Thailand
United States
Bringing your dog or cat from Thailand to the USA
Thailand is on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, so dogs face the strictest U.S. entry rules. Which ones depend on a single question: was your dog's rabies vaccine given in the United States or abroad? Cats are much simpler.
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- CDC status
- Thailand is a high-risk country for dog rabies. The rules cover any dog that was there in the 6 months before entry.
- Minimum age
- Dogs must be at least 6 months old on arrival.
- Foreign-vaccinated dogs
- Titer from a CDC-approved lab drawn at least 28 days before entry, or a 28-day quarantine.
- Arrival airports
- Foreign-vaccinated dogs: only ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL or SEA, with a facility reservation.
- Screwworm certificate
- Thai official veterinarian's inspection within 5 days before shipment (APHIS lists Thailand).
- Cats
- No CDC rabies requirement; must appear healthy. States and airlines may ask for more.
Who this guide is for
Americans coming home after a posting or retirement in Thailand, Thai families moving to the United States, and anyone who adopted a dog or cat in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket. It also applies if your dog only passed through Thailand: the CDC rules reach any dog that was in a high-risk country during the 6 months before it arrives in the U.S., and a dog counts as having entered a country if it cleared customs there.
If your dog left Thailand more than 6 months before its U.S. arrival and has spent that time only in low-risk countries, the high-risk rules no longer apply.
What we coordinate
- Working out which CDC pathway your dog is on, from its vaccination records.
- The titer test at a CDC-approved lab, timed to clear CDC's windows.
- The reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, and a flight that lands at that airport.
- The CDC Dog Import Form, the CDC certification form and the screwworm certificate from Thailand's veterinary authority.
- Carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet, and arrival help in the U.S. through local partners where available. See U.S. pet import.
Bringing a pet home from Thailand?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats
The CDC rules on this page apply to dogs only. The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for cats entering the United States, and USDA APHIS says it has no animal health requirements for importing a pet cat. A cat must look healthy on arrival, and a sick cat may need a veterinary exam at your expense. Your destination state and your airline may ask for a health certificate or vaccination record, so we check both. See bringing a cat into the USA.
Timeline
For a dog vaccinated in Thailand, plan at least two to three months:
- Day 0: microchip (if not already done), then rabies vaccination. A chip implanted after the vaccine makes the vaccine invalid for CDC.
- Day 30 or later: blood draw for the titer test. CDC recommends drawing at least 60 days before travel because lab turnaround varies.
- 30+ days before travel: reserve the animal care facility and book the flight to that airport.
- Within 30 days of travel: the veterinarian completes the CDC certification form and an official government veterinarian endorses it. The screwworm inspection must fall within 5 days before shipment.
- The week of travel: submit the CDC Dog Import Form.
A U.S.-vaccinated dog that already has its endorsed CDC certification can move much faster.
CDC rules for dogs from a high-risk country
Every dog needs to be at least 6 months old, have a microchip readable by a universal scanner, appear healthy, and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. For dogs from a high-risk country, the receipt covers a single entry on the arrival date listed; if the date or airport changes, you submit a new form. It needs a photo of the dog's face and body (taken within 15 days of arrival for dogs under one year). The airline must see the receipt before boarding, and CBP sees it on arrival.
Dogs vaccinated in the United States
- A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the CDC Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, and USDA endorses it before the dog leaves the United States.
- For a first vaccine, the dog must have been at least 12 weeks old, and the form completed at least 28 days after the vaccine.
- The form is reusable while the vaccine stays valid. No titer is required.
- The dog may arrive at any airport, seaport or land crossing, as long as it matches the port on the import receipt.
- A USDA-endorsed export health certificate issued no later than July 31, 2025 can still replace the form; later certificates are not accepted for re-entry.
If the certification was not done before your dog left the U.S., or the U.S. vaccine lapsed while you were in Thailand, the dog falls under the foreign-vaccinated rules below.
Dogs vaccinated outside the United States
- The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by a veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country, within 30 days before travel. It is single-use.
- A valid titer, or a 28-day quarantine (see below).
- A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, including an exam and revaccination with a U.S.-licensed rabies vaccine.
- Arrival by air, on an international flight directly into that facility's airport. No domestic connection until the facility's services are complete.
- Documents in English or with a certified translation.
Full details: CDC dog import rules.
Microchip
CDC requires a microchip that a universal scanner can read, implanted before the rabies vaccine. The chip number must appear on every form. If your dog was chipped after its last rabies shot, it needs a new vaccination (and, for a foreign-vaccinated dog, a new titer drawn at least 30 days later).
Rabies vaccination
The first rabies vaccine must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or older; CDC does not accept earlier vaccines for dogs from high-risk countries. For a foreign-vaccinated dog receiving its first vaccine, it must be given at least 28 days before entry. Keep boosters on time: a lapse means a new vaccine and, for a foreign-vaccinated dog, a new titer.
Titer test
Only foreign-vaccinated dogs need one. The blood must go to a CDC-approved laboratory; results from other labs are not accepted, and the result must come directly from the approved lab. The sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. A passing result stays valid for the dog's life as long as vaccination never lapses.
CDC's approved-lab list includes a laboratory of Thailand's Department of Livestock Development, as well as Kansas State, Auburn and the University of Missouri in the U.S. We confirm the Thai lab's current submission process for your dates.
