Everything you need to know about moving your dog or cat from Bulgaria to the US: CDC requirements, Bulgaria Air’s pet policy, costs, and timeline — all in one place.
Everything you need to navigate international pet relocation: import rules, customs, costs, timelines.
Easy
4–8 weeks
€80–€190
None required (US mainland)
Because Bulgaria is not on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies, the CDC Dog Import Form is the only document the CDC requires (dogs must still be at least 6 months old, microchipped, and appear healthy). Bulgaria Air’s own documentation requirements (microchip, pet passport, rabies vaccination) apply separately as the airline’s condition of carriage.
Everything you need to know about moving your dog or cat from Bulgaria to the US: CDC requirements, Bulgaria Air’s pet policy, costs, and timeline — all in one place.
No separate Bulgarian government export certificate was established as a requirement for this route, based on available research — that reflects a research gap, not a confirmed absence. If Bulgaria Air operates your flight, it requires a microchip, valid pet passport, and valid rabies vaccination as its own condition of carriage; a different operating carrier would have its own requirements. The CDC does not require a certificate for dogs from low-risk countries like Bulgaria.
Not Established as Required
No government-issued certificate was established as required for this route based on available research — this reflects what the research did not find, not a confirmation that no such certificate exists. Bulgaria Air’s pet passport and vaccination requirements are confirmed directly from the airline.
Not Required
The US does not require USDA involvement for standard Bulgarian pet exports. Always confirm your specific destination state’s rules separately.
Not Established as Required
No Bulgaria-specific certificate validity window was established in the research — this reflects what wasn’t found, not a confirmation that no such certificate or window exists. The CDC Dog Import Form itself is valid for 6 months from completion.
Not Independently Confirmed
Whether original documents (versus copies) are required wasn’t independently confirmed — bring your pet’s passport and vaccination record and confirm with your airline if you have questions.
→ Implant the ISO microchip before the rabies vaccination, for valid EU pet documentation
→ All dogs need a completed CDC Dog Import Form — the only CDC-required document
→ Bulgaria Air requires a microchip, valid pet passport, and valid rabies vaccination
→ Hold (AVIH) transport must be requested at least 72 hours before departure
→ Confirm which airline operates each leg of your itinerary — Bulgaria Air’s pet policy only applies to flights it operates
→ Assuming Bulgaria Air’s pet policy covers your whole itinerary
→ Requesting hold transport without 72 hours’ notice
→ Booking a snub-nosed or restricted breed for the hold
→ Confusing the 21-day rabies-vaccination wait with a CDC requirement
→ Assuming a separate Bulgarian government export certificate is required
Cabin & Cargo
€80–€90 cabin; €110–€190 hold (by weight)
8 kg (17.6 lbs) cabin; no cap in hold beyond fee tiers
Confirmed policy; confirm operating carrier for connections
Follow this timeline to make sure you complete everything on time for a smooth, stress-free travel day.
Bulgaria Air's pet policy only applies to flights it actually operates — not codeshare or connecting segments flown by a different airline.
Bulgaria Air explicitly requires the hold (AVIH) pet service to be requested at least 72 hours before departure.
Costs vary based on pet size, airline, season, and any additional Services.
€80–€190 confirmed Bulgaria Air fee, plus roughly $60–$140 (microchip, vaccine) and a $75–$300+ carrier or crate — fees apply to Bulgaria-Air-operated flights only
Typical total cost
Price in USD, Estimate only.
→ CDC Dog Import Form receipt — Dogs
→ If Bulgaria Air operates your flight: ID microchip, valid pet passport, valid rabies vaccination
→ A different operating carrier would have its own requirements
Start with your origin country guide for route-specific requirements, timelines, and common pitfalls.
→ No, for US mainland destinations.
→ Bulgaria’s CDC low-risk status means the high-risk-country quarantine pathway doesn’t apply.
→ A microchip, a valid pet passport, and a valid rabies vaccination.
→ Pets must be at least 3 months old.
→ Compliance with EU Regulation 576/2013, mandatory across all EU countries.
→ Not established as a requirement for this route from available official sources.
→ The CDC itself doesn’t require one either.
→ If your circumstances are unusual, confirm directly with BFSA.
→ Not fully confirmed either way — the airline’s route map wasn’t fully readable during research.
→ Confirm the operating carrier for every leg of your itinerary, since Bulgaria Air’s pet policy only applies to flights it operates directly.
→ A connecting or codeshare segment follows that airline’s own pet rules.
→ A free online form required for all dogs entering the US.
→ Valid for 6 months from completion.
→ Applies to dogs from low-risk countries like Bulgaria.
Our pet relocation experts are here to guide you every step of the way.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
Moving a pet from Bulgaria to the United States follows the same CDC low-risk pathway confirmed for other EU countries on this site — no titer test, no quarantine, and the CDC Dog Import Form as the only CDC-required document.
No separate Bulgarian government export certificate was established as a requirement for this route. What’s confirmed is Bulgaria Air’s own requirement: an ID microchip, a valid pet passport, and a valid rabies vaccination, in compliance with EU Regulation 576/2013.
Bulgaria Air’s detailed, published pet policy (cabin and hold, with confirmed fees) only applies to flights it actually operates. Whether Bulgaria Air flies directly to the US or only sells connecting itineraries wasn’t fully confirmed — check the operating carrier for every leg of your itinerary, since a codeshare or connecting segment follows that airline’s own pet rules.
Most owners can manage this route without professional help. The main task is confirming the operating carrier for each flight segment and Bulgaria Air’s own documentation requirements.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
