How do you bring a pet to Brazil in 2026?

MAPA publishes the companion-animal entry path on gov.br. For dogs and cats, an import permit is generally not required, but you must present an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or an official pet passport issued or endorsed by the veterinary authority of the origin country. A certificate signed only by a private veterinarian is not accepted. The European Union pet passport is not treated as a free pass into Brazil; follow the Brazilian model and endorsement rules instead.

Typical sanitary content includes rabies vaccination on the official timeline for animals that require it, broad-spectrum internal and external parasite treatment inside the window before the certificate is issued, and a clinical exam inside the published days before issuance. Certificate validity is limited; recheck MAPA’s live pages and Portaria model in the weeks before boarding rather than trusting an old forum thread. Other species often need a separate import authorisation.

At Guarulhos, Galeão, and other ports of entry, VIGIAGRO officers review certificates and may inspect the animal. Complete owner-accompanied files often continue without quarantine. Incomplete rabies timing, missing official endorsement, or crate mismatches create the painful exceptions and possible retention until requirements are met.

Airlines add a second rulebook: cabin versus cargo, crate size, breed restrictions, and heat embargoes. Book the pet as early as the human ticket. After release, plan a local vet visit for Brazilian records. A CPF helps pet-store discounts and later export paperwork if you leave again: Get a CPF. Keep lease and address evidence ready for pet-friendly buildings while your residence file continues: Get a CRNM and Residence or work permit.

Ipanema beach walks or Floripa surf-dog mornings come after the paperwork, not instead of it: Living in Rio and Living in Florianópolis.