Has Your Dog Been in a High-Risk Rabies Country? Here’s What It Needs to Enter the U.S.
Since August 2024, the CDC has stricter rules for dogs entering the United States. If your dog has been in a high-risk rabies country at any time in the past 6 months — even for a short visit — it needs extra documents to enter, including U.S. dogs coming home.
This guide has the CDC’s complete, current list, which common destinations are and aren’t on it, and exactly what your dog needs depending on where it was vaccinated. Across The Pond Pets handles the paperwork for you, including the USDA-endorsed certification U.S. dogs need before they leave.
Quick Check: Common Destinations
On the high-risk list
If your dog was in any of these countries in the past 6 months, the extra requirements apply.
Not on the list (examples)
Dogs that were only in countries not on the list follow the CDC’s general requirements.
What Your Dog Needs to Enter the U.S.
Every dog — including U.S. dogs returning from a trip — must be at least 6 months old, have a readable ISO-compatible microchip, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Everything else depends on where your dog has been and where it was vaccinated:
Scenario 1
Not in a high-risk country
For example, a dog that was only in Mexico, Canada, or Europe.
- 6 months old, microchip, and CDC Dog Import Form receipt
- The CDC strongly recommends a current rabies vaccination
- Check your airline’s requirements too
Scenario 2
High-risk country, vaccinated in the U.S.
For example, your U.S. dog traveling with you to Colombia or the Philippines.
- The basics: age, microchip, and CDC form
- Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, signed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA
- This must be done before you leave the U.S.
Scenario 3
High-risk country, vaccinated abroad
For example, a dog from Brazil or India relocating to the U.S.
- The basics: age, microchip, and CDC form
- Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, completed by a vet in that country
- A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, available only at certain airports, with an exam and revaccination on arrival
- A valid rabies antibody test can avoid quarantine at the facility
The most common mistake: leaving without the U.S. certification. If your dog lives in the U.S. and you’re traveling to a country on the list, get the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination endorsed before you leave. Without it, your dog has to come back as a foreign-vaccinated dog (Scenario 3), which is far more complicated and expensive.
What about cats? These CDC rules apply to dogs only. Cats follow the arrival state’s and airline’s requirements. See our cat travel services.
Military Families: PCS and Deployment Locations
Several common overseas assignments are not on the high-risk list, including Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea — so dogs returning from those tours follow the general requirements. But some locations where service members are stationed are on the list, including Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. If your dog is with you in one of those countries, plan the U.S. certification before you leave, or talk to us about the return. See our military pet transportation services.
Complete List of High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
These are the 111 countries and territories the CDC considers high risk for dog rabies, grouped by region. If a country isn’t listed here, it isn’t considered high risk.
Americas 15
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Peru
- Suriname
- Venezuela
Africa 53
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Ceuta (Spain)
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Melilla (Spain)
- Morocco (including Western Sahara)
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania (including Zanzibar)
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Asia & Middle East 35
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel (including the West Bank and Gaza)
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
Eastern Europe & Caucasus 8
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Georgia
- Moldova
- Russia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
Source: CDC – High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies, updated April 15, 2026. The CDC can change this list; we confirm your country’s status before every trip.
High-Risk Rabies Countries: FAQs
Is Mexico a high-risk rabies country?
No. Mexico is not on the CDC’s list. A dog that was only in Mexico needs to be at least 6 months old, have a microchip, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt to enter the U.S.
My U.S. dog is coming with me to Colombia. What do I need?
Besides Colombia’s own entry requirements, you need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, signed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before you leave the U.S. To return, your dog also needs a microchip, must be at least 6 months old, and needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
How does the 6-month rule work?
If your dog was in a high-risk country at any point in the 6 months before entering the U.S., the extra requirements apply — even if it was a short visit.
Do these rules apply to cats?
No. The CDC’s dog import rules apply only to dogs. Cats must meet the arrival state’s and airline’s requirements, which often include a current rabies vaccination.
Are Germany, Japan, and South Korea high-risk countries?
No. None of them are on the CDC’s high-risk list, so dogs returning from PCS tours there follow the general requirements. Some other military locations, such as Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, are on the list.
Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination
We prepare the certification with your vet, get the USDA endorsement, and help with the CDC form and your destination’s entry requirements — so your dog can leave and come home without problems.
Not Sure Which Scenario Applies?
Tell us where your dog has been and where it was vaccinated. We’ll tell you exactly what it needs, or handle the whole move for you.