Without a valid titer, the dog spends 28 days in quarantine at the animal care facility. CDC allows a shorter stay only in narrow cases approved by CDC.
Import permit
The United States does not issue an import permit for pet dogs or cats. The equivalent steps are the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and, for foreign-vaccinated dogs, the animal care facility reservation, which the facility issues only after it has reviewed your documents.
Health certificate
CDC does not require a general health certificate. Dogs need the CDC rabies certification for their pathway and the screwworm certificate. Some U.S. states and many airlines require a recent health certificate, so we plan one for most moves.
Thai official endorsement
Two U.S. documents need a Thai government veterinarian:
- CDC foreign-vaccination form: endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country.
- Screwworm certificate: USDA APHIS lists Thailand as a region where screwworm exists. Dogs from such regions need a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the region of origin, stating the dog was inspected within 5 days before shipment and found free of screwworm. It can be a separate certificate or part of the export certificate.
Thailand's veterinary authority is the Department of Livestock Development (DLD). Its export procedure for pets could not be read on its website when we checked, so we confirm the steps and lead time with DLD for your dates.
Airlines
The airline must see the CDC receipt before boarding, and for a foreign-vaccinated dog the flight has to land at the airport of its facility reservation. Snub-nosed breeds are restricted on most carriers. Airline policies change; we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
The mode affects which airports work. CDC notes that the Seattle facility accepts cargo-only reservations, and that at Los Angeles cargo is preferred: dogs arriving otherwise are transferred to cargo and may face delays. Cabin travel depends on the airline and the dog's size and is never guaranteed. See airline cargo for pets.
Arrival in the United States
A foreign-vaccinated dog must land at one of the airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility: Atlanta (ATL), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York JFK, Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA) or Washington Dulles (IAD). For JFK, landing at Newark or LaGuardia does not count. The facility examines and revaccinates the dog. More on U.S. arrival airports.
Under APHIS rules for regions not declared free of foot-and-mouth disease, which include Thailand, the dog should be bathed as soon as it reaches its destination and kept away from livestock for 5 days.
Quarantine
A foreign-vaccinated dog without a valid titer is quarantined for 28 days at the animal care facility, at your expense. A dog with a valid titer is not quarantined but still goes through the facility for the exam and revaccination. U.S.-vaccinated dogs with the endorsed certification are not quarantined by CDC. Any dog that looks sick may be inspected and denied entry.
State and territory rules
There are no CDC-registered animal care facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories, including Guam, so a foreign-vaccinated dog from Thailand cannot enter there. CDC also notes that cats arriving in Hawaii or Guam are subject to local quarantine rules. Hawaii and Guam set their own requirements for dogs and cats; we check them, and the rules of your destination state, for your move.
What drives the cost
- Which CDC pathway applies: the animal care facility reservation, exam, revaccination and any quarantine are paid by the importer and priced by each facility.
- The titer test and lab shipping.
- Thai export certification and the screwworm inspection.
- Flight mode, crate size and routing to an eligible airport.
- Onward domestic travel after release.
The CDC Dog Import Form is free. We quote once we know your dog's records, route and dates.
Mistakes we see on this route
- Assuming a U.S. dog is still "U.S.-vaccinated". Without the endorsed CDC certification made before departure, or after a lapsed vaccine, it is treated as foreign-vaccinated.
- Booking a flight to the wrong airport. Foreign-vaccinated dogs must land at the airport of their facility reservation, on the international flight.
- Drawing the titer too late. It must be at least 28 days before entry; lab turnaround varies.
- Chipping after vaccinating. The vaccine then does not count.
- Forgetting the screwworm certificate. It must come from Thailand's official veterinary service, within 5 days of shipment.
Questions about this route
My dog lived in Thailand for two years but was vaccinated in the U.S. before we left. What applies?
If a USDA-accredited veterinarian completed the CDC Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination and USDA endorsed it before you left, and the vaccine is still valid, your dog can return without a titer or care facility. If not, it follows the foreign-vaccinated rules.
Can my foreign-vaccinated dog fly into San Francisco or Honolulu?
No. It must arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility: ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL or SEA. There are none in Hawaii.
Does my cat need a titer test or a CDC form?
No. CDC does not require rabies proof for cats, though it recommends vaccination. Your state or airline may ask for a health certificate.
Can my dog avoid the 28-day quarantine?
Yes, with a valid titer from a CDC-approved lab, drawn at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 28 days before entry. The facility exam and revaccination still apply.
We spent the last 8 months in Japan after Thailand. Is my dog still high-risk?
CDC looks at the 6 months before arrival. If the dog has not been in a high-risk country in that period, the low-risk rules apply.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (April 15, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (July 22, 2024)
- CDC — FAQs on dog importations (August 27, 2026)
- CDC — Dog Import Form and instructions (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — Layovers (April 29, 2026)
- CDC — CDC-registered animal care facilities (September 1, 2026)
- CDC — Approved rabies serology laboratories (July 13, 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): Thailand listed as screwworm-affected; not on the FMD-free list
- 9 CFR 93.600 — Importation of dogs (screwworm certificate)
- 9 CFR 94.1 — Regions where FMD exists (all regions except those declared free)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet cat into the United States (modified December 24, 2025)
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
Bringing a pet home from Thailand?
Send us your dog's vaccination records and your dates. We tell you which CDC pathway applies and plan the facility, documents and flight.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed.