USDA APHIS Requirements
August 5, 2026
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USDA APHIS requirements for pets are narrower than most people expect — and knowing exactly where APHIS’s role starts and stops clears up a lot
Planning a move to the United States with a dog or cat? Browse our country-specific pet travel routes for information on government requirements, documents, airlines, timelines, and other considerations for your origin country.
Not sure where to start? These guides help you map out an international pet move before you dive into country-specific rules. Our International Pet Travel Timeline shows how far in advance to begin preparing, from vaccination scheduling to booking a flight, and our Pet Relocation Checklist turns that timeline into a step-by-step list you can work through. Together they’re the best starting point before you open your destination country’s route page.
USDA APHIS requirements for pets are narrower than most people expect — and knowing exactly where APHIS’s role starts and stops clears up a lot
Search for pet travel insurance and you’ll find a confusing mix of products all using the same name. Here’s the part that actually matters: it
International pet relocation comes with its own dense vocabulary — government agency names, document names, and airline-industry jargon that don’t always get defined in the
Adopting a dog from an overseas rescue is different from importing an owned pet with a known history — not because the rules are more
If you’ve fallen in love with a puppy overseas and are planning to bring it home, understanding the actual puppy and kitten import rules matters
For most international moves, hiring a professional pet relocation company — a business that handles international pet moves for a living — is the safer
These guides cover the federal rules that apply no matter which country you’re moving from. Bringing a Dog to the United States and Bringing a Cat to the United States walk through the CDC and USDA APHIS requirements for each species, while our CDC Dog Import Requirements guide breaks down the CDC Dog Import Form in detail, including which dogs it applies to and the current high-risk country rules. Read these alongside your country-specific route page.
If you’re traveling with pets through connecting flights, there’s one CDC rule that catches people off guard more than almost anything else in this process:
If you’re moving multiple pets internationally at once, understanding moving multiple pets internationally correctly starts with one key fact: the federal paperwork doesn’t get simpler
Understanding airport crate requirements for pets starts with a single formula, not a breed chart: IATA’s Live Animals Regulations calculate the minimum crate size directly
If you’re wondering whether pets can travel internationally by ship, train, or bus instead of flying, here’s the surprising part: the federal government mostly allows
Bulldogs, pugs, boxers, and other flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds face real restrictions when it comes to international air travel — restrictions that catch a lot of
Shipping a pet isn’t the same as flying with one. When nobody is traveling with the pet, almost every part of the logistics changes —
International pet travel runs on paperwork, and health certificates are usually the most important document in the stack. Our Pet Health Certificates for International Travel guide explains what a certificate needs to include, who’s authorized to issue one, and how certificate timing requirements can vary between the country you’re leaving and the country you’re entering. Use it alongside your specific route page to confirm what’s required for your move.
Budgeting for an international pet move means accounting for more than the airline ticket. Our How Much Does International Pet Relocation Cost? guide breaks down typical expenses — health certificates, vaccinations and titer testing, crates, airline pet fees, and optional professional relocation services — so you can build a realistic budget before you commit to a travel date. Costs vary significantly by country and airline, so check your specific route page for details.
Pet import requirements for the United States vary by country — mainly based on where your dog has been and where it was vaccinated, since
Airline policies can matter as much as government requirements — a pet can meet every import rule and still be unable to book a specific flight because of breed restrictions, temperature embargoes, or cargo-only policies. We’re building out dedicated guides on airline pet programs; in the meantime, each route page lists the specific airlines serving that country along with their current pet acceptance rules, so you can check before you book.
If you’re used to flying pets on a U.S. carrier, the Qatar Airways pet policy will surprise you: there is no cabin option at all
Like several other major international carriers, the Emirates pet policy has no cabin option for ordinary pets — dogs and cats travel as checked baggage
The KLM pet policy is more layered than most U.S. carriers’: pets can travel in the cabin, in the hold as checked baggage, or via
The Air France pet policy gives you two passenger-facing options — cabin and hold — both bookable directly through a standard reservation. True cargo, through
The Lufthansa pet policy is more accessible than several other international carriers’: both cabin and cargo-hold travel are open to the general public through a
If you’re planning to fly your pet on United, here’s the single most important thing to know upfront: the United Airlines pet policy today only
Borderless Moves guides and route pages are produced by the Borderless Moves Research Team. We research pet-travel requirements using official government, airline, and veterinary sources and translate those requirements into practical guidance for pet owners. We do not claim veterinary, legal, or government authority.
We prioritize primary sources, including the CDC, USDA APHIS, origin-country government authorities, state agencies, and official airline policies. When we can't verify a requirement from an authoritative source, we make the uncertainty clear rather than presenting an assumption as fact.
We periodically review published pages and display a Last reviewed date to show when the information was most recently checked. Pet-travel rules can change at any time, so travelers should confirm critical requirements with the relevant government authority, airline, or veterinarian before travel.
Guides cover general topics that apply across many moves — CDC rules, airline policies, documents, and planning steps. Route pages cover the specific requirements for one country's move to the United States. Start with the Guides for the general rules, then check your specific Route page for country-level detail.
This site's guides currently focus on dogs and cats, since these are the pets most federal and airline pet-travel rules are written around. If you're moving a different type of pet, confirm requirements directly with CDC, USDA APHIS, and your airline.
Yes. Every guide on this site is free to read, with no account or paywall required.