Bringing pets to the United States from another country is not an easy task. Bringing your pet to the U.S. can be exciting, but don’t let that stop you from making sure your pet meets immigration requirements upon arrival. The process is much smoother if you take the time to research immigration requirements, get the correct paperwork, and prepare for your pet’s flight.
These regulations do not apply to the State of Hawaii or Guam. Rules regarding bringing a dog or cat into Hawaii or bringing a dog or cat into Guam. Unless otherwise stated, the following rules apply to domestic dogs, cats and ferrets. Owners of other pets should refer to point 13.
Effective today, dogs cannot be imported into the United States from Egypt without permission from the Centers for Disease Control, unless they have lived in a rabies-free or rabies-controlled country for at least 6 months prior to importation. Few exceptions apply. All dogs entering the United States from Egypt will be sent back to their country of origin. The ban does not apply to dogs transiting through Egypt and staying on the same airline, as long as the dog has not cleared customs and entered Egypt for any reason.
Effective July 14, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has suspended the import of dogs from the following countries with a high incidence of rabies. Dogs that stay, visit or enter the following countries within 6 months of import are also affected by this suspension. All pet owners who wish to bring dogs into the United States from these rabies-prone countries must apply for an import license from the CDC, unless their pets meet the following requirements:
Have a rabies certificate showing current vaccination against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in the United States.
Microchip proof.
At least 6 months old.
Arrived in good health.
Enter the United States at an approved port of entry (see below).
This includes dogs that reside, visit or clear customs and enter such a country within 6 months of importation. Dogs wishing to enter the United States from these countries but do not meet the above criteria can apply for an import permit or enter the United States at an airport with an approved quarantine facility (MIA, LAX, JFK, ATL).
The ban has been extended to January 31, 2023.
HIGH-RABIES COUNTRIES
AFRICA: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt (Temporary importation suspension of dogs from Egypt until further notice), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini (Swaziland), Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia and Zimbabwe
AMERICAS AND EASTERN CARIBBEAN: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
ASIA: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.
How to Get a Pet Passport to Bring Your Dog, Cat or Other Animals to the U.S. in 7 Steps
A non-EU pet passport is simply a collection of documents required to import your pet into a specific country.
step 1
Research the export regulations of your country of origin. Ask your veterinarian or the Department of Agriculture. You can also find export regulations for many countries here.
Step 2
Determine if the U.S. requires a rabies certificate for your pet to clear customs. Bringing your pet into the United States from many countries requires proof of rabies vaccination.
Step 3
Find out if you are from a country where screwworms are infested. In this case, a spiralworm check is required.
Step 4
Determine if an import license is required to import unaccompanied dogs.
Step #5
Visit your veterinarian to issue a pet health certificate for the United States.
Step #6
Determine the requirements for importing puppies into the United States.
Step #7
Determine the requirements for re-entering the pet into the country of origin. Find pet reentry regulations in over 220 countries.
Yes, you can bring dogs from other countries to the United States, but you must meet certain requirements. Your dog must be at least three months old, have a valid rabies vaccination, and have a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian. You will also need to get an import permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.