Data completeness: 62% · Last updated: August 01, 2026
Sarah · with Cooper (Golden Retriever, 30kg) “I've relocated internationally 3 times with Cooper.” Meet all guides →
About this guide ↓
This guide was generated by Pawgo's AI using verified data from official sources. Sarah is a fictional persona — the data is real.
French Guiana runs on Metropolitan France's pet-import rulebook, which is generous on paperwork and unforgiving on timing. Cooper has done long-haul cargo three times now, and the pattern is always the same: the titer clock and the permit clock have to end on the same week or the trip slips a full month. Here's what I wish someone had told me — start the countdown 4 months out, not 8 weeks.
Bringing a pet to French Guiana 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 French Guiana 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.
Cabin policy
Minimum age16 weeksverified 2026-07-15
Health & documents
Health certificate required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate validity30 daysverified 2026-08-01
Restricted breeds: chiens de 2ème catégorie verified 2026-07-15
The chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine — never the same day, never after. A vaccine dose recorded before the microchip's ISO number is on file gets rejected at the border, forcing a fresh vaccination and a new 21-day wait. Book the chip visit two weeks ahead of the rabies appointment so both dates sit cleanly on the health certificate.
Four dog types are banned from entry regardless of individual pedigree: Staffordshire terrier, American Staffordshire terrier or pit-bull, Mastiff or boerbull, and Tosa — all when non-LOF (no French pedigree registry entry). LOF-registered specimens of the same breeds are admitted under first-category attack-dog rules. Confirm the pedigree paperwork lists the LOF registration number before booking; a missing entry blocks boarding.
Frequently asked
Does my pet need a microchip for French Guiana?
Yes. French Guiana requires an ISO-standard microchip, and it must be fitted before the rabies vaccination to be valid.
How long before travel must the rabies vaccine be given for French Guiana?
The rabies vaccine must take effect at least 21 days before entry, and can be given from 12 weeks of age. Travelling before that window makes the vaccination invalid at the border.
Is there quarantine for pets entering French Guiana?
No. Pets that meet French Guiana's entry rules — microchip, valid rabies vaccination, and paperwork — enter without quarantine.
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.
The import permit takes 30 days to issue once the file is complete — plan the vet stamp, titer paperwork, and permit application in that order, then leave 30 clear days before the flight. Filing late compresses the sequence and forces the trip to slip: the permit will not be back-dated, and boarding without one leads to refusal at check-in.
The trip to French Guiana works when the vet, the airline, and the prefecture all read from the same calendar. Here's the rule that keeps the schedule honest: build the plan backwards from the flight date, then keep 10 clean days on either side of the titer draw. Pawgo's plan-builder does that scaffolding, marks the permit window, and shows exactly which appointments still need a booking.
