Antigua and Barbuda asks for an import permit before Luna gets anywhere near the runway, and that single requirement reshapes your whole timeline. It is not a stamp you grab at the gate. It is a document you request, wait on, and file with everything else. I read the fine print so you can skip the panic and start early, which is exactly where preparation earns its keep.

Bringing a pet to Antigua and Barbuda requires three documents in the right order: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the destination's wait window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. The table below lays out exactly what's required, what's not, and where each rule comes from.

How Antigua and Barbuda handles your pet

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

Health & documents

Microchip · Required Yesverified 2026-08-14
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Test validity months24 monthsverified 2026-07-20
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Approved laboratory required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Import permit · Required Yesverified 2026-08-13
Import permit · Issuing authorityVeterinary & Livestock Divisionverified 2026-07-20
Heartworm test · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Health certificate · Required Yesverified 2026-08-13
Health certificate · Original required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Health certificate · Government endorsed Yesverified 2026-06-19
Rabies vaccination · Required Yesverified 2026-08-14
Rabies vaccination · Booster required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Rabies vaccination · Min age at vaccination12 weeksverified 2026-07-15
Internal parasite treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20

Other rules

Dangerous breeds banned Yesverified 2026-08-14
Breed restrictions apply Yesverified 2026-08-14

Timing chain

Day -90 microchip implant · Day 0 arrive at customs

A government-endorsed health certificate is required. USDA-accredited veterinarians can issue certificates electronically and use VEHCS, and an electronic signature is accepted for that step. Endorsement by an APHIS VMO demands an original ink signature. Book the accredited veterinarian first, then route the completed certificate to the APHIS office for the physical ink endorsement before departure.
Advance notification is set at 72 hours before arrival. Send the estimated time of arrival to the Veterinary and Livestock Division 72 hours ahead. Reach the division by phone or fax at (268) 460-1759, or by email. Calculate the deadline from the scheduled landing time and dispatch the ETA notice before that window closes.
Four separate requirements, four separate deadlines, and one very unimpressed tabby who disapproves of taxiing. That is a lot to track by hand, which is why the numbers deserve a proper system rather than a mental note. Build your personalized plan with Pawgo's plan-builder for the actual dates you are flying, and let it map the permit, the certificate, and the timing to your trip. I keep a printed copy in three places now.
Get YOUR personalized plan for Antigua and Barbuda →

Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.