CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies: the list explained
How the list works
CDC publishes a list of countries and political units that are high risk for importing dog rabies. If a country is not on the list, CDC treats it as rabies-free or low-risk. If your dog was in any listed country at any time in the 6 months before arriving in the U.S., the high-risk rules apply, even if you are flying from a low-risk country. (CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies)
The list (as shown on cdc.gov on 2026-10-25)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ceuta, Chad, China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), Colombia, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel (including the West Bank and Gaza), Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Melilla, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco (including Western Sahara), Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Things people miss
- Ceuta and Melilla are listed separately, even though the rest of Spain is not.
- Mainland China is high-risk; Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are not.
- Mexico and Canada are not on the list. See Mexico to U.S..
- Transit counts. CDC asks for every country the dog was in during the 6 months. Whether a short airport connection counts is not spelled out on the pages we checked, so ask CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) if that applies to you.
- Cruise stops: a service dog that stays on board while the ship docks in a high-risk country is not considered to have been there (CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations).
Sources
More guides
- Airline and CDC timing: a countdown for flying your dog into the U.S.
- CDC Dog Import Form: step-by-step guide (2026)
- Bringing a dog from Colombia to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)
- Common reasons dogs are denied entry to the U.S. (and how to avoid them)
- Microchip rules for dogs entering the U.S. (is ISO required?)
- Bringing a dog from Mexico to the U.S. (CDC rules for 2026)
- Bringing a dog from the Philippines to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)
- Rabies vaccine, titer and certificate rules for dogs entering the U.S.
- U.S. dog entry requirements by risk category (comparison table)
- Returning to the U.S. with your U.S.-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country
- Bringing a dog from Thailand to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)