US import permit, short certificate window, FAVN and dog restrictions.
Documents and permits
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Use a USDA-accredited veterinarian’s certificate, valid ten days from issue, then obtain APHIS endorsement before submitting the import permit application. Carry the ink-signed embossed endorsed original. Sign/stamp in a colour other than black; coordinate this short window with the authority.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Obtain the permit and enter through an official port. Give at least 48 hours’ notice of arrival date/time, flight/vessel and port. A stay of 24 hours or more during trans-shipment in another country requires its veterinary/quarantine certificate confirming confinement, duration and health. Keep the pet in its carrier until inspected and cleared.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
The US model accepts permanent chip/tattoo identification; a chip must precede primary rabies vaccination. Use inactivated adjuvanted vaccine from three months, then approved-laboratory FAVN ≥0.5 IU/ml sampled at least 30 days later. For US-origin pets the titer can remain valid for life only with every booster before the previous dose expires; a lapse requires retesting.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Treat internal/external parasites within 14 days before scheduled shipment. Tapeworm treatment must contain praziquantel and precede certificate signing; record products/dates and veterinary signatures. Tick treatment needs residual activity; shampoos, collars and flea-only products are not accepted. Let the veterinarian choose products suitable for the species.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Dogs require parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus, parainfluenza and leptospirosis vaccines; Lyme is vaccination per manufacturer OR negative serology within ten days before shipment. Dogs must be spayed/neutered unless the importer holds the destination’s breeder licence; carry veterinary proof and the owner declaration.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Cats require calicivirus, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and feline leukaemia vaccination according to the manufacturer’s data sheet. Do not apply the dog neutering or Lyme branch to cats.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
The certificate prohibits Dogo Argentino, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Japanese Tosa, Presa Canario, Fila Brasileiro and crosses. Other breeds are restricted and require authority contact; review the full list, including Rottweiler, in the linked model before applying.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
