Moving Pets from Africa to the United States

Every African route this site covers — Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa — is CDC high-risk for dog rabies. That’s not true of any other continent this site covers. But “CDC high-risk” doesn’t mean every dog does the same paperwork: which pathway actually applies depends on whether your dog has valid CDC documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination, not just which country it’s coming from. On top of that, all four countries carry a USDA precaution most owners won’t expect — and it applies no matter which CDC pathway your dog follows — and two of the four carry a second, more demanding USDA requirement as well.

Current as of 2026. This guide summarizes patterns across this site’s own published Africa route guides. Requirements can change — always confirm current details directly with CDC and the relevant national authority before you travel, and check the specific route guide linked below for your move’s full, sourced requirements.

What This Guide Does — and Doesn’t — Cover

Use this guide to understand the CDC pathway that actually applies to your dog, the USDA precautions layered on top of it, and how much the export-side process itself varies by country. Then go to your specific route guide for the exact paperwork, and to this site’s general US-entry and species guides for the destination-side federal framework in general terms.

• This guide: why every African origin this site covers is CDC high-risk, which CDC pathway applies depending on your dog’s vaccination history, which USDA precautions apply to all four countries versus just two, and how the four countries’ own export processes differ.
• Your country’s route guide: exact documents, timeline, airline options, and costs for that specific route.
• General US-entry guides: Bringing a Dog to the United States and Bringing a Cat to the United States cover the destination-side CDC/USDA framework in general terms. Cats face different requirements than dogs on every route in this guide.

Quick Answers

Here’s the short version before the full explanation below:

• Is any African country this site covers CDC low-risk for dogs? No. Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa are all CDC high-risk — the first continent this site covers with no low-risk option among its routes.
• Does every high-risk-country dog need the same CDC paperwork? No. A dog with valid CDC documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination follows a much lighter pathway — no titer, no facility reservation, no restricted arrival airport — than a dog vaccinated abroad (or a US-vaccinated dog lacking that specific documentation).
• Do all four countries carry a USDA precaution? Yes, regardless of which CDC pathway your dog follows. All four (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa) are USDA FMD-affected, which requires a documentation-free precaution (clean coat/bedding, bathe on arrival, isolate from livestock 5 days). Two of the four (Kenya and South Africa) also carry USDA’s screwworm-affected classification, which requires an actual government-veterinarian-signed certificate — a heavier requirement layered on top of the FMD precaution.
• Which country has the best-documented export process? Kenya, by a wide margin — its government trade portal documents a real step-by-step procedure with named institutions and a verified cost. Egypt has the weakest: its export authority’s website is unreachable and no current archive exists.
• Can I fly a convenient direct route and expect straightforward pet transport? Not necessarily. Kenya Airways flies non-stop Nairobi–JFK but won’t carry pets as checked baggage or in the cabin under any circumstances — only as cargo freight. South African Airways’ own JFK page claims nonstop Johannesburg–JFK service, but SAA’s own live flights page lists no US destination and its Washington Dulles page describes access via Accra instead — confirm directly with SAA before assuming a nonstop JFK flight is bookable. EgyptAir, by contrast, does confirm a genuine non-stop JFK–Cairo route.
• Does American Airlines work on any of these routes? No. Its carry-on program excludes all four countries, and its checked-pet program is limited to active-duty military and State Department personnel.
• Do cats face any of this? No USDA requirement and no CDC high-risk pathway. CDC does still require cats to appear healthy on arrival and subjects them to inspection.

Which CDC Pathway Applies to Your Dog

Africa is the first continent this site covers where every origin shares the same CDC risk classification — all four are high-risk. But that classification alone doesn’t tell you which paperwork you need. The pathway depends on whether your dog has valid CDC documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination — not simply on where the shot itself was given:

• Foreign-vaccinated pathway (your dog’s rabies vaccine was given outside the US, or was given in the US but you don’t have the specific valid documentation described below) — the pathway most Africa-resident pets will need. Requires a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, endorsed by an official government veterinarian in the origin country; a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility — required for every foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country, not only those without a titer; an exam and US revaccination at that facility; and arrival at the specific airport where that facility is located. A valid rabies serology titer (drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, in hand at least 28 days before travel) doesn’t eliminate the reservation — it avoids only the 28-day quarantine that would otherwise be part of it.
• US-vaccinated pathway — a general federal rule based on your dog’s own documented vaccination history, not specific to any country. Applies if your dog’s rabies vaccine was given in the US, the dog later visited a high-risk country, and you have a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form — a specific USDA-endorsed document, completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before your dog leaves the US, not an ordinary vaccination certificate — or a qualifying pre-July-31-2025 USDA-endorsed export health certificate. A US-issued vaccine alone isn’t enough — without this specific documentation in hand before departure, you’ll need the foreign-vaccinated pathway instead, even though the vaccine itself was given in the US. The two required documents are this form and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Separately, your dog must still appear healthy on arrival, be at least 6 months old, and have a microchip implanted before the rabies vaccine was given. What this pathway skips: no foreign-vaccination form, no titer, no facility reservation, and no restricted arrival airport — your dog can arrive at any airport, land crossing, or seaport that matches the CDC Dog Import Form receipt.

Most pets moving to the US from Africa for the first time will need the foreign-vaccinated pathway. The US-vaccinated pathway matters most if you’re returning to the US with a pet that’s been living in or visiting one of these four countries — and only if you secured the specific documentation before you left.

Two USDA Precautions, Layered on the CDC Pathway — Not the Same as Each Other

On top of whichever CDC pathway applies, USDA APHIS adds its own requirements — based on your dog’s country of origin, not on which CDC pathway it takes, so these apply the same way whether your dog is on the US-vaccinated or foreign-vaccinated pathway. Here, unlike some other continents this site covers, every single route carries at least one of them:

• USDA’s FMD precaution applies to all four countries. Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa are all confirmed FMD-affected, verified directly against APHIS’s own per-country disease-status tool. This precaution is documentation-free — no certificate to obtain — which makes it easy to overlook: keep your dog’s coat and bedding free of excess dirt, hay, or straw; bathe the dog as soon as it reaches its US destination; and keep it away from all livestock for 5 days after entering the US.
• USDA’s screwworm certificate applies only to Kenya and South Africa — and it’s a heavier requirement than the FMD precaution. Both countries are confirmed on APHIS’s screwworm-affected list. This one does require an actual document: a certificate signed by a full-time salaried government veterinary official, based on an inspection within 5 days of shipment, confirming the dog is either free of screwworm or was quarantined and treated until free.
• Neither USDA requirement is currently documented on any of the four countries’ own route guides. This guide’s own research is what surfaced both findings — South Africa’s own route research states directly (incorrectly) that no USDA requirement applies at all. Treat both as genuine planning gaps to close before departure, not settled non-issues.
• Cats are unaffected by either USDA requirement, and by the CDC high-risk pathway. USDA APHIS Veterinary Services has no animal-health requirements for a pet cat entering the US from any foreign country. CDC does still require cats to appear healthy on arrival and subjects them to inspection — see the FAQ below for the precise scope.

Comparing the Four Routes

CDC paperwork itself depends on whether your dog has valid US-issued vaccination documentation or was vaccinated abroad — see “Which CDC Pathway Applies to Your Dog” above; every route in this table carries the high-risk classification either way. The “Flag Carrier Cabin Policy” column reflects each country’s own national airline specifically — it doesn’t rule out cabin transport on a different carrier serving that route, and airline approval, aircraft type, connections, species, and the CDC/USDA requirements above still apply regardless of carrier.

Beyond the federal requirements above, what genuinely separates these routes is how well-documented each country’s own export process is, and what your airline options actually look like.

Kenya’s export process is the best-documented of the four, with one real ambiguity. Kenya’s government trade portal (DVS, via KenTrade) documents a genuine 13-step, 7-institution procedure with a verified ≈$13 cost — but the presence of a clearing agent, customs entry, and air waybill suggests it may be built primarily for commercial cargo shipments, not necessarily what an individual traveler flying with their own pet experiences. Confirm directly with DVS before assuming either the full process or a simpler consumer version applies to you.

Morocco’s ONSSA certificate is genuinely official, but only its age figure has been independently cross-checked. The retrieved template is dated October 2020 and states a 4-month minimum export age — CDC’s own current rule requires 6 months, confirmed independently through Royal Air Maroc’s own current page. That confirms the age figure is outdated; it doesn’t confirm every other detail on the certificate is still current. Treat the document as a starting point to reconfirm with ONSSA directly.

South Africa’s export side is a clean two-step process, but its main flag-carrier claim doesn’t hold up. Export requires a private veterinarian’s health certificate (valid only within 10 days of travel) endorsed by a South African State Veterinarian. South African Airways’ own JFK-airport page states it flies nonstop Johannesburg–JFK, but that claim could not be confirmed in SAA’s own current booking and route information: its live flights page lists no US destination among current bookable routes, and its own Washington Dulles airport page describes US access as routed via Accra, Ghana rather than a nonstop flight. Do not rely on a nonstop Johannesburg–JFK option without confirming a currently bookable SAA-operated flight directly with the airline. Delta has suspended general-public pet cargo on this route and doesn’t allow pets in the cabin; Lufthansa via Frankfurt is a documented connecting alternative.

Egypt’s export side remains the least-documented on this entire site — though its airline access is better than you might expect. GOVS’s own website fails at the DNS level, and the only web archive available predates the CDC’s 2024 rule overhaul by nearly a decade. Every specific detail about Egypt’s own export process should be confirmed directly with GOVS rather than treated as settled. Unlike some routes on this continent, though, Egypt does have confirmed non-stop US air service: EgyptAir operates nonstop service between New York JFK and Cairo. Confirm the current schedule directly with EgyptAir, since frequency and equipment can change seasonally.

Don’t see your country? This site’s Africa coverage is still growing — check International Pet Travel Requirements by Country for the full, current list of every country covered so far.

