Your Cat, the US Mainland and Taiwan: A Practical Guide

Yes, cats need all of it

Some countries go easier on cats. Taiwan does not. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) treats the US mainland, Alaska included, as a rabies-infected area, and its import rules apply to dogs and cats alike. The steps below come from APHIA's import page for rabies-infected areas and USDA's US-to-Taiwan pet travel page.

Cats that have lived in Hawaii or Guam follow Taiwan's rabies-free track instead; we confirm that path separately.

The checklist, cat by cat

• Age: at least 90 days old.
• Microchip: implanted and readable, with the number on every document.
• Rabies vaccination: given at least 30 days and no more than 1 year before the cat ships.
• Titer test: at least 0.5 IU/ml, from blood drawn 90 days to 1 year before shipment, tested at a WOAH reference lab or a lab APHIA has designated. APHIS's Taiwan page lists the approved US labs.
• Import permit: applied for at least 20 days before arrival on APHIA's online system, booking quarantine space at the same time.
• USDA-endorsed health certificate on the Taiwan form (more below).

The three-year vaccine problem

Many US cats are on a three-year rabies vaccine. Taiwan's window is about the date of the shot, not its label: it must fall between 1 year and 30 days before shipment. A cat vaccinated 18 months ago is fully protected under US rules and still out of Taiwan's window.

The fix is simple if you see it early: a booster at least 30 days before departure. Seen late, it can push the flight.

Seven days of quarantine, or none

On the standard route, your cat spends 7 days at a designated quarantine location after landing, and its blood is retested there. If the result comes back under 0.5 IU/ml, the cat is revaccinated.

Since February 29, 2024, APHIA has offered a quarantine waiver to pets that meet additional conditions, requested when you apply for the import permit. The conditions involve how early you test and plan, so the decision has to be made months ahead, not at the airport. We check the current waiver conditions with APHIA for your dates.

The USDA certificate

Taiwan has its own certificate, and it will not accept health certificates on US state forms. A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the Taiwan form (an electronic signature is fine), and USDA APHIS endorses it. For Taiwan, APHIS ink-signs and embosses the original, which must travel with your cat, so build in time for the paper to come back to you.

The permit itself changed recently: APHIA introduced a new permit form on January 5, 2026, and the old version stops being valid on January 1, 2027.

Our USDA health certificate guide walks through endorsement and fees.

A realistic timeline

1. 4–5 months out: check the chip and the rabies date; book a booster if the last shot will be more than a year old at departure.
2. About 4 months out: titer blood draw (at least 30 days after a fresh shot is wise, so both windows line up).
3. 6–8 weeks out: book the flight option and apply for the import permit as soon as the travel date is firm (no later than 20 days before arrival).
4. 2 weeks out: vet exam, Taiwan certificate, APHIS endorsement.
5. Flight week: documents in hand, arrival on a working day.

Choosing the quarantine waiver usually means a longer runway. See our USA to Taiwan route page for the full corridor.

Flying a cat across the Pacific

Don't assume your cat can ride under the seat. On transpacific flights to Taiwan, cabin space for pets is limited or unavailable on many carriers, and pets usually travel in the hold or as cargo. Snub-nosed breeds such as Persians, Himalayans and Exotic Shorthairs face extra restrictions with some airlines (see snub-nosed pets and airline rules). We confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your cat, and our cat relocation service handles the crate fit and booking.

For the days before departure, read our long-haul flight preparation guide.