Chile: the microchip became mandatory in July 2026
Chile just changed a rule that plenty of still-live travel guides haven't caught up with yet — and the health certificate expires faster here than anywhere else in the region.
New as of July 27, 2026: the microchip is now mandatory
Chile's Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) updated its sanitary requirements through Exempt Resolution No. 5444 from the Ministry of Agriculture: since July 27, 2026, every dog or cat entering Chile must carry individual, permanent identification — a microchip or tattoo — compliant with ISO 11784/11785. That identification must appear on the import health certificate issued by the departure country's authority.
This is a recent change — recent enough that several still-active travel guides don't mention it yet. The official text allows no grace period and no exceptions: an unidentified animal risks being refused entry.
The health certificate: ten days, extendable by five
The international veterinary certificate (CVI) issued by the departure country's authority stays valid for ten days — the shortest window among the four Spanish-speaking South American countries covered here, tied with Colombia's ten days, with a possible five-day extension depending on travel conditions.
Compared to Argentina, which grants sixty days for the equivalent document, the margin is thin: the final vet appointment has to be scheduled right around the flight date, with no room to plan weeks ahead.
The rabies vaccine: twenty-one days, same as elsewhere in the region
For a first-time vaccination, the SAG requires a minimum of twenty-one days between the injection and departure — the same threshold as Colombia and Argentina. An already-vaccinated animal must show certification of its last two doses; otherwise it's treated as a first-time case.
For a puppy or kitten under sixty days old without a rabies vaccination certificate, a neutralizing antibody titer test (minimum 0.5 IU/ml) serves as an alternative — a mechanism close to what Argentina uses for animals too young to be vaccinated.
An online declaration before departure, not just a check on arrival
Chile has set up a "Declaración Jurada Digital" — an advance online declaration via ingresoachile.cl — on top of the document check the SAG performs at the border on arrival. The exact details of this declaration for pets are still worth confirming directly on the platform when booking; the general requirement itself is already official.
External and internal deworming is also required within thirty days before departure, regardless of the country of origin.