Airlines Worth Knowing Before You Book

• Kenya Airways flies non-stop Nairobi–JFK, but its own official policy states plainly that pets are not accepted as checked baggage or in the cabin under any circumstances (service dogs excepted) — every pet must travel via KQ Cargo as freight. A convenient direct route doesn’t mean convenient pet transport here.
• Royal Air Maroc and EgyptAir both have confirmed, official cabin pet options — Royal Air Maroc at up to 8 kg combined with the carrier (a confirmed fee of 1150 MAD/≈€120 for this route), EgyptAir also at up to 8 kg combined. Royal Air Maroc prohibits snub-nosed breeds (bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, and several mastiff varieties) outright.
• South African Airways’ JFK-airport page claims nonstop Johannesburg–JFK service, but this could not be confirmed in SAA’s own current booking and route information. SAA’s own live flights page lists no US destination among its current bookable routes, and its own Washington Dulles airport page describes US access as routed via Accra, Ghana rather than nonstop. Do not rely on a nonstop Johannesburg–JFK option without confirming a currently bookable SAA-operated flight directly. SAA’s pet-cargo policy (cargo hold only, not cabin, on international routes) is separately confirmed and doesn’t depend on the nonstop claim.
• EgyptAir operates nonstop service between New York JFK and Cairo in addition to its confirmed cabin pet policy — a real advantage over some of this continent’s other routes. Confirm the current schedule directly with EgyptAir, since frequency and equipment can change seasonally. Delta’s own current page states an active embargo on all pet travel to and from Egypt — though this traces to a 2015–2016 Egypt-specific suspension, and CDC’s own current framework has no Egypt-specific carve-out. Delta’s page is still what a reader will encounter when trying to book, so treat the embargo as Delta’s current stated policy. Delta has also suspended general-public pet cargo on the South Africa route.
• American Airlines does not offer a viable general-public pet travel option on any of these four routes. Its carry-on program is limited to the contiguous US, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas — none of these four countries qualify — and its checked-pet program is restricted to active-duty military and State Department personnel.

Common Mistakes When Moving Pets from Africa

• Assuming any African route on this site is CDC low-risk — all four are high-risk; there’s no low-risk option to plan around here.
• Assuming every high-risk-country dog needs the full foreign-vaccinated pathway. A dog with valid CDC documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination follows a much lighter US-vaccinated pathway instead.
• Assuming a US-issued rabies vaccine alone is enough for the US-vaccinated pathway. It isn’t — without the specific Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form (or a qualifying pre-July-31-2025 export health certificate) obtained before your dog leaves the US, you’ll need the foreign-vaccinated pathway instead, even if the vaccine itself was given in the US.
• Assuming a valid titer eliminates the CDC-registered animal care facility reservation. It doesn’t — the reservation is required for every foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country; a valid titer only avoids the 28-day quarantine that’s otherwise part of that same reservation.
• Assuming the USDA FMD precaution doesn’t apply because there’s no certificate to get. It’s documentation-free, which makes it easy to miss, but it’s a real requirement confirmed for all four countries: clean coat/bedding, bathe on arrival, isolate from livestock for 5 days. It applies based on your dog’s country of origin, regardless of which CDC pathway it’s on.
• Assuming Kenya’s or South Africa’s only federal requirement is the CDC high-risk pathway. Both are also on USDA’s screwworm-affected list, requiring a separate government-veterinarian-signed certificate that applies regardless of CDC pathway. This isn’t yet documented on either country’s own route guide — confirm directly before departure rather than assuming it doesn’t apply.
• Assuming Kenya Airways’ convenient direct JFK route means straightforward pet transport — it doesn’t accept pets as checked baggage or in the cabin at all; cargo is the only option.
• Assuming South African Airways currently flies nonstop to JFK because its own JFK-airport page still says so. SAA’s own live flights page and its Washington Dulles page both point away from a current nonstop JFK operation. Confirm a currently bookable SAA-operated flight directly before assuming this route works.
• Assuming there are no non-stop flights between Cairo and the US — EgyptAir currently flies non-stop between New York JFK and Cairo; confirm the current schedule directly with EgyptAir.
• Assuming an official government certificate is automatically current in every detail — Morocco’s ONSSA certificate is genuine, but only its age figure has been independently confirmed outdated; other details haven’t been separately reconfirmed.
• Assuming Egypt’s export process is fully documented here — GOVS’s own materials couldn’t be accessed; contact GOVS directly rather than relying on any specific timing or fee figure from secondary sources.
• Assuming American Airlines will transport a pet on any of these four routes — it won’t, for the general public.
• Assuming cats face zero federal involvement. No USDA requirement and no CDC high-risk pathway apply to cats — but CDC still requires cats to appear healthy on arrival, subjects them to inspection, and may require further examination or deny entry if a cat appears ill.

Related Guides

• International Pet Travel Requirements by Country
• Moving Pets from Asia to the United States
• Moving Pets from South America to the United States
• CDC High-Risk Countries Explained
• CDC Low-Risk Countries Explained