South Korea
United States
Pet Relocation From South Korea to the USA
South Korea is not on the CDC's high-risk list, so a dog that has only been in Korea or other low-risk countries for six months enters the U.S. with a microchip, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt and proof of age. Korea's own export certificate is optional for the U.S., but your airline may want it.
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- CDC status
- South Korea is not a high-risk dog rabies country; North Korea is.
- Dog age
- At least 6 months old when entering the U.S.
- CDC Dog Import Form
- One per dog, free, online; show the receipt to the airline and to CBP.
- APQA certificate
- 10,000 won per case at an APQA office; vet certificate within 10 days of departure.
- APHIS guidance
- Bathe the dog on arrival and keep it away from livestock for 5 days.
- Cats
- No CDC rabies vaccination requirement; airlines may ask for certificates.
Who this guide is for
Families moving from South Korea to the United States with a dog or cat: Korean families relocating for work or school, Americans returning after an assignment, and service members leaving Humphreys, Osan or other installations on PCS orders.
What we coordinate on this route
Yunifly plans the move, checks the documents on both sides and arranges the flight. Physical steps such as transport to Incheon and pickup in the U.S. go through local partners where available.
- A plan built around your departure date
- The veterinary certificate in Korea and the APQA export certificate appointment
- The CDC Dog Import Form and a check of your dog's six-month travel history
- Airline, aircraft and mode for your pet's size and breed, with a routing that avoids customs clearance in high-risk countries
- State checks for your destination, including Hawaii and Guam
- Crate preparation and U.S. arrival coordination (US airport arrival)
Leaving South Korea with a pet?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats
The CDC's import rules apply only to dogs. For cats, the CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination or a general health certificate; a cat must appear healthy, and states or airlines may ask for documents. APQA's own U.S. guide notes that most airlines require a vaccination and health certificate and the APQA certificate for cats, so plan for them anyway.
How long it takes
For a healthy adult dog that has lived in Korea for at least six months, the documents take days, not months:
- File the CDC Dog Import Form once the travel date is known.
- Veterinary vaccination and health certificate within 10 days of departure (APQA's guide asks for two copies).
- APQA export certificate at an airport or regional office, usually the same visit.
- Fly, and show the CDC receipt at check-in and on arrival.
The flight booking usually sets the pace. Give us four to six weeks if you can, more in summer or for large or snub-nosed breeds.
CDC rules for dogs from South Korea
South Korea is not on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies (dated April 15, 2026). North Korea is. A dog that has been only in South Korea or other low-risk countries for the six months before entry needs:
- to be at least 6 months old;
- a microchip readable by a universal scanner;
- a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, which the CDC calls the only required document;
- to appear healthy on arrival.
Low-risk dogs can enter at any U.S. airport, seaport or land border. The form is free, one per dog, and the receipt covers several entries from the same country for six months. APQA's U.S. guide adds that you should be ready to state, orally or in writing, that the dog has lived in Korea for at least six months or was born there.
Watch the routing. The CDC treats a dog as having entered a country if it clears customs there. A connection that clears customs in a high-risk country, such as mainland China, the Philippines or Vietnam, means the high-risk rules apply on arrival in the U.S.
Dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past six months follow a different set of CDC requirements; see CDC dog import rules.
Microchip
The CDC requires a microchip detectable by a universal scanner; no specific standard. Dogs registered in Korea usually already have one. Make sure the same number appears on the CDC form, the veterinary certificate and the APQA certificate.
Rabies vaccination
A low-risk dog does not show a rabies certificate to the CDC, and the CDC does not require it for cats. APQA's guide marks rabies vaccination as recommended for the U.S. and notes that state rules may differ. Bring a current certificate: airlines, states and cities often ask for it, and it is needed if your pet ever returns to Korea.
Rabies titer test
No titer test is required for a low-risk dog or a cat entering the U.S. mainland. Two cases where a titer still matters:
- Hawaii requires an OIE-FAVN result from an approved lab (see the state section).
- Coming back to Korea: Korea accepts a titer for 24 months from the draw, so a test done before you leave can make a later return simple.
Import permit
There is no U.S. import permit for pet dogs and cats. For dogs, the CDC receipt plays that role. Hawaii and Guam have their own applications (see below).
Health certificate
The U.S. does not require a general health certificate for low-risk dogs or cats. In Korea, your veterinarian issues a "vaccination and health certificate" within 10 days of departure; APQA uses it to issue the export certificate, and airlines often ask for it.
APQA export certificate
APQA's export certificate is optional for the United States; it is needed when the airline or destination asks for it. Many airlines do, so we usually recommend it.
- Bring your pet, the veterinary certificate and the application to an APQA office at the airport or port.
- The inspector reviews the documents, examines the pet and issues the certificate.
- Fee: 10,000 won per case.
- Incheon Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 offices open every day, including holidays, from 09:00 to 18:00; arrive before 17:30. Appointments are recommended.
Airline
Airlines on Korea–U.S. routes set their own rules on age, weight, crate, breed and season, and they change them often. As one example, Delta's pet page (read October 29, 2026) requires the CDC receipt for dogs entering the U.S., sets a minimum age of 16 weeks for cats entering from abroad, and charges $200 each way for international cabin pets, with no pets in Delta One or Premium cabins.
For other carriers we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet before booking.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
Small pets may fly in the cabin where the airline and cabin allow it, never by default. Larger pets fly in the hold or as cargo. APQA's guide reminds owners to keep dust, sawdust and straw out of the crate for the U.S. See cabin, checked or cargo.
Arrival in the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checks the CDC receipt and the dog at the port of entry. Keep the receipt, microchip number and Korean certificates together.
USDA APHIS has its own dog rules. South Korea is not on APHIS's screwworm list, so no screwworm certificate is needed. Korea is not among the regions APHIS lists as free of foot-and-mouth disease, so APHIS's guidance for dogs from FMD-affected countries applies: fur and bedding free of excess dirt, hay or straw, a bath on arrival, and five days away from livestock. No document is required for this. Dogs that handle livestock should show no evidence of tapeworm.
Quarantine
There is no federal quarantine for a compliant low-risk dog or a healthy cat. A dog that does not meet CDC rules can be refused entry and sent back to its last departure country at the owner's cost. Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine programs.
State and territory rules
Your destination state or city may have its own rules, such as licensing or local vaccination requirements. We check them for your address.
- Hawaii: Korea is not on Hawaii's exempt list (British Isles, Australia, Guam, New Zealand). Pets must qualify for 5-Day-or-Less or Direct Airport Release: two rabies vaccinations, a passing OIE-FAVN from Kansas State, Auburn, the University of Missouri or the DoD lab (DoD beneficiaries only), and documents received at least 10 days before arrival. Otherwise quarantine can last up to 120 days. Direct Airport Release in Honolulu is $185 per pet.
- Guam: Korea is not on Guam's exempt list. Documents are due at least 30 days ahead, the permit is $65, and pets must arrive at least 120 days after the FAVN sample reached a CDC-approved lab, or stay in commercial quarantine until day 120.
What drives the cost
- The airline charge, by mode, crate size and route
- Veterinary certificates in Korea and the APQA fee (10,000 won)
- The crate and ground transport on both ends, through local partners where available
- Hawaii or Guam fees and any quarantine
See pet relocation costs.
Mistakes we see on this route
- A connection through a high-risk country that clears customs there.
- A puppy under six months. It cannot enter the U.S.
- Skipping the APQA certificate and finding the airline wants it at check-in.
- Planning Hawaii or Guam on mainland timelines. Both need months.
- Letting the rabies vaccine lapse when a return to Korea is likely.
Questions about this route
Do I need the APQA export certificate to enter the U.S.?
The U.S. does not require it for a low-risk dog or a cat, but many airlines do. At 10,000 won, we usually recommend getting it.
When should I submit the CDC Dog Import Form?
CDC's instructions do not set a deadline; the receipt is valid for six months for entries from the same country. APQA's guide suggests 2 to 10 days before arrival, which also works. You must show the receipt to the airline before boarding.
Is a Jindo allowed into the U.S.?
The CDC rules do not depend on breed. Airline rules can, so we check crate and breed limits for your carrier.
Does my cat need anything for the U.S.?
No CDC rabies vaccination or health certificate is required, but the cat must appear healthy. Airlines often ask for a vaccination and health certificate and the APQA certificate. See bringing a cat into the USA.
We're leaving Korea on PCS orders. Can you help?
Yes. We coordinate the Korean certificates, the CDC form and the flight around your report date. See our military relocation service.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- APQA (Korea) — Export of pets
- APQA — Country export guide: United States (excluding Guam and Hawaii), non-commercial (Korean, dated March 18, 2026; reference only per APQA)
- APQA notice 2026-43, Annex 9 — import quarantine of dogs and cats (re-entry to Korea)
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (updated April 15, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for dogs from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries
- CDC — Dog Import Form instructions (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — Dogs and layovers (April 29, 2026)
- CDC — Bringing a cat into the United States (August 22, 2025)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet dog into the United States (modified April 1, 2026)
- USDA APHIS — Animal health status of regions (modified October 27, 2026)
- Hawaii Department of Agriculture — Animal Quarantine
- Guam Department of Agriculture — Animal Health
- Delta Air Lines — Pet travel overview
Requirements last verified against these sources on .
Requirements change. Before anything is booked, we confirm each one again with the authorities, the airline and your veterinarian for your pet and your dates.
Going the other way?
Other destinations
Leaving South Korea with a pet?
Tell us your departure date, where you're moving in the U.S. and where your dog has been in the last six months. We'll plan the certificates and the flight.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed.