Bringing a dog from Turkey (Türkiye) to the U.S.: CDC rules

By Aaron Houston · Last checked 2026-10-27 against official CDC/USDA sources

Turkey is a high-risk country for dog rabies

CDC lists Turkey among the high-risk countries for dog rabies. Any dog that has been in Turkey during the 6 months before arriving in the U.S. has to meet the high-risk rules, even if it spent only a few days there. (CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies) Source: CDC and USDA APHIS pages below, last checked 2026-10-27.

Which rules apply depends on where the rabies vaccine was given.

U.S. dog visiting Turkey and coming home

If the dog's rabies vaccine was given in the U.S., the return trip needs just two documents: the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form. A USDA-accredited vet fills the form out and USDA endorses it, and both steps must happen before the dog leaves the U.S. The dog can then come back through any airport, seaport or land crossing that matches the receipt. (CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries)

If your dog is getting its first rabies shot, the form can only be completed 28 days after that vaccine, so plan at least a month ahead. Boosters with no lapse count right away. (CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations) If the dog gets a booster in Turkey and its U.S. vaccine record is no longer valid, it falls under the foreign-vaccinated rules below. More detail: returning with a U.S.-vaccinated dog.

The outbound leg: Türkiye's own rules

USDA APHIS lists these points for pet dogs going from the U.S. to Türkiye (USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the U.S. to Türkiye, last modified Aug 19, 2026):

• The vet can sign electronically, but USDA must ink-sign and emboss the health certificate. For a mailed return you supply a prepaid, preaddressed label when submitting. The original goes with the dog.
• Türkiye has published a list of approved ports of arrival that can inspect live animals; check it before booking.
• Effective July 17, 2026, Türkiye restricts dogs and cats from Texas and New Mexico because of New World screwworm, and animals headed to Türkiye may not transit those states en route.

The exact vaccine and paperwork rules for Türkiye are in APHIS's guidance document and International Veterinary Health Certificate linked from that page. Your vet issues that certificate; it does not replace the CDC form for coming home.

Turkish-vaccinated dog moving to the U.S.

A dog vaccinated in Turkey needs the full foreign-vaccinated process (CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries):

1. Microchip readable by a universal scanner, implanted before the rabies shot.
2. Dog at least 6 months old on arrival; first rabies vaccine at 12 weeks or older, given 28+ days before entry.
3. A passing titer from a CDC-approved lab, or a 28-day quarantine.
4. A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility and a flight straight into that airport.
5. The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed no more than 30 days before travel and endorsed by an official government veterinarian in Turkey.
6. A CDC Dog Import Form receipt for that date and airport.

The titer lab in Turkey

CDC's approved-lab list has one entry for Turkey: the Veterinary Control Central Research Institute (CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories, updated July 13, 2026). Results must come straight from that lab, in English or with a certified translation, and CDC suggests drawing blood 60+ days before travel because turnaround varies.

Choosing the U.S. airport

Flights from Istanbul usually connect through Europe or arrive nonstop at a few U.S. hubs, but the arrival city for a Turkish-vaccinated dog is dictated by CDC's facility list, not by convenience. Alaska, Hawaii and the territories have no registered facility, so those arrivals are impossible (CDC FAQ). The Sept 1, 2026 list covered ATL, DFW, LAX, MIA, JFK, PHL, SEA and IAD (CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities). If your itinerary connects in Europe, the dog still has to land first at one of those airports. Lock in the facility reservation before paying for tickets; see airline and CDC timing.

Sources

• CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
• CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations
• CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories for Testing Dogs
• CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities
• USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the United States to Türkiye

Keep going: This page is part of our main guide to bringing a dog into the U.S., which walks through every decision in order. Related questions: Rabies vaccine and titer rules. Ready to act? See CDC Dog Import Form.

More guides

• Airline and CDC timing: a countdown for flying your dog into the U.S.
• Bringing a Dog into the U.S. in 2027: Current CDC Rules
• 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)
• 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)
• Bringing a dog from the UAE to the U.S.: CDC high-risk rules