Data completeness: 38% · Last updated: July 28, 2026
Emma · with Luna (Tabby cat, 4kg) “I made a spreadsheet of every airline's pet policy before booking.” Meet all guides →
About this guide ↓
This guide was generated by Pawgo's AI using verified data from official sources. Emma is a fictional persona — the data is real.
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 2026-07-20
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
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.
Frequently asked
Does my pet need a microchip for Antigua and Barbuda?
Yes. Antigua and Barbuda requires an ISO-standard microchip, and it must be fitted before the rabies vaccination to be valid.
What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.
What happens if I forget a document?
At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.
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.
