International Pet Travel: What You Need to Know

Planning to travel internationally with your pet? Requirements vary widely by destination, and some can take months to complete. Please read the information below carefully and reach out to schedule your appointment(s) as early as possible.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

Depending on your destination, international pet travel may require more than one appointment. Some countries have multi-step processes — including required lab work — that can take several months to finalize. Because of this, we strongly encourage you to contact us as soon as you begin planning your trip, even if your travel date is still far away.

Basic Requirements for All International Travel

• Rabies vaccination: Your pet must have a current, unexpired rabies vaccine.
• Microchip: Your pet must have a 15-digit, ISO-compliant microchip.
• Timing of the wellness exam: International travel health certificates require a wellness exam completed within 10 days of travel. This is a strict window, so your appointment must be scheduled close to your departure date — even if other paperwork or lab work has already been finished.

Every Country Is Different

Entry requirements are set by the destination country and can vary significantly — some require additional vaccines, parasite treatments, or laboratory testing (such as a rabies titer test), which alone can take several months to process. You can look up requirements for your specific destination using the USDA APHIS Pet Travel tool:

Check your destination's requirements: USDA APHIS Pet Travel — Search by Country

Paperwork: Digital vs. Physical

Some countries accept an electronic signature and digital endorsement of your pet's health certificate. Others still require physical, signed paperwork, which means you may need to bring a prepaid return shipping label to your appointment so the endorsed documents can be mailed back to you.

Learn how to prepare a return label and more about the certification process here: USDA APHIS — Pet Travel Process Overview

Traveling to a High-Risk Rabies Country?

If your pet is traveling to a country the CDC considers high-risk for rabies, additional documentation is required for your pet's re-entry into the United States. You will need a Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, endorsed by USDA, confirming your pet was vaccinated against rabies by a U.S.-licensed veterinarian.

Check if your destination is on the high-risk list: CDC — High-Risk Countries for Dog Importation

Our Recommendation

Because requirements vary so much by country — and because some steps (like lab work) can take months — contact us as early as possible once you know you'll be traveling internationally with your pet. This gives us time to:

1. Confirm your destination's specific requirements
2. Schedule any necessary lab work or additional vaccines well in advance
3. Time your final wellness exam and health certificate correctly within the required 10-day window
4. Prepare any physical paperwork and return shipping materials, if needed

Requirements are set by government agencies and can change. This page is provided as a general guide — please confirm current requirements for your specific destination using the official USDA APHIS and CDC resources linked above, or contact our office with questions.