Key takeaways
- Pets don’t need visas, but every country sets its own import rules, and they change.
- Start as early as possible. Some steps, such as the wait after a rabies vaccination, take weeks.
- A USDA-accredited vet is your starting point for leaving the US with a pet.
- Always confirm the current rules with the destination country’s official animal-health authority and your airline.
This article is general information, not veterinary or legal advice. Rules change often. Check each official source below before you travel.
There’s no single rule
Taking a dog or cat to another country isn’t like booking your own flight. Each country decides what pets must have to enter, and these rules can change. “Pet visa” is a common phrase, but what you actually need is usually an import permit or a health certificate, plus proof of a rabies vaccination and often a microchip. Some destinations also require tests, treatments or a quarantine period.
The steps, starting from the US
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) explains how to travel from the US with a pet:
- Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian early, “as soon as you decide to travel.” The vet can help you find your destination’s entry requirements.
- Check what the destination requires. This may include vaccinations, tests or treatments.
- Get the health certificate. Your vet can help you obtain a “USDA-endorsed pet health certificate” or other required paperwork.
- Dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country in the past six months may need an extra CDC form (the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination) filed by a USDA-accredited vet before leaving the US.
APHIS warns that these requirements “take time, so don’t delay.”
Common requirements
Most destinations ask for some mix of:
- Microchip. Many require an ISO-standard chip. Some require it before the rabies vaccination.
- Rabies vaccination, often with a waiting period afterward.
- A health certificate from a vet, sometimes endorsed by the government.
- Other treatments or tests, depending on the country and species.
- An import permit, for some destinations.
- Quarantine, for a few countries or if paperwork is incomplete.
Species and breed matter too. Dogs and cats are the usual case. Birds, reptiles and small mammals often face extra rules, and some countries or airlines restrict certain breeds.
Example: bringing a pet to Great Britain
The UK government’s guidance says:
- Your pet “must be microchipped before they get their rabies vaccination.”
- You must wait at least 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination (or the last of the first course) before travelling. The exact wait depends on the vaccine.
- Dogs must be treated for tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arriving in Great Britain.
- The document you need (a pet passport or an animal health certificate) depends on where you travel from.
The UK also has separate rules for Northern Ireland, so check GOV.UK for your route.
Example: bringing a dog into the US
The CDC says a dog’s requirements depend on whether it was in a country at high risk for dog rabies in the six months before arrival, and where it was vaccinated. There are three situations:
- Only in rabies-free or low-risk countries: follow the CDC’s standard requirements.
- In any high-risk country: follow the requirements for U.S.-vaccinated or foreign-vaccinated dogs.
- In a high-risk country and not vaccinated: under CDC rules, the dog “will NOT be allowed to enter the U.S.”
The CDC has a tool called the Dog Importation Navigator to find your dog’s requirements. You must also meet USDA rules and those of your US state. For help, call CDC-INFO at (800) 232-4636.
Where to check each destination
Rules differ by country, so go to the source. The official authorities include:
| Destination | Who sets the rules |
|---|---|
| United States (dogs and cats) | CDC (importation of dogs); USDA APHIS (leaving the US) |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK, “Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain” |
| European Union | The European Commission’s pet movement pages, plus the entry country’s veterinary authority |
| Canada | Canadian Food Inspection Agency |
| Australia | Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (one of the strictest systems) |
| New Zealand | Ministry for Primary Industries |
| Japan | Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Agriculture |
| UAE, South Africa, Brazil | The country’s agriculture or environment ministry |
Search for the authority’s name plus “bring a pet” to find its current page, and check the date on the page.
Airlines
Airlines set their own pet policies, including cabin or cargo rules, carrier size and breed or season restrictions. Check your airline early. A carrier that’s allowed in one airline’s cabin may be refused by another.
A simple checklist
- Contact a USDA-accredited vet as soon as you decide to travel
- Look up the destination’s current rules on its official site
- Check microchip and rabies timing
- Book the health certificate (and any endorsement) within the allowed window
- Confirm your airline’s pet rules and book the pet’s space
- Check the return trip: the US has its own rules for dogs coming back in
- Carry originals and copies of all paperwork
Frequently asked questions
Does my pet need a visa?
No. Countries ask for import paperwork, not visas.
How early should I start?
As early as you can. APHIS says the requirements “take time,” and waiting periods after vaccination alone can take weeks.
Can I use a pet passport?
In some places. EU pet passports are issued in the EU, and the UK has its own rules. Check the destination.
What if my paperwork is wrong?
Your pet may be refused entry, held or quarantined. Check everything before you fly.
Sources
- USDA APHIS, Travel With a Pet (last modified March 2026)
- CDC, Bringing a Dog into the U.S. (last updated August 2024)
- GOV.UK, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain