Returning to the U.S. with your U.S.-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country
If your dog was vaccinated against rabies in the U.S. and has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months, CDC requires two documents: the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form. (CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries)
Get the certification BEFORE you leave the U.S.
- It is a specific CDC form, not the normal rabies certificate you use for a local dog license.
- A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes it, and USDA must endorse it before the dog leaves the U.S.
- For a first rabies vaccine (or a booster after a lapse), the vet can complete it only 28 days or more after the shot.
- It can be reused for multiple re-entries until the vaccine on it expires (1 or 3 years).
(CDC: Instructions for USDA-accredited Veterinarians (U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form); CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations) CDC notes USDA endorsement "may take several weeks," so start early.
Old USDA export health certificates
A USDA-endorsed export health certificate issued no later than July 31, 2025 is still accepted instead, if it is in USDA's database and shows the dog's age (at least 6 months), microchip number, and a current U.S. rabies vaccination given after the microchip. Certificates issued after July 31, 2025 are not accepted for re-entry. (CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries; CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations)
Already abroad without it?
You must follow the foreign-vaccinated dog rules: a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, arrival at that airport, and a titer or 28-day quarantine. A booster given abroad does not make the dog "U.S.-vaccinated." (CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations)
Where you can land
Any airport, seaport or land border, as long as it matches the port on your CDC Dog Import Form receipt. (CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries)
Military families: DOD veterinarians are USDA-accredited and can issue the form; ask your base vet. U.S. government employees on official orders should contact the State Department Office of Travel Management and Policy. (CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations)
Sources
- CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
- CDC: Instructions for USDA-accredited Veterinarians (U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form)
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations
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?)
- CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies: the list explained
- 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)
- Bringing a dog from Thailand to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)