Moving Back to America With the Pets You Took (or Found) Abroad

Which household are you?

Most returning families fit one of three situations. Find yours, then read the sections that apply.

• A. The dog left the US with you and stayed in a low-risk country (for example Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore or Hong Kong).
• B. The dog left the US with you but lived in, or visited, a CDC high-risk country in the last six months (for example the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia or mainland China).
• C. The pet was adopted abroad, so its rabies vaccinations were all given outside the US.

Cats in every household follow the CDC's separate cat rules, which are much shorter (see the last section).

Household A: low-risk country

This is the easy case. The CDC's low-risk requirements apply: the dog must be at least 6 months old, have a microchip a universal scanner can read, look healthy, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt that you show to the airline before boarding.

The catch is on the departure side. Japan requires an export inspection for every dog and cat, applied for at least 14 days ahead (MAFF). Singapore requires an export license (AVS). And dogs from Taiwan, Singapore or Hong Kong need a USDA screwworm certificate from an official veterinarian, dated within five days of shipment, because those places are on APHIS's screwworm list.

Household B: a US dog in a high-risk country

The best outcome here depended on a step taken before you left the US: the CDC's "Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination", completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before departure (CDC).

• If you have it and it is still valid, the dog can come home on the US-vaccinated path, at the port listed on its Dog Import Form receipt.
• If you don't, or the US vaccination record is no longer valid, the dog is treated as foreign-vaccinated. That means a titer from a CDC-approved lab, an official endorsed form, and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility at one of a limited set of airports, possibly with a 28-day quarantine.

If you are still abroad and planning a trip home with your dog in the next year, talk to us now. Getting the documents right before a short visit can make the final move far easier.

Household C: a pet adopted abroad

A dog adopted in a low-risk country follows the low-risk rules, like household A. A dog adopted in a high-risk country, such as a street dog rescued in Bangkok or Manila, follows the foreign-vaccinated high-risk rules, with these practical consequences:

• its first valid rabies vaccine must be at 12 weeks of age or older and at least 28 days before entry;
• the titer has to be done at a CDC-approved lab, which can take time to organize from abroad;
• the flight must land directly at an airport with a CDC-registered facility, and there are none in Hawaii, Alaska or US territories.

Puppies cannot enter the US at all before they are 6 months old. Our CDC dog import guide walks through the details.

Cats in every household

The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for cats; they must look healthy on arrival and may be inspected (CDC). The departure country's export steps and the airline's document rules still apply. See bringing a cat into the USA.

Where you land matters

• Your home state may have its own entry requirements; the CDC notes some states ask for health certificates.
• Hawaii is rabies-free and runs its own program: pets that don't meet every "5 Day or Less" requirement face up to 120 days of quarantine (Hawaii Department of Agriculture).
• Military families returning on PCS orders have their own logistics and possible allowances. Our military relocation service plans around them.

A sensible timeline

• Three months out: work out your household type; order a titer if household B or C may need one.
• Six weeks out: confirm the airline and mode; reserve a CDC-registered facility if needed.
• Three weeks out: book the export inspection or license in the departure country.
• The last five days: official-vet screwworm certificate where required; Dog Import Form receipt ready.

Our US pet import service coordinates both ends.