Pet import requirements for Rwanda

Rwanda at a glance

The detail

KGL is on the arrival list for pets heading to Rwanda. Rwanda, of ficially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. 3 months.

Import requirements

3 months

VACCINATION RECORDS

ENDORSED / OFFICIAL ORIGINATING COUNTRY HEALTH CERTIFICATE

IMPORT PERMIT

TAPEWORM TREATMENT (FOR CATS AND DOGS) > 24 HOURS BUT < 120 HOURS BEFORE SCHEDULED ARRIVAL TIME IN RWANDA. ACTIVE INGREDIENT IS PRAZIQUANTEL, OR AN EQUIVALENT PRODUCT + THE FOLLOWING RELATIVE INFORMATION MUST BE FOUND ON THE HEALTH CERTIFICATE.

Rwanda Trade Procedure

Pre-import procedures an importer wishing to import live animals in republic of Rwanda shall apply for No objection letter from the office of the Head of Animal Resources department /RAB.

The no objection letter does not replace import permit. www.rab.gov.rw,THIS LETTER IS OPTIONAL FOR PETS BUT APPLIES FOR OTHER LIVE ANIMALS.

Identification and microchip

Rwanda does not require that your pet be identified with a pet microchip. microchiping is remocomended as permant identification for in ternational travels.

Rabies and vaccinations

Pets shall be allowed to enter into Rwanda if they are vaccinated against rabies after at least thirty days (30 days) but not more than 12 months and must be accompanied by a valid vaccination certificate.

> 30 DAYS, BUT < THAN 12 MONTHS ALL VACCINATIONS

Pets shall be allowed to enter into Rwanda if they are vaccinated against rabies after at least thirty days (30 days) but not more than 12 months and must be accompanied by a valid vaccination certificate. In addition the dog/cat has been vaccinated against canine/feline diseases not more than 12 months prior to shipment.

DOGS: RABIES / DISTEMPER / HEPATITIS / LEPTOSPIROSIS / PARVOVIROSIS

CATS: RABIES / PANLEUKOPENIA / RHINOTROCHEITIS / CALCIVIRUS / CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI

Tests and treatments

Tapeworm rules apply to pet dogs and/or cats only. Not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in Rwanda, your pets must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis using an approved/licensed veterinary medicine whose active in gredient is Praziquantel, or an equivalent product and the following relative in formation must be found on the health certificate.

Health certificate and permits

YES, IMPORT PERMIT IS REQUIRED. IN ORDER TO PROCESS THE PET IMPORT PERMIT, THEY WILL REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING:

• VACCINATION RECORDS
• OWNER’S PASSPORT {PHOTO PAGE IS SUFFICIENT}

• RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS IN RWANDA
• EXACT DATE OF ARRIVAL/ENTRY INTO RWANDA

• LOCAL RWANDA PHONE NUMBER {COULD BE FOR WORK OR SOMEONE THE OWNER KNOWS}
• COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM FOR THE IMPORT OF PETS

// PLEASE NOTE A HEALTH CERTIFICATE ENDORSED BY A LICENSED VET (of ficial government veterinarian must endorse the health certificate prepared by a licensed vet)IS REQUIRED BEFORE A PET IMPORT PERMIT CAN BE PROCESSED.

IN PERSON APPLICATION / TAKES UP TO 6 BUSINESS DAYS TO PROCESS // WITH POSSIBILITIES TO EXPEDITE

REQUIRES DRAFT OR FINAL AWB FOR IMPORT PERMIT TO BE RELEASED

IMPORT PERMIT IS ONLY VALID FOR 3 DAYS FROM DATE OF EXACT EXTRY / VALID FOR ONE ENTRY ONLY.

A TRANSIT PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR PETS TRANSITING THROUGH RWANDA; TO OBTAIN THIS PERMIT APLICATION LETTER IS REQUIRED, COPY ID/PASSPORT, VACCINATION CARD, EXPORT PERMIT ORIGIN, IMPORT PERMIT DESTINATION,PAYMENT SLIP, AIRWAY BILL/ PLATE NUMBER FOR VEHICLE, DATE OF TRANSIT,PORT OF ENTRY AND EXIT, CONSIGN ADRESS AND CONSIGNEE. THIS PERMIT IS VALID FOR ONE DAY.

APPLICATION_FORM_FOR_IMPORT_RWANDA.pdf

Quarantine

There will be no quarantine imposed on your pet when entering Rwanda.

Customs, agents, and airports

Yes, highly recommended.

Yes, highly recommended. Currently, the Aviation security of Rwanda in sists on the presence of the owner (or someone authorized by the owner) to open up for the dog so that the kennel is scanned in their presence. Without this we’ve found it hard to have pets cleared and released.

Airports:

• KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IATA CODE;KGL and ICAO CODE; HRYR

Ground:

• Pet can enter Rwanda Gatuna border post( border between Rwanda and Uganda by road (note a vehicle registration number should mentioned on the export permit)
• RUSUMO BORDER POST BETWEEN TANZANIA AND RWANDA (Customs Service Department - Rusumo One Stop Border Post

P.O. Box 3987

+250 788 185 500

• http://www.rra.gov.rw)

Pets must enter Rwanda at Kigali International Airport. Notify the Veterinary Officials so they will be available to in spect.

Airports listed on this destination file: KGL.

The Customs Services Department under the Rwanda Revenue Authority has the primary function of collecting and accounting for import duties and taxes on imports.

All importers must use clearing agents to process goods through customs. Several private warehouses exist, and many businesses have their own warehouses. The cost of warehousing is based on handling charges and length of warehousing.

For further in formation on customs regulations, please contact:

Kigali Field Operations

Customs Department Services

Rwanda Revenue Authority

P.O Box 718 Kigali

Rosine Uwamaliya

Email: rosine.uwamaliya@rra.gov.rw or info@rra.gov.rw

Phone: +250 788 503-988

Export notes

• Air Way Bill (Airfreight) or Bill of Lading (Seafreight)
• Supplier Invoice(s)
• Packing List
• Import Declaration Form (IDF). (from the Importer)
• Importer’s Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Value Added Tax (VAT) numbers
• Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificates, if any
• National Drug Authority Certificate / Permit for import of drug and pharmaceuticals
• Phyto Sanitary certificates for import of agricultural products.
• Registration / De-registration Card of country of origin of old/used vehicles
• Gift Certificates, if gifted to any organization eligible for duty free clearance
• Passport of the in dividual for clearance of personal effects
• Certificate of Origin – especially for goods imported from COMESA countries

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

rema.gov.rw,rwandatrade.rw,Live animals should be transported comfortably,non slippery surface, adequate space, if more than one animals are transported to gether they should not squeeze each other.

Rules of Origin under Rwandan law

• Under Rwandan law governing customs goods wholly obtained or produced in a country shall not benefit from preferential tariff treatment where:
• Agreements on preferential tariff treatment or Laws are not in place;
• Conditions specified in the agreements on preferential tariff treatment are not fulfilled.
• Any processing or working in respect of which it is established, or in respect of which the facts as ascertained justify the presumption, that its sole objective was to circumvent the provisions applicable to goods from specific countries shall under no circumstances be deemed to confer on the goods thus produced the origin of the country where it is carried out.

• Customs may require the production of documents as proof of origin on specific goods. Notwithstanding the production of any document referred to in the foregoing paragraph, Customs may, in the event of serious doubts, require any additional proof to ensure that the in dication of origin complies with the rules laid down by the relevant provisions.

Official contacts

Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board

P. O. Box 5016, Kigali

Tel: 4675 +250 788 385 312

Email: infos@rab.gov.rw, of ficedg@rab.gov.rw,of ficedgan@rab.go.rw

Website: http://rab.gov.rw/

RAB e-PortalTel: +250 788 385 312 Email: infos@rab.gov.rw Website: https://arpms.rab.gov.rw/

Ministry of Agriculture

Animal Resources and Forestry

Address: P.O. Box 621 Kigali, Rwanda

Tel: +250 788 434-272

Fax: +250 84644

Veterinary Services Unit

P.O. Box 804

Kigali

Email: rardaveterinaryservicesunit@yahoo.com

Director of Veterinary Services

Tel: +250 788 503-589

Dr. Gafarasi Isidore Mapendo

Email: Gafarasi.isidori@rab.gov.rw

Deputy Commissioner for Customs ServicesRwanda Revenue AuthorityCustoms Gikondo Magerwa

1st Floor,P.O. Box3987–Kigali

Mr. William Musoni

E-mail: william.musoni@rra.gov.rw

Tel: +250 788 185-840

Commissioner for Customs CervicesRwanda Revenue Authority

1st Floor

Customs Gikondo Magerwa

P.O. Box 3987 - Kigali

Raphael Tugirumuremyi

E-mail: raphael.tugirumuremyi@rra.gov.rw

Tel: +250 788 185-711

Customs clearance procedures can be found the eRegulations Rwanda website

Current as of September 2024

Disclaimer

Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2025-09-18.

Next: measure your dog, find the kennel size, then get a free travel quote. Moving on military orders? PCS moves. Going to Hawaiʻi instead? Hawaiʻi has its own regime.

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