed on the itinerary I wanted as they don’t allow pets on some planes. For example, some Airbuses aren’t temperature controlled. Alaska only allows pets in cargo on planes that are temperature controlled.
After I purchased my ticket, I called Alaska to add Patacon to my reservation. Do this asap after you purchase your ticket as they only have spaces for 4 dogs in cargo. I paid the $100 at the counter during check in.
Alaska also gives you a little note when you board the plane to let you know your pet has also boarded safely. This gave me an incredible peace of mind. I was a nervous wreck during our first flight but when they handed me the note, I felt much better.
Alaska is very clear on their requirements for flying pets to and from Costa Rica which you can find on their site. Overall, we had a great experience and will always fly with them with Patacon!
I hope this guide helps you to bring your dog to Costa Rica from the USA and vice versa. Even though it was a long flight, Patacon was completely fine and I felt good about the whole experience.
Jennifer Mager says
Hello, we’ve been using MyTanFeet for tips on all our trips to Costa Rica! We head back to CR with our two dogs for three months. I’d really love to bring a bag of freeze-dried raw food for my two rescues when we go in two weeks. But I cannot find anywhere that says this is allowed or not. It would be in our checked bag. Do you know? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Jennifer, I bring back freeze dried raw dog food all the time in my check in. It has to be in the check in, unopened and with the FDA labels and all that. Officers can remove it if they want because honestly they can just do whatever at their whim but I’ve brought it so much dog treats, dehydrated treats, etc. etc. and it’s passed in my check in.
Joshua says
hi Sam and Yeison, we are trying to take our XXL dog down to Costa Rica and the rules on the Alaska Airline page are very confusing when it comes to taking dogs in cargo. On the link below it mentions only dogs and cats are allowed to travel to costa rica, but no pets are allowed in cargo. Can you confirm this or update the page with current info?
Sammi says
Hi, I would recommend you contact Alaska directly to see, as they probably have updated their regulations for traveling with pets since 2018 when I last did it
Inken Hiller says
Hi Joshua- were you able to fly your xxl dog on Alaska Air? I am looking at the same challenge with my two dogs now – but it says on Alaskan Air site that they do not fly pets on any Airbus airplanes- which are the only ones flying there (at least from LAX) – I thought I’d share this info with you.
Harry Aston says
Does anybody have any current information on bringing a dog that’s 100 pounds in weight either to Liberia or to San Jose from the Dallas-Fort Worth area? Should I got a $5400 in upward?
Sammi says
Pet Lounge can help you. I’ve read it’s pretty costly to bring XL+ size dogs to Costa Rica but it’s possible through a carrier or flying private
Dutch says
Fantastic article. 8 million thank you’s! **As of March 4, 2023 – Alaska Airlines is the only domestic carrier that allows pets as checked baggage. $100 per pet/per way.** Peace + Love to the collective.
Perry says
This is, by far, the most informative, clear, accurate, and complete guide to bringing a pet to Costa Rica that I have seen. Prior to finding this, I had pretty well pieced it together, but it did take some time and research. Thank you for sharing all of this information.
Of note is that presently, Alaska is the only US-based airline that flies to Costa Rica (and the only one in the US that I have found so far, period, even for domestic travel) that is allowing pets to travel as checked baggage for the general public. All of the legacy carriers have suspended this service for all but federal personnel traveling on official orders and many smaller airlines never allowed pets to fly checked in the first place. Alaska is the way to go and after reading this, I will definitely be traveling with them on future trips between the US and CR. Thanks again!
Sammi says
Thanks for your feedback! I did read that about ALaska – regardless they were excellent.
Dutch says
8 Million thank you’s for that heads up with Alaska Airlines. It’s true – ALASKA AIRLINES is the only domestic carrier that allows pets as BAGGAGE.
Naomi says
What a great post! Thank you for all the helpful info! Have you traveled more recently with your dog?
Sammi says
No not since 2018
Julie says
my only question is will I be allowed to bring some dog food from usa to costa rica when I move there ? I don’t plan to grocery shop until the next day.
Sammi says
I put a small bag of dog food in my dog’s crate and they didn’t remove it
Chris says
Excellent information Sammi, thank you very much. We will be moving to Costa Rica in July and traveling with my service dog and will make good use of the info you provided. We are very excited and look forward to the journey with our WHOLE family (pets included)
Gene C says
What a super helpful and informative article, thank you very much!
I am planning to bring my dog to Costa Rica on a flight to SJO from Europe in March. I was wondering if you know if Senasa has someone working if the flight arrives in the evening (e..g 6 or 7pm) or on the weekends? I know general Customs is there 24 hours to great all flights, but was concerned about someone specifically from Sensas to be there to clear the dog if it’s not the standard Monday-Friday 8am-5pm standard hours.
Grateful for any advice or assistance on that questions!
Sammi says
I’m sorry I don’t know – when I landed it was around 7 PM and there was an agent there – I feel like they always are there, but this was in 2018
janet says
just an FYI –on the Alaska airlines site under travel to Costa Rica it says that they do NOT fly any animals in the cargo. This must be new?
Sammi says
Probably for COVID. We brought our dog in 2018 so it’s been awhile
Elana Dusse says
I am kind of freaking out but then I saw your blogpost and it gave me hope. If my vet is able to fill out the international health certificate but is not USDA accredited, can I then send this to the APHIS office for endorsement? Or does it just mean if a vet doesn’t want to go through the online portal, that there is a mailing option. Was your vet in Seattle a USDA accredited vet or just a regular vet who filled out the international certificate as attestation? I am literally freaking out thinking of not being able to bring my girl – we are going for the whole winter! Thanks for any further help with clarification.
Sammi says
I had to send my paperwork in to the APHIS office to get the endorsement since the vet I went to was a regular vet and I opted for the faster shipping so I could get my paperwork back in time.
Elana Dusse says
This is such great info for a very confusing process! Last year, we brought our dog from California and found a USDA accredited vet in a nearby town, and they were able to do it all, about a week before we left for Costa Rica. This year, apparently there are way more pets (pandemic pet adoption through the roof) and also people traveling with them. I called literally twenty different vets today on the accredited list and NONE of them had appointments for at least a month and we leave in two weeks from today.
Sammi says
You can try to find her again and then ask around the town to see if she belongs to anyone. Unfortunately a lot of locals leave their dogs out on the street so they look like strays but they have a “home” so you should ask the locals first to see if she “belongs” to anyone. Take a photo of her to show around
Selene says
I was out eating today when what I believe to be a stray dog approached our group. She wasn’t too skinny or dirty so I’m not really sure she was a stray, but when we left she tried to follow us. I’m a huge animal lover, and I nearly cried having to leave her behind. Part of me wishes to go back to find her again so that I can take her back home with me to the states. Is this something that’s possible? What would be the best thing to do in this case?
IlaMarie Wolusky says
What do you do about dog food? Make it, have it shipped in? If shipped, from what company?
Sammi says
We buy dog food in Costa Rica
Ely says
I am trying to Leaving Costa Rica by the end of June. I have 2 dogs. I’m moving back to Colorado.
The small one will have to be in cabin and the other is too big so he will go in the cargo. I have heard so much conflicting info. Some say I can’t do it at all, or only from San Jose and not Liberia. Or only until June 1st. And only 1 type of airline.
Do you know how I can actually get a straight answer?
Sammi says
I would call your airline ASAP. Or contact Pet Lounge, I know many people who have used Pet Lounge to fly their pets.
Raine says
How did your dog cope with the flight? Do you have any tips for making it easier on them? I have a rescue dog, 2 years old, and want to bring her to CR next winter for 3 months.
Sammi says
I gave him a little bit of Benadryl on the flight back to CR because he was really desperate on the flight to LAX since it was really long for him to be in the crate (6+ hours from Liberia). I do wish I gave it to him for that flight since it was really long. I put his favorite bed, a blanket and a small pillow in his crate for him to be comfy and I scattered a bunch of treats and a chewbone in the crate. He did way better on the way back to Costa RIca, he was very calm when we arrived but he did go poo and pee right when we left the Liberia airport so I recommend to have a plastic bag handy to pick up the poo in case.
Athena says
We are planning to bring our dog with us to Costs Rica for 8 weeks. When we come back to US, do we still need to go through all paper work since my dog is from US (not rescued in Costa Rica) and have all necessary vaccinations and was examed by a US vet 8 weeks ago?
Sammi says
Hello Athena, you will have to fulfill entry requirements for both countries, regardless of where your dog is from
Julia says
Hi Samantha,
Would you mind sharing the contact info of the vet that you work with in Costa Rica to get Patacon back to the US?
Thanks,
Julia
Sammi says
Sure, her name is Doctor Karla Carvahall in Tamarindo
Arianne Hartman says
I was wondering if anyone knows if I have to pay for my dogs airline ticket from Costa Rica back to the US if he’s a service dog. He rides in cabin. He’s only 9lbs. I’m trying to get home and never thought of that. Running out of money and trying to get home.
Sammi says
Usually there is a fee but I would contact the airline ASAP to check.
Emma says
Do we know if Covid-19 has had any impact on these rules? Hoping to bring my new puppy with me to CR for 3 months!
Also, on Alaska (thank goodness I have flight status!) am I able to fly with him in the cabin?
Thanks so much!!
Sammi says
Unfortunate I wouldn’t know about COVID and the impact of flying with animals, you will need to talk to Alaska. Your dog can fly in the cabin but if under a certain weight (carrier has to go under your seat). Best thing to do is call Alaska directly and ask what is the current rules with the COVID.
Tracy says
I just returned from CR with Dakota, my new best friend. I was asked at JFK to show proof of the rabies vaccine. I showed them the CR “Certificado De Exportacion De Caninos Y Felinos” as well as a note on the Vets letterhead stating that Dakota had all of her vaccinations as well as not showing any signs of internal or external parasites. This was required by NYS when a CVI is not available. The official casually viewed both documents and I was on my way.
My Tan Feet was such a great help to me. What a wealth of helpful info!
Tenisha says
Hello!
My boyfriend just got a 3.5 old bull terrier. He’ll be visiting me in Pittsburgh for a week and we’d like to bring the pup. If he brings the pup from Costa Rica to US for just 7 days, do we need to do the entire same process with a vet in the US during those 7 days for when he returns?
Thanks!
Sammi says
3.5 months or years? Costa Rica only allows dogs with rabies vaccinations which are given at 3 months and then you have to get the vaccination at least 30 days prior for first vaccinations so if the bull terrier doesn’t have his rabies, he can’t enter Costa Rica.
Tracy says
Great information. I will be adopting a dog in CR and bringing her back to New York. (American Airlines to JFK airport). Does the vet paperwork need to be in English? My CR friend has a vet that can provide it in Spanish only. Thank you
Sammi says
I believe it also needs to be in English, our CR vet provided forms that were Spanish and English.
Harold says
Hi, where it says to have a copy of the medical exam and dog papers. You mean like a copier machine “copy” or get a double set from the vet to have certified to give one to them at the airport? Thanks
yeison says
Hello Harold,
You need to carry with you the originals and a set of copies (copier machine) the Senasa agent will ask you for both, the copy for them to keep it and the originals just to see and confirm the information.
I hope this answers your questions.
Anna says
Thank you so much for sharing this info! Is there a certain time the Senasa official is at the airport? We are bringing our dog but our flight arrives around 9 PM. Is there something we need to do to ensure Senasa official will be there? Thanks!
Daniel says
hi , I would like to know what do you mean with Frontline and for Interceptor ?
Sammi says
Frontlie is a flea and tick medicine, Interceptor is heartworm medicine.
Patricia says
I have two kittens I need to take back to US I have read all and know a lot of the things you are telling people and I think that is great. I have visited your site many times. I so not speak enough Spanish but I am finding out vets here speak English which is good. I live south of Samara and I am retired. I need to go to US and I was wandering if you had a list of veterinarians who could actually do all the paperwork and the health certificate. I too like Alaska Airlines. I flew 10 cats here and they all were treated great. Please give me a name if you can in Liberia. Thanks Patricia
Sammi says
Hi Patricia, I would recommend to check the Expat Paw-a-vida FB group for recommendations although I would be surprised if there wasn’t a vet who could do all the paperwork and health certificate in Samara since there are so many foreigners there.
Melanie Posthuma says
Hi Sammi, do you know where to find equivalent information regarding bringing a dog from Canada to Costa Rica?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Melanie, I would check first the airline you are flying and then the Canadian consulate in Costa Rica website.
Haley says
Hi,
I am taking home my two puppies from Costa Rica to Seattle, and I think reading your article might have just saved me thousands of dollars! I fly with delta, and when i called to book a flight for them on delta cargo, they said they don’t fly dogs from Costa Rica and I need to use an outside service. I called the three recommended services in Costa Rica and I was quoted $1400-5000 for the two dogs. I’m freaking out! One woman with a company that does this told me that Costa Rica requires you to use an outside agent. How can this be true though if you just flew them with Alaska? I Feel like I have so much more research to do but my flight leaves in 2 weeks/they won’t let my dogs on. Any advice? I have a vet and all their shots/paperwork in order. Thanks,
Haley
Sammi says
Hi Haley, it all depends on your airline. Alaska does fly dogs from Costa Rica but it looks like Delta has VERY different regulations and rules. I would call them to make sure because maybe Delta does require you to use an outside agent but Alaska does not.
Jamie says
I have a service dog and it is difficult to find info on bringing him in with me for a vacay. We are only there for 6 days and are traveling to Jaco from SJ and back again so stressing as to whether we have to visit a vet in CR to get him back on the plane to US with us. Any tips are appreciated
Sammi says
For going back to the US, I would check with the state you live in because I believe they all have different regulations. Mine in WA state told me that if it was under 30 days, then the same paperwork could work but I think it’s different for all the states.
Jesse says
We are so happy to have found your article!
We are bringing our 4 dogs to Costa Rica on March 3rd 2019 and will be flying into Liberia. We land just after 7:00 pm and are hoping that there’s no problem finding a SENASA customs official. Do you know if they’re always on site or if we need to make prior arrangements with them to be there? Thanks so much for all the other info and pictures you’ve already shared,
Sammi says
Hi Jesse, they are always there (they are in charge of customs so always somebody there). It was a man who checked my papers last time I arrived.
Anna says
I just asked this question Sammi and see you answered it here. 🙂 Thank you!
Kyle says
Does it matter if you bring the dog in cabin into Costa Rica on a weekend or do you have to arrive during week? Thanks!!
Sammi says
I don’t believe there is a day restriction, never heard of that before but I would double check with the airline.
allix says
If I buy a 6 week old puppy in Costa Rica, by reading this I could have it here in the US within 30 days?
Sammi says
No, US requires the rabies vaccination which the dog has to be least 12-24 weeks old to get.
John says
I don’t understand this:
The Costa Rica pet export certificate takes 1-2 days for authorization and needs to be done at least 30 days before your departure date to the US. Additionally, this certificate is valid for only 30 days.
If it has to be done at least 30 days ahead of time, and it is only good for 30 days, how does that work?
Sammi says
Hi John, sorry that is supposed to say within 30 days, not at least.
Karen says
Hello, i am planning on taking my 7 lb,10 month old puppy with me on a 2 week vacation to costa rica. I can get all documents to get into Costa rica BUT, Do i need paperwork from a costarrican vet in order to get my puppy back into the USA?
THANKS
Sammi says
Hi Karen, you need a health certificate from a Costa Rican vet to take your dog into the US and leave CR. It has to be the pet export health certificate, the USDA one you get in the US is only to take your dog into Costa Rica and out of the US.
Kelly Ricketson says
Sammi,
You have given us hope! Your website and information is awesome. Even though things change frequently in the governments requirements, be it the USA or Costa Rica, it’s great to have current up-to-date information on these issues. I have searched the web for days it seems like and it’s hard to come across someone who has actually done it within the right time frame and have put the process out there for others to read.
I do have a question for you though. Do we need to have MORE THAN ONE ENDORSED USDA health certificate for our dog or JUST ONE ENDORSED AND MAKE COPIES? The USDA website as well as others does not make that clear, it just says the health certificate SHOULD BE MADE OUT IN DUPLICATE, (clear as mud).
Sammi says
You only need one endorsed USDA health certificate and then make copies. I actually forgot to make copies so the SENASA agent made them for me when I landed in Costa Rica and the US airline agent will hand it back to you when you check in.
Jory Zsido says
Great guide outlining the bringing dogs to Costa Rica, Sammi! I’m sure this will be an invaluable resource for others who have no idea where to start the process. I wanted to add, though, that there are few options for transporting Brachycephalic dogs into Costa Rica , and via air travel now seems to be a thing of the past. Brachycephalic dogs are flat-faced, short-nosed dogs like Pugs, Pekingnese, and Boxers. Because of their smaller upper jaw, they are more likely to have airway obstruction issues which put them at risk when flying. Same goes for the feline Brachycephalics. We nearly didn’t get to bring our beloved male Boxer earlier this year, but fortunately, United Petsafe allowed a short window of opportunity for those pets already having reservations, just prior to officially updating restricted breeds to include all Brachycephalic canines and felines.
Rosa says
Hello I’m getting married in Costa Rica and I’m taking my dog as he is part of the wedding. Papers needed are shots of vaccines needed but I’m confused on usda form can you send me a copy so I can have my vet fill out or where do I get it? Please help. Thank you
Sammi says
Hi Rosa, you should check this site as they have the information you’re looking for
Amy says
Sarah, did you ever get your dog back?
janet says
I have been traveling back and forth to Costa Rica for 20 years. Yes I had to have my vet do the paperwork and send it over to the USDA for there signature but in the last year Costa Rica has been getting amp.
Returning to the U.S. all is required is a valid Rabies vaccine. The U.S. does not require a Costa Rican Vet paperwork. Does not matter if you are in Costa Rica 1 month or 1 year. I have never had any problems returning to the states. But Costa Rica stamped my USDA form upon arriving stating I had to go to a CR Vet to have new export papers done to leave Costa Rica. Thinking they must be right I went to a CR vet paid $100.00 and did the paperwork but the person at the Animal import and export office was on vacation , weeks. This caused me a lot of stress. I called the USDA in the United States and they told me nothing changed to re-enter the states so I flew out without any problems and did not even show the CR Vet paperwork. I have written to the CR embassey with no reply. Like I said they are just trying to get money out of travelers.
Sammi says
I had no idea! I haven’t heard that from any of my expat friends or the vet I worked with but it is good to know. It even says on the US embassy website that they must have the paperwork done. Something must not be updated somewhere! Thanks for the info!
Sarah says
Dear Janet,
I was planning to move to CR but it did not work out. I have my dogs down there and am having trouble bringing them back. The person who was ” boarding” them claims he cannot bring them because he does not have the right vaccines and can’t get a vet permit. I want to have someone fly there because they all are up to date on their shots. What vet do you recommend there? The worst is after a long daily request he brought back the wrong dog named wrong( sex) on the vet certificate then after grilling on why no photos of one dog, after hours he admitted my little 1 year old female was pregnant. He was hiding this. What vets do you use in CR. What certificate do you take to the airport? What stamps and fees have to have proof of payment?
Thank you for any help you can give. I want to get my dogs back and safe.
Tonya says
From what I have read… it seems to depend on the length of your stay as to if you need to get new forms from Costa Rica to bring your dog back to the US… Depending upon the length of stay in Costa Rica, pets entering Costa Rica from the U.S. may or may not need additional documentation in order to leave Costa Rica and return to the US: If the pet enters Costa Rica and stays longer than the validity of the U.S. Health Certificate (30 days for APHIS Form 7001), then that pet will need a valid Costa Rican Health Certificate in order to leave. If the pet leaves during the time period of the validity of the U.S. Health Certificate, then that is all that is required to leave Costa Rica, IF, the pet leaves with the same person with whom it entered AND is returning to the same city in the U.S. If that is not the case, then the pet will require a new Costa Rican Health Certificate in order to leave.
Sammi says
I emailed the USDA APHIS – WA to ask if their certificate (USA to Costa Rica) can be used to enter the pet back into the USA and they said no. I am not sure if it depends on length of stay but they said I had to get another certificate (CR – USA) signed and endorsed to enter my dog back in. I’d check with your state though for regulations since this is for Washington state.
Siddhartha Joshi says
This is useful information, though I am quite sure I won’t buy an animal on a vacation (even though I might be very tempted to!)…
Sammi says
Haha I have a hard time resisting taking home every cute puppy that comes along my way!
Bob R says
While I haven’t been attached to a pet for some time, if we’re thinking log term, wouldn’t it make the most sense to adopt or purchase a pet locally? There are no shortage of strays or abandoned animals that need homes –both in the US and Costa Rica.
Sammi says
Well yes but right now we’re traveling so we can’t have one. And besides when we do adopt Arturo that WILL be local, we will be living in Costa Rica. We’ll be adopting a stray off the streets.
Also, I’m so attached to my dog at home and I don’t have the time or energy to train a new pup right now. When I do, I’ll be adopting every dog or cat I see!
Muriel says
Aw I would love to go back to Costa Rica with my dogs. Great information here!
Sammi says
Thanks Muriel! I know I’d love to bring my dog too. Maybe one day!
Lauren says
A great little guide as I’m sure lots of people would love to bring their pets with them! I’m glad that it is possible!
Sammi says
Thanks Lauren! Yes lots of people bring their dogs here, hopefully I can too one day!