usda aphis pet travel to brazil

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Navigating Pet Travel? Let APHIS Help.

When planning an international trip, we often want to bring the whole family – including our pets .  But, did you know taking Fido or Fluffy can be a complex, multistep process that requires advance planning and preparation?  To help make this process go smoothly, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has a few simple steps to follow – and a comprehensive website to walk you through the process.

First. Advance preparation is key.  Each country has different animal health requirements that travelers must meet so it’s important to start the process early. Our website covers the requirements for more than 130 countries.  Check the APHIS Pet Travel Website for your destination country’s entry requirements. 

Second.  You will need a health certificate.  Almost all countries require a USDA-accredited veterinarian to issue (complete, sign, and date) an international health certificate within a certain number of days prior to your departure to confirm the health of your pet.  So, as soon as you know where you will be traveling with your pet, contact a local USDA accredited veterinarian to assist you with the process.  With 68,000 private, accredited veterinarians nationwide, it’s likely your vet might be one or can refer you to one. Accredited veterinarians work cooperatively with APHIS to protect U.S. animal health and can certify that your pet is healthy and able to travel.

Third.  Getting the health certificate endorsed.  After the health certificate is issued by a USDA accredited veterinarian, it will typically need to be endorsed (signed and “stamped”) by your local APHIS office .  This can be done by mail or, in some cases, in person.  APHIS Service Centers are set up to process your health certificate as quickly as possible – but keep in mind, we process many certificates each year so be sure to leave plenty of time for us to complete this process.  Endorsement fees for pet health certificates starts at $38, but will cost more if the destination country requires Federal review of test results.  Check the APHIS website here for additional information on endorsement fees. 

Lastly, don’t forget to check with your airline carrier to see if they have additional requirements to transport your pet.  Make sure you know how to collect your pet at the port of entry upon arrival in your destination country.  It’s also important to remember that various U.S agencies regulate the entry of your pet back into the United States – plan ahead and check those requirements on the website before you go.

We know navigating various country requirements for international pet travel can be challenging, and that’s why we’re here to help.  If you have any questions about the process at any step along the way, please contact the APHIS Customer Service Call Center at 844-820-2234 or your local APHIS Service Center for more information.

Bon Voyage , Fido and Fluffy!

Flying to Brazil with Dogs: A Step by Step Guide

Brazil is the land of samba, caipirinhas, and sandy beaches. It’s a country exploding in color, culture, and heat. We spent six weeks in Brazil with our two pups and can’t wait to return. Besides being an amazing destination for human travelers, it’s also incredibly dog friendly.

Big cities, like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, are packed with dogs, pet stores, and groomers, and that combined with great weather and plenty of outdoor activities makes it an unbeatable destination for you and your dog. 

So grab your pup, jump on a plane, and head to one of the most magical countries in the world. Here is our guide to bringing your dog to Brazil and flying in cabin. We’re sharing it step by step, so you can go too!

Update: Effective July 14, 2021, the CDC temporarily suspended (stopped) dog imports from countries classified as high-risk for rabies. Unfortunately Brazil is on the list of countries classified as high-risk for rabies. This will make things much more difficult if you’re planning to travel to/from Brazil with your dog.

Article Contents

Step 1: Country Requirements

The first step is always to check your destination country’s requirements to see if they’re doable. Be sure to start this process early, so you have enough time to get everything done without scrambling. We checked Brazil’s policy for entering the country with pets, and then double checked the information on their government website. Then, we triple checked by calling our local consulate. The internet is a great source of information, but websites aren’t always up to date, and policies can change at any time. We like to get verbal confirmation before we start the process so we’re 100% sure of things and don’t waste time. Better safe than sorry!

To enter Brazil, we would need an International health certificate, issued 10 days before departure by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA.  We would also need a valid rabies vaccination and acknowledgment of treatment against internal and external parasites 15 days prior to travel (such as Heartworm medication). That’s it!

Remember:  It’s important to stay organized throughout, and to keep a record of everything you’ll need to enter the country. Make additional hard copies of all of your documents and store them in a special folder, and keep digital copies on your phone. These simple moves will save you time and energy when traveling.

Step 2: Make Travel Arrangements

Since the health certificate is contingent on departure date, we’d need a confirmed date before moving forward. Check airline policies and look up flights. Decide how your pet’s going to fly , and which method works for you. If there’s an airline you’ve flown before with your dog and liked, see if they go to Brazil. We fly American Airlines a lot with our two pups, and have only had positive experiences.

Choose a flight, purchase your ticket and call the airline; it’s important to contact the airline with your flight information, since many companies limit the number of pets allowed on board.

Next, find carrier requirements for flying in cabin. Be sure your pets bag fits requirements and will be accepted on the air craft.

Step 3: Call the Vet

Once your date is confirmed, you’ll need to call your vet. Speak to them about your travel plans, the requirements, and set up an appointment. If your dog has a valid rabies vaccine, schedule your appointment for 8 – 10 days before your departure date. If they don’t, you’ll need to get a vaccine at least 21 days before departure.

Our dogs were up to date on rabies, so we scheduled an appointment 9 days prior to leaving. Make sure to ask your vet if they can provide the international health certificate, or if you should bring a copy yourself. Done and done.

Step 4: Vet Visit

Our vet visit went great! The vet checked over our dogs, and checked off on treatment against internal and external parasites, since we give our dogs Frontline and Heartworm medicine. She filled out the health certificate, and gave us the green light on travel. All good!

Step 5: USDA Endorsement

Next, our health certificated needed to be endorsed by the USDA . That means they would need to review our documents and stamp them. We used FedEx to overnight the following:

• Rabies vaccination certificate
• PRE-PAID return label
• Pet Export Checklist

It’s important to make a copy of all documents before mailing them and to keep a record of your tracking numbers. We sent the documents on a Thursday, and they were returned to us by Saturday.

Important Things to Note:

*USDA processing times vary, and offices are closed on weekends and national holidays. Get your documents in as soon as possible.

*If you are overnighting your documents, ask the carrier about weekend deliveries. You will typically have to sign off on them.

*You can either submit your documents via mail or in person, if a USDA office or affiliate office is close enough. Find the  location  that governs your state and give them a call.

Step 6:  Flight Day

Our flight was late at night, so we spent the day making sure the dogs got plenty of exercise so they’d be nice and sleepy for the flight. We gave them a small dinner four hours before the flight, and headed to the airport early. Give yourself plenty of time at the airport to check in and go through security. The gate agent reviewed our documents and carrier, and we were good to go.

Step 7: Arrival Check

When we landed, we went through immigration, grabbed our bags, and were motioned towards an area to get checked by a health inspector. A Brazilian officer looked over both dogs, checked our documents and made copies of them. She filled out some entry forms and gave us copies before sending us on our way.

Welcome to Brazil!

Have you ever flown to Brazil with your dog? We’d love to hear about it. 

Learn more about dog-friendly brazil here . .

Pin for later!  

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37 Comments

First of all, great post and it helped me a lot as I am looking to take my dog to Brazil with me. Second, what is the process/requirements to return to the US with the dogs? Thank you

Hi! Thanks for reading. The health certificate from the USA is valid for 60 days (2 months) from the date of issue. So, if you’re returning to the USA within 2 months of entering Brazil, you can use the same paperwork. Here’s the official statement on the health certificate:

“This international Veterinary Certificate is valid for sixty (60) days from the date of issue for entering or returning to the MERCOSUR party countries, as long as the rabies vaccination is valid.”

Enjoy Brazil. 🙂

Thanks so much for this critical information. It has been most useful. I am so glad I found your blog. We have followed your steps and are about 11 days away from our trip to Sao Paulo, Brasil. The only thing I found today that is a bit concerning, and I am not sure if this is something new, is the requirement to get back to the US. It seems the CDC requires a certificate that validates that our dog does not have or has not gotten screwworm while in Brasil. Was this something that you saw was asked for when you traveled with your dogs?

I sent an email to the USDA and they said that it is a requirement and that I did have to make arrangements in Sao Paulo to see a vet and give our dog the clearance. However, it almost make no logical sense since we will be there for only 10 days, and they requirement is to do the certification within 5 days of traveling into the US. Regardless, I replied back asking them if the certification only needed to be signed/certified by the vet and not by an official institution (such as the department of agriculture of Brasil), and if it needed to be translated and certified into English. At that point they replied saying that I needed to reach out to CDC and find out about these requirements with them.

My wife is a bit nervous about this, since we have everything else ready (have appointment with vet tomorrow to get our health cert and mail it to USDA), but this particular certification would be a hassle to get done in Brasil since we don’t know any vets there and not sure if they would even be able to accommodate us in such short notice.

Any insight about how things went when you got back state-side would be greatly appreciated; specially if they asked for any additional documentation or certificates.

Thanks a million for this awesome blog and for all the information you have provided to all of us fur-parents. 🙂

Hi Gilbert,

Thanks for reading! I’m glad you found it helpful.

I’m interested to know where you found that CDC requirement. I’ve never heard of it before. Can you send me a link? You can contact me at [email protected] .

I don’t want to give you a definitive answer (policies are always changing), but here’s what I think. If you have your vet fill out the USDA Brazil form ( found here ), you’ll see at the bottom that it’s valid for 60 days. You should be able to use this same form to re-enter the United States. I have done this myself (used this form, and gone to/from the USA to Brazil within 60 days).

Thank you so much for your reply. The CDC requirement is listed on the USDA website. Here is the link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/bring-pet-into-the-united-states/pet-travel-dogs-into-us

We are in Brazil already (In Sao Paulo), and everything getting out of the US was a breeze. We had no issues whatsoever. However, when we landed here in Sao Paulo, the representative for the department of Agriculture took our International Health Certificate away and said we had to follow some instructions to submit a request for a new Health Certificate online at least 5 days prior to our travel day. So we called the department of Agriculture to find out why the International Health Certificate that we brought (which they kept at the airport) is not valid to reuse to travel back. They said that the certificate is only valid for one use and that we have to submit a requests for a new one from Brazil. The worst part is that we have to get a new health certificate from a veterinary here in Brazil which obviously makes this more difficult.

I submitted the request online with just the copy of the International Health Certificate we brought from the US, in the hopes that they approve it. If they don’t, then we would have to go see a veterinary and do all that all over again.

Just wanted to update you and your readers about our experience so far. We are truly thankful for your information as it helped us get everything in order to travel out of the US. Now we are crossing our fingers that we don’t have to re-do this process all over in Brazil.

Hope this helps… I will keep you posted on how everything ends up.

Thank you for the follow up! How stressful, I hope you are given the new Health Certificate online so you don’t have to visit a vet. Glad you have copies of everything, and that leaving the US was smooth! I have never heard that health certificates can only be used once (I have used many for entering and exiting).

Interested to hear about what happens, please keep us updated! Best of luck.

I am planning my trip to visit Brazil in December. I found you comments super helpful because I would not know about this if it weren’t for you. Were you able to get a new International Health Certificate without repeating the entire process in Brazil? How did everything go?

Hopefully, you were able to come back to the US smoothly with your dog and enjoyed your trip!

Hello Kennia,

I am so sorry it took so long to respond. I hope I am not too late since you said you were traveling in December. Here is the short of it, and then I will go into more detail after for those who like reading longer, more detailed posts:

We DID have to go to the Vet in Brazil. I am not sure if this is new, or if it is specific to Sao Paulo, but no matter what we did, and how many times we contacted the department of agriculture at the airport, they told us that without an international health certificate from Brazil, our dog was not going to be able to board the plane. So, we ended up going to my mother-in-law’s dog’s vet, who was very nice and helped us by providing not only the International Health Cert, but did a full check on our dog (included on the cost) and gave her a clean bill of health in writing so we can add it to our documentation. Luckily we had all the copies of all the documents we used for the one we got in the US, because that had the names of the vaccines they gave our dog and the vet in Brazil was able to enter that information in the new health cert.

As you can imagine, other than the LaTam representative at the check-in desk took a quick look at the paperwork (didn’t really read it, just skimmed through it I guess looking for dates and signatures), and then handed it back to us. NO ONE ELSE asked for the darn paper until we got into the US. Funny enough, I asked the gentleman that checked the paperwork if the original Health Cert we received in the US would have sufficed, and he said “as long as it is within those 60 days, then you are fine. However, he did mention that lately, people coming from Brazil have been bringing the new one filled out by a Brazilian vet. Hopefully this is helpful to you, Kennia.

This change in our plans was very frustrating due to the fact that we had to pay more money, make appointments, travel to the vet, spend time at the vet (literally almost 4 hours), for a piece of paper that no one in Brazil cared to verify, and specially after finding out from the US customs agents that we could have used the original one to re-enter. However, this is not the US jurisdiction. Brazil, as a sovereign country has the right to change its policies and do as they please. They are actually proud of the fact that they are not allowing dogs travel out of Brazil with any illnesses or parasites (which I guess is a good thing). In the end, my wife and I just wanted to make sure that our dog returned home with us, so we did whatever it took, and it really only took half a day of our travel plans to take care of this. The online form is easy to fill out and quick, but you do need a Brazilian’s CPF (which is kind of like their State ID/Tax ID) in order to fill out the form. If you don’t know anyone in Brazil, then I suggest you do not travel with your dog. You WILL need the CPF. There is no way around it.

So, to summarize, these are the steps we took to bring our dog back from Brazil and into the US:

1) Call local vets in Brazil, or have someone you know where you are visiting to call vets that know how to fill out the International Health Certificate form (You can get the form from the website listed on the little paper they give you at the airport). 2) When you find one that knows how to do it (VERY IMPORTANT: they need to KNOW, KNOW, not “I think we can figure it out), make an appointment within 5 to 3 days before your flight as long as it is not a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If you are flying on a Monday/Tuesday, I suggest you do it on the morning of the Thursday before, the latest. If you are flying on a Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, then weekend appointment is fine since they will have Monday and Tuesday to get your certified document ready. 3) On the day of the appointment, bring all the copies of your dog’s documents, including the copy of the International Health cert you brought from the US. This document is pretty much the same as the one they will give you and it will contain important information regarding the mandatory vaccines your dog needs to take. IMPORTANT: To enter the US, you ONLY need the rabbies cert and an internal and external antiparasitic (my dog received the ProHeart and Drontal Plus for internal in the US, and the Bravecto for external also in the US). They did not have to re-do any of the Internal, but the external had to be redone. 4) Make sure to double and triple check all the information on the International Health Certificate for accuracy. You’d be surprised how many times the vet had to print it for us because of misspellings. 5) Make sure the vet signs the certificate and enters their license number. 6) Have the vet provide a visit summary providing information about the health of the dog, and giving it a good bill of health. This is needed for the online form. 7) After leaving the Vet, go to a place that can scan (and make copies if you want to be extra cautious) all the documents you will need to upload (the new Health Cert, the Clean bill of health and your Rabbies cert). 8) Using that little paper they gave to you at the airport after they took your original International Health Certificate, go to the website listed, and fill out the form. IMPORTANT: The website is in Portuguese. 9) You will need to enter a Brazilian’s CPF ID in order to start the process. 10) Upload all necessary documents, and submit the form. 11) Check the status periodically by going to the website. Once they have completed their process, you will be able to download and print the new Health Cert. IMPORTANT: Don’t be discouraged if they don’t approve at first, it happened to us, I just uploaded the wrong document in one of the sections of the form. They explain to you the reason why it wasn’t approve and give you a chance to just fix the issue and re-submit the form. 12) Print the Cert, attach to all your other documents (most importantly the rabbies cert) and you are good to come back with your fur child(ren) into the US.

Once we got to the US, they did make us wait a bit, but once we went through the process, everything was as normal as normal can get. They barely even looked at our dog. The guys just lifted her gums and felt her around her hind legs, and that was that.

If you have any other questions, reach out to my email, and I will be more than happy to answer.

Again, sorry for the delay in response, and hope I am not too late. Safe and happy travels with your wonderful fur child(ren).

Hey there! Do u have any advice on kernel brands that are accepted by American Airlines?that would be helpful!thanks

hi my pets will fly to brasil in cargo, anybody knows how long should be my connection at the air port ?ex: I arrive at 8:35 am my connection might be 10:20 is that to short to pic em up from cargo and move on to my next connection?

Just to confirm your last comment and reply, if I am returning to the US within 60 days, do I need to go back to the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry at the airport in advance of my return flight to get the doc certified? When I moved from Brazil to the US years ago, I had to go to the Ministry 3 days before my flight and it was a huge pain in the rear. If I understand your comment, I can just show up at the Sao Paulo airport with the same docs I used to enter, correct?

Hi! If you are entering Brazil from the USA, and have an endorsed health certificate, you can use the same documents to re-enter the USA if you leave Brazil within a period of 2 months (check the dates because they won’t give you a day extra!). We stayed for 6 weeks and did not require new documents. Contact the Brazilian embassy to double and triple check – always worth it!

Hi! How did you find a company that accepts brachycephalic dogs? So far a bunch of airlines that I visited the website say they don’t allow it because of breathing problems. Including American Airlines, that you say in your post has a big NO list for these breeds. And how did your pup behave? It’ll be my first time flying with a dog and and I’m really nervous for what I’ve been reading so far

Hi Nat! Companies are changing their policies all the time, especially when it comes to flying with pets. Be sure you are looking at the requirements when it comes to in cabin (and not in cargo or as checked baggage).

Boogie behaves very well on flights! I suggest practicing with your pup beforehand. Make sure they are used to their travel bag and see it as a safe and cozy space. There are more tips on the blog (see h ere ). Good luck!

Hi, are translations of the paperwork required to take my pet to Brazil? Also, did you travel directly to your destination or did you have to get another flight to your city? I am taking a flight with Gol from Sao Paulo to Salvador, once I reach Sao Paulo from the US, and apparently, they don’t accept taking pets when you buy the flight as a package between two airlines. Do you have any experience with that?

Hi! No, I did not get the paperwork translated. Yes, I did travel directly. If you’re not traveling directly and switching airlines, make sure both airlines will accept your pet and your paperwork! If I don’t fly direct, I try to stick with the same airline on all legs so the rules stay the same.

Excellent post and it helped me tremendously. I will fly out to Brazil in two weeks. Wish me luck!

Good luck and safe travels!

Thanks for sharing this! I’m about to fly with my pug from Argentina to the US. We have all the paperwork in place and have been authorized by the airline to make the trip. Do you have any tips for keeping your pug happy during the flight? You said you fed him about four hours before taking off. Did that work out well? Our get in Argentina recommended not feeding ours for at least 8 hours before flying. Not sure it makes any difference. Also, did Boogie ever bark or get nervous during the flight? Finally, my vet said it’s dangerous to sedate pugs but she recommended giving our little guys some “homeopathic drops” to keep him calm. I’m hesitant to do even that. Have you ever heard of drops like that? Thanks again!

I’m happy the post was helpful. In terms of flying with your pug, I have plenty of tips on my Pug Stuff page. I also do not sedate my pug, but I have used CBD treats to keep him calm. My biggest tips are: fly with a tired pug (a long walk or trip to a park before the flight, so when they board they are super sleepy) and to make sure to use the pet relief station before boarding (check your departure airport to see where they’re located in the airport).

Let me know how it goes! Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for sharing! Were you able to bring dog food into Brazil or did you have to buy there?

Hi William,

We brought dog treats, but not dog food (we make our own dog food).

Hello, great info. I read at the beggining of the article that the IHC is the only requered document to enter Brazil and it has to be endorsed by the USDA. Then at the end on Step 5 on the first item you described a Rabies Vaccination Certificate, are they the same? CAn you please clarify? I am leaving in a couple of weeks. Thanks!!!

Hi Cristina,

At the beginning of the article, it says the following, “To enter Brazil, we would need an International health certificate, issued 10 days before departure by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA. We would also need a valid rabies vaccination and acknowledgment of treatment against internal and external parasites 15 days prior to travel (such as Heartworm medication). That’s it!”

Hope this helps!

Hi! Article is very helpful we are looking to move to Brazil for a few months. I fly American Airlines as well and their website says carry on dogs are not allowed to/from Brazil. Do your dogs fly as emotional support animals or do you think this is an old or very new policy?

Hi Jimmy! This is a new policy from American Airlines. It’s a bummer for sure! A way around it is to fly with a layover, so the dogs are allowed on both flights.

Follow up question to this, my girlfriend has a service dog for hearing. Is that consider a service dog in Brazil or is only guide dogs consider service dogs in Brazil? Also can we travel with thisnservice dog in the cabin?

Hi all! Thanks so much for the info, any updates on the new AA rules in Jan? Also does the AA rules apply to their affiliates, LATAM? Any tips on Emotional Support pups that aren’t lap size? Say… 50 lbs? Thanks so much.

On the Health certificate where it asks “place of origin” and “port of embarkment” what is that referring to exactly? Thankyou

I agree with every factor that you have pointed out. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts on this.

I would like to thank you guys very much for the valuable informations found here in the blog. I was able to travel successfully with my Yorkshire Terrier from Orlando to Rio de Janeiro and safe travel back too. I went to Rio in May, 2021. A lot of pandemic rules and bans was in place at these days. So I will write about some updates and procedures I had to pass through in order to help you guys:

STEP 1: Call your airline in order to verify if you can travel with your dog. I flew American Airlines and my Yorkshire Terrier travelled on my lap. (No additional fees. It is a service dog)

STEP 2: Get all the USDA documentation from a USDA certified veterinarian while you are in the US (there are specific dates – make sure you do everything in the right time)

STEP 3 – When you arrive at Brazil, they will retain most of your USDA documents. You won’t be able to reuse them to travel back to the US.

STEP 4 – Find a veterinarian in Brazil able to issue the travel documents to your pet in order to travel back to the US. I found a veterinarian in Rio de Janeiro that gave me everything I needed. It was not expensive (350 reais – about 60 US dollars for the documents. You will have to buy some exterior/interior medications apart). Make sure to ask for the “english” versions of the forms too. A good vet will provide everything.

STEP 5 – Just present these documents at the airline checkin. They will review the documents and allow you to fly with your dog.

No one else asked for these documents when we arrived in the US.

Hi, did you have to pay any customs/import fees when bringing the pugs? I’m having to fly my dog as cargo (long story).

What was your customs process?

No we did not, however both of our dogs flew in cabin. I am not sure if there is a charge for cargo.

Hi! Has anyone fly from us to Brazil recently? I am planing to go in December and was looking for some updates. Thanks

+1 traveling in December and it seems only Avianca and Copa allow dogs in the main cabin at this moment right?

I’m looking to do the same with my service dog, would love updates if anyone replies here as well!!

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Brazil Pet Import Rules and Requirements

What to know about bringing dogs & cats to brazil, key requirements for importing pets to brazil.

Are you planning to relocate your furry friend to Brazil? Whether you're traveling for work, leisure, or a new adventure, it's essential to understand Brazil's pet import rules and requirements.

Our PetRelocation team is here to guide you through the process and ensure a seamless journey for your pet.

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Regulations for Importing Pets to Brazil

Attention: This information is to be used as general guidelines and may not be updated to meet the current requirements. Before you travel, be sure to contact the appropriate authorities in Brazil.

• Microchip: All pets must have a microchip that complies with ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO Standard 11785. Brazil currently accepts AVID 9 and AVID 10 in addition to ISO. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine is administered.
• Rabies Vaccination and Certificate: Pets must have an original Rabies Certificate that states the microchip number, date of inoculation, and validity of the vaccine (1, 2, or 3 years). The vaccine must be administered at least 30 days and less than one year before departure.
• Additional Vaccines: Dogs require vaccinations for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus (DHLPP), and Bordetella. Cats require Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (FVRCP). These should be administered no less than two weeks before export for maximum effectiveness.
• Parasite Treatment: Internal and external parasite treatments (Drontal and Frontline are recommended). Include treatment details on the Brazilian Health Certificate.
• Vet Health Certificate: Obtain a Brazilian Health Certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 10 days of the flight.
• USDA Endorsements: Rabies Certificate, Vaccine Certificate, and Brazilian Health Certificate must be endorsed by the USDA.

Additional Documents for Customs Clearance

• Copy of pet owner's passport
• Copy of pet owner’s Brazilian Visa (if available)
• Copy of Tax Payer's Card / CPF (if available)
• Copy of Brazilian Temporary Residence Card (if available)
• Copy of Pet Owner's Boarding Pass for Trip to Brazil
• Power of Attorney (must be notarized and can be prepared in Brazil)

At PetRelocation, we offer personalized services to ensure a stress-free experience for you and your pet. Our expertise and dedication to pet travel ensure that your pet's journey to Brazil is smooth and successful.

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From August 1, 2024, Onward: What Your Dog Needs to Enter the United States

At a glance.

Starting on August 1, 2024, dogs entering or returning to the United States must meet new, specific requirements depending on where they have been in the 6 months before entering the U.S. and where they received their rabies vaccines (if required).

Requirements for all dogs

Requirements for dogs with a current and valid rabies vaccination administered in the united states.

• Requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a country with high risk of dog rabies within 6 months before entry

Requirements for dogs that have been ONLY in countries that are dog rabies-free or low-risk during the 6 months before entry

All dogs must:

• Be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the United States
• This must have been implanted prior to any required rabies vaccination
• The microchip number must be documented on all required forms and in all accompanying veterinary records
• Dogs may not enter the United States if they are carrying a disease contagious to people.
• Isolation of the dog, veterinary examination, and additional testing, at the importer’s expense, may be required to determine if the dog has a contagious disease and prevent spread if the dog does not appear healthy upon arrival.

This form should be filled out online ideally 2-10 days before arrival; however, it can also be completed right before travel (even in line at the border crossing) if you have internet access. If the information on the form changes before the dog arrives, you must submit a new form and indicate you are making changes to an existing form. All information, including port of entry where the dog is arriving, must be correct at time of arrival.

• This form requires you to upload a clear photograph of the dog showing its face and body. Dogs that will be less than one year of age at time of arrival should have the photograph taken within 10 days before arrival.
• There is no charge to importers for submitting this form.
• Additional requirements for dogs with a current rabies vaccination administered in the United States
• Additional requirements for dogs that have been in a country at high-risk for dog rabies within the 6 months before entry and do NOT have appropriate documentation of current US-issued rabies vaccine
• Additional requirements for dogs that have been ONLY in countries that are dog rabies-free or low-risk in the 6 months before entry

Dogs that do not meet all entry requirements or do not have accurate and valid forms will be denied entry to the United States and returned to the country of departure at the importer’s expense. These requirements apply to all dogs, including service dogs and dogs that were born in the United States.

Specific requirements depend on whether the dog has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies  in the past 6 months.

Dogs with a current rabies vaccination administered in the United States that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies must:  

• Meet all requirements in the “All Dogs” section above
• The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form is required for the importation (re-entry) of U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in high-risk countries for dog rabies  within the 6 months before re-entry into the United States.
• Please note, during the transition period (which will expire on July 31, 2025), the importer may instead present a copy of the USDA-endorsed export health certificate that was used to ship the dog from the United States, if that export health certificate was issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before July 31, 2025, and documents the dog’s age (at least 6 months), the microchip number, and valid rabies vaccination administered in the United States. The rabies vaccination must be valid (not expired) on the date of return or the form will be invalid.
• This can be any airport, land border crossing, or sea port but you must select this location when you complete the CDC Dog Import Form.

Dogs with a current rabies vaccination administered in the United States that have NOT been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months must:

• A Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccine form that was endorsed by USDA before the dog departed the United States; or
• Be for the dog rabies-free or low-risk country where the dog’s return itinerary originated (the form will only be valid for 30 days if it does not contain rabies vaccination information), or
• Document a valid (unexpired) rabies vaccination administered in the United States (the form will be valid for the duration of the rabies vaccination (1 or 3 years)).
• (This can be any airport, land border crossing, or sea port but you must select this location when you complete the CDC Dog Import Form .)

Important information about the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination Form

The Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form must be completed before the dog departs the U.S. Before asking your veterinarian to complete this form, verify the following requirements will be met:

• Ensure your dog will be at least 6 months of age on date of return to the U.S.
• Have your dog microchipped with an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip (implanted before any required rabies vaccinations)
• Ensure the veterinarian scans the dog for the ISO-compatible microchip and records the microchip number at the time of vaccine appointment. Rabies vaccines administered prior to microchip implantation will not be considered valid.
• Ensure the rabies vaccination will be valid for the entire duration of your travels.  If your dog’s U.S.-issued rabies vaccination lapses while overseas and your dog has been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months, your dog will need to be revaccinated overseas and meet requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs to return to the U.S., including having a rabies serology titer, arriving at a specific port of entry, and possible quarantine requirements.
• Your dog must receive its initial (first) rabies vaccine at least 28 days before leaving the United States. USDA-accredited veterinarians should only issue the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form for dogs that received their initial (first) rabies vaccine at least 28-days previously. Booster vaccines are considered valid immediately.
• Ensure the veterinarian submits this form to the USDA for official endorsement through the VEHCS portal
• Your dog must travel with a printed copy of the official endorsed form upon your dog’s return to the United States if your dog has been in a high-risk country within the 6 months before returning to the U.S.

During the transition period (which will expire on July 31, 2025), U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months, may have either the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form or the USDA endorsed export health certificate for re-entry into the United States. Without one of these forms your dog will need to meet the requirements specific to the risk category of the countries where they have been in the 6 months before returning to the United States.

The export health certificate must be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before July 31, 2025, and document the dog’s age (at least 6 months), microchip number, and the rabies vaccination date. The rabies vaccine must be valid (not expired) on the date of return or the form will be invalid.

Requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a country with high risk of dog rabies within 6 months before entry

Dogs, including service dogs, that have been in a country at high-risk for dog rabies within the 6 months before entry and do not have appropriate documentation of current U.S.-issued rabies vaccine must:

• Meet all requirements in the “All Dogs” section
• Ensure the dog is microchipped with an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip before receiving the rabies vaccination and the number is recorded on the veterinary documents or the vaccine will not be considered valid
• Verify the dog is at least 12 weeks (84 days) of age when vaccinated against rabies
• The dog must have a valid (i.e., non-expired) rabies vaccination. If it’s the dog’s first vaccination or if the dog’s vaccination coverage has lapsed, the vaccine must be administered at least 28 days before arrival to the United States.
• The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form must be completed by your veterinarian AND endorsed by an official veterinarian in the exporting country.
• The blood sample for the rabies serology titer must have been drawn at least 30 days after the dog’s first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before entry to the U.S.
• Dogs with a history of multiple valid rabies vaccinations administered after the microchip was placed may have the sample for the rabies serology titer drawn at any time after a rabies booster vaccination as long as the dog’s first vaccine was given at least 30 days before the blood sample was drawn and there has been no lapse in vaccine coverage. If a lapse occurs, the sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the valid booster vaccination was administered.
• The sample must be sent to a CDC-approved rabies serology laboratory . If there is no CDC-approved laboratory in your country, your veterinarian may draw the sample and send it internationally to a CDC-approved laboratory.
• Passing results must be obtained in order for a serology to be valid.
• Rabies serology titer results will be considered valid for the life of the dog as long as the dog’s rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse. If a lapse occurs, a new rabies serology titer will be required and that sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the new vaccination was administered.
• If the dog does not have a valid rabies serology titer, it will be required to be quarantined at a CDC-registered animal care facility for 28 days after the dog is revaccinated by the facility’s veterinarian.
• All foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the previous 6 months must have a reservation for examination, verification of age, documents, and microchip number, and administration of a rabies booster vaccination at a CDC-registered animal care facility immediately upon arrival in the United States.
• Dogs that do not have a valid rabies serology titer must also have a reservation for quarantine. Dogs will be quarantined at the facility for 28 days at the importer’s expense after being revaccinated by the facility’s veterinarian.
• All CDC-registered animal care facility expenses, including exam, revaccination, and quarantine (if required), are the responsibility of the importer.
• The facility will need copies of all required documents prior to confirming your reservation.
• Ensure the dog meets any facility-specific requirements (contact facility for additional information).
• If after arrival the CDC-registered animal care facility determines that your documents are not valid or the dog’s microchip number, age, or description does not match the paperwork provided, the dog may be denied entry and returned to the country of departure at your expense.
• Dogs that have evidence of illness or are not healthy will be required to have testing to confirm they do not have contagious diseases before they will be eligible for release, which may extend the required quarantine period beyond 28 days. Any required testing or extended stay in quarantine will be at the importer’s expense, so please ensure dogs are healthy upon arrival (including no evidence of fleas, ticks, or skin diseases).
• Dogs must arrive to the U.S. at the airport where the CDC-registered animal care facility is located. This must be the location where the dog has a reservation.
• This must also be the airport listed on the CDC Dog Import Form
• Domestic flights or other forms of travel to other locations in the U.S. are not permitted until after the dog receives required follow-up services at the CDC-registered animal care facility and is cleared for entry.
• SERVICE DOGS ARRIVING BY SEA : Service dogs, as defined in 14 CFR 382.3, may arrive by sea if they meet the requirements in the “All Dogs” section, have a complete Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form and a valid rabies serology titer, and are traveling with their handler. Emotional support animals are not service animals under this definition.

Countries that are not on the list of countries at high risk for dog rabies  are considered to be free of or low risk for dog-mediated rabies virus variant (DMRVV) (called dog rabies-free or low-risk countries on these webpages).

Dogs, including service dogs, that have been ONLY in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries during the 6 months before entry into the United States must:

• A single entry into the U.S. for 30 days after it was issued if it does not contain information about rabies vaccination administered in a dog rabies-free or low-risk country, OR
• Multiple entries into the U.S. for the duration the rabies vaccination is valid (1 or 3 years) if the rabies vaccination was administered in a dog rabies-free or low-risk country
• Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, including the endorsement by an official veterinarian of the dog rabies-free or low-risk country where the dog has been located; AND EITHER (1) a valid rabies serology titer OR (2) veterinary records* (which list the microchip number) for the dog from the exporting country for the previous 6 months. The form must be completed within 30 days before arrival to the United States and is valid for a single entry.
• Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form that was endorsed by USDA before the dog departed the United States
• Is for the dog rabies-free or low-risk country where the dog’s return itinerary originated (the form will only be valid for 30 days if it does not contain rabies vaccination information), or
• Documents a valid (unexpired) rabies vaccination administered in the United States (the form will be valid for the duration of the rabies vaccination (1 or 3 years)).
• Foreign export certificate that documents the dog is at least 6 months of age, lists the dog’s International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip number, and has been endorsed by an official veterinarian of the exporting country; AND veterinary records* (which list the microchip number) for the dog from the exporting country for the previous 6 months. The certificate must be issued within 30 days before arrival to the United States and is valid for a single entry.
• Arrive at the location listed on the CDC Dog Import Form receipt (This can be any airport, land border crossing, or sea port but you must select it when you complete the CDC Dog Import Form .)

Any documentation that is not from the United States must be completed in the country where the dog’s travel originates. For example, if the dog’s documents were issued in France, the dog may not enter the U.S. via a land-border crossing from Mexico to the U.S.

*Examples of veterinary records that must accompany completed forms are European Union pet passports or proof of payment for veterinary services received in the exporting low-risk country for the previous 6 months. Records must include the dog’s microchip number.

For more information, see: Frequently Asked Questions on CDC Dog Importations  

If you have questions or need more information, please contact CDC-INFO at (800) 232-4636.

• Travelers' Health
• Healthy Pets Healthy People
• Southern Border Health and Migration
• Port Health
• Division of Global Migration Health

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