Aruba runs its own pet-import rules, separate from the Netherlands, and for a dog flying in from the United States the checklist is mostly about the chip and the certificate. Nala's microchip had to be AVID or ISO compatible, and her health certificate had to be issued inside a two-week window before arrival and then officially endorsed. Timing is the whole game here.
Bringing a pet to Aruba 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.
Who sets the rules here
Aruba sets its own pet-import rules. The national rules of the Netherlands do not apply here.
- Official source
- gobierno.aw
- Relationship to the Netherlands
- sets its own rules
How Aruba 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
Timing chain
Day -90 microchip implant · Day -30 rabies vaccine deadline · Day -14 health certificate issued · Day 0 arrive at customs
The health certificate must be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 14 days of arrival in Aruba and then endorsed by APHIS, and electronic signatures and digital endorsements are accepted. The endorsement still has to happen inside those 14 days, so booking the vet visit too early is the common way a correct certificate expires before the flight lands.
Aruba is quick to prepare once the order is clear. Confirm the microchip is AVID or ISO compatible, then book the vet visit and the APHIS endorsement so the certificate falls inside its 14-day window before arrival. Sam and I use digital endorsement to save days on routes like this. Build the plan backwards from the landing date, and check the rules if you are not flying from the United States.
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.