Jakarta. Moving to Indonesia with a companion animal requires more than booking a flight and arranging a carrier. Dogs, cats and other companion animals entering the country are subject to import permits, veterinary documentation, vaccination requirements, rabies controls and quarantine procedures. Requirements can also vary depending on the animal’s country of origin and destination within Indonesia.

For pet owners planning to bring their animals to Indonesia, understanding the requirements well in advance can help avoid delays, additional costs or problems at the border. Here is a guide to the requirements and procedures for importing pets into Indonesia.

Can Your Pet Enter Indonesia?
Indonesia imposes restrictions on the entry of animals because of concerns over rabies and other animal diseases.

Dogs, cats, birds and monkeys generally cannot enter Indonesia’s designated rabies-free areas unless they come from a country recognized by Indonesia as rabies-free.

Indonesia recognizes a number of countries and territories as rabies-free, including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Japan, Ireland, Iceland, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak, Cyprus, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Malta, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States.

Additional country-specific restrictions may apply. Pets imported from Taiwan and China, including Hong Kong and Macau could not enter Indonesia, while dogs from Thailand have also been subject to such import restrictions.

Bali has Additional Restrictions
Pet owners planning to move directly to Bali should pay particular attention to Indonesia’s rabies-control measures. Direct importation of pets into Bali is restricted, and animals may need to enter through another permitted location before being transported onward.

Permitted entry points include Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Maluku, West Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Jakarta, East Java, Central Java, and Yogyakarta.

Permitted routes and destinations can change depending on latest animal-health regulations, so owners should confirm the most recent update with Indonesian quarantine authorities before making travel arrangements.

What Documents Do You Need?
Pet owners should prepare their documents well before the animal travels. The required paperwork generally includes the following:

• Import permit
  An import permit issued by the Director of Animal Health at Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture is required for pets entering Indonesia.
  
  The permit is issued after obtaining recommendation letter from the Department of  Veterinary Science in the country of origin. 
  
  The import permit should be obtained at least one week before the animal arrives in Indonesia. In practice, owners may need to begin the application process around two weeks ahead to allow time for processing.
  
  The permit is valid for 30 days, meaning the animal must enter Indonesia within that period.
  
  Applications can be submitted through the Animal Health Recommendation and Licensing Information System, known as SIMREK, operated by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services.
  
  As the SIMREK website is in Indonesian, it is highly recommended to use browser translation feature to help in navigating around the website. 
  
  Pet owners should report their animal to the Animal Quarantine Officer at the designated point of entry at least two days before arrival. All documents should be checked and prepared before departure to avoid delays during inspection.
   
• Health certificate
  A health certificate must be completed by a licensed veterinarian in the country of origin within 10 days of entry. 
  
  The certificate must also be issued or endorsed by the relevant government veterinary authority in the country of origin.
  
  The animal must meet Indonesia’s health requirements and should not be pregnant or lactating at the time of importation.
   
• Veterinary recommendation
  Recommendation letter from the Department of Veterinary Science in the country of origin should also be brought to be shown to the Quarantine Veterinarian in the airport. 
   
• Vaccination records
  Vaccination records should be included in the animal’s international health documentation.
  
  For dogs, required vaccinations may include distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus. For cats, records should include vaccinations for feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia.
  
  Veterinarians should record the relevant vaccinations on the international health certificate.
   
• Rabies vaccination and certificate
  Rabies vaccination is a key requirement for pets entering Indonesia. The rabies vaccination must generally be administered between one month and a year before the animal leaves its city of origin and remain valid at the time of arrival in Indonesia.
  
  The rabies certificate should contain the animal’s microchip information, vaccination dates and the validity period of the vaccination. Since there can be no rabies shot given during the quarantine period, do take this into consideration when planning date of arrival. 
   
• Rabies titer test
  Rabies antibody titer testing is required for pets entering Indonesia from all countries under the stated requirements.
  
  A rabies titer test does not replace proof of rabies vaccination. Blood samples must be tested at an approved laboratory in foreign government agency, and additional testing may be conducted when the animal arrives in Indonesia.
   
• Owner and pet identification
  Owners should also prepare a copy of their passport and detailed identification information for the animal. The paperwork should include the pet’s name, breed, sex, age and color, along with a written description.
   
• Microchip
  Pets should be identified with a 15-digit microchip that complies with ISO 11784 or Annex A of ISO 11785.
  
  If an animal has a microchip that does not comply with these standards, the owner may need to provide a scanner capable of reading it. The microchip should be implanted by a veterinarian, veterinary hospital or trained veterinary professional, with documentation identifying the manufacturer and registration instructions.

What Happens When Your Pet Arrives?

Upon arrival in Indonesia, pets go through several procedures before they can be released to their owners.

These generally include:

1. Quarantine inspection
2. Verification of documents by a quarantine veterinarian
3. Health inspection
4. Quarantine observation, generally lasting between seven and 14 days depending on the circumstances
5. Customs clearance

The length of quarantine can vary depending on the animal’s origin, health status, test results and compliance with Indonesian requirements.

How Much Does It Cost?

Pet owners should budget for several costs associated with bringing an animal to Indonesia.

Indicative costs include:

* Import permit: around Rp 500,000 (around $28 at an exchange rate of $1=Rp 17,800).
* Quarantine fees: approximately Rp 3 million to Rp 5 million
* Customs duties and taxes: depending on the circumstances
* Veterinary services, vaccinations and laboratory testing: additional costs that vary by country and provider
* Transportation and airline pet fees: additional costs charged by the carrier

These figures can change, so owners should confirm the latest fees before traveling.

What Happens If Requirements Are Not Met?

Pets that do not meet Indonesia’s import requirements can face serious consequences.

Depending on the violation and applicable animal-health regulations, authorities may require an animal to be placed in additional quarantine, returned to its country of origin or subjected to other measures under Indonesian quarantine rules, including euthanizing.

For this reason, pet owners should not wait until the last minute to begin preparing.

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