Taking a pet dog or cat from India to the USA
Bringing a pet dog or cat from India to the United States is a two-government process. The heavy lifting is on the US side: the CDC treats India as a high-risk country for dog rabies, so dogs face strict 2024-onward rules (microchip, minimum age, a valid rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody titre from a CDC-approved lab, a CDC Dog Import Form, and arrival through a CDC-registered animal care facility). Cats are far simpler — the CDC requires no rabies proof and no health certificate, only that the cat looks healthy on arrival. On the India side, the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) under DAHD issues internationally accepted export certification, but India does not publish a fixed step-by-step pet-export checklist online, so the India-side work is mostly completing the destination (US) requirements before your flight and getting the paperwork endorsed.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
The CDC treats India as HIGH-RISK for dog rabies, so dogs face strict rules: microchip, minimum 6 months old, a valid rabies vaccination, a rabies titre from a CDC-approved lab (India has none — the sample ships abroad), the CDC Dog Import Form, and arrival through a CDC-registered animal care facility. Cats are far simpler: no rabies proof, no health certificate, just healthy on arrival.
At a glance
The whole journey in order. Every point below is spelled out in full further down.
- Dogs: the US treats India as high-risk for dog rabies — an unvaccinated dog is refused.
- Microchip the dog before the rabies vaccine; it must be at least 6 months old at entry.
- Rabies vaccine at/after 12 weeks and at least 28 days before entry.
- Rabies titre from a CDC-approved lab — India is not on the list, so the blood sample ships abroad.
- Complete the CDC Dog Import Form and reserve a CDC-registered animal care facility to arrive at.
- Cats: no CDC rabies proof and no health certificate — the cat only has to look healthy on arrival.
- On the India side, AQCS issues the export certification; contact your station early.
Leaving India — AQCS and the documentation gap
India's AQCS issues export certification, but it does not publish a fixed pet-export checklist, so most of the India-side work is completing the US requirements in the right order before your flight and getting the paperwork endorsed.
Authority: Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Understand India's AQCS role (and the documentation gap)
India's Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS), a division of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), runs the country's animal quarantine stations and provides the export-certification service. Its stations are at Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. However, DAHD's own pages do not publish a fixed step-by-step 'pet export' checklist, so plan to contact your nearest AQCS station directly and complete the destination country's rules first. Treat any timeline as something to confirm with the station.
- AQCS sits under DAHD
- Quarantine stations: Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore
- Export certification is tailored to the importing country's health requirements
- No published fixed pet-export step list — confirm with the AQCS station
Note the online ATITHI 2.0 Pet Module is for IMPORT into India, not export
If you search DAHD/AQCS for an online pet portal, you will find ATITHI 2.0. Do not assume it is your export application — the DAHD page states it is for bringing pets INTO India. For taking a pet OUT of India, work through your AQCS station and your private vet rather than this module.
- ATITHI 2.0 Pet Module = import into India
- Not the export application for outbound pets
Have your Indian vet microchip the pet BEFORE the rabies shotDon't get this wrong
Because the US destination rules require it, your India-side vet work must be done in the right order: implant the microchip first, then give the rabies vaccine. If the vaccine is given before the microchip, the US will treat the vaccination as invalid and you will have to start over. The microchip must be readable by a universal scanner.
- Microchip first, then rabies vaccine
- Microchip must work with a universal scanner
- Order matters — wrong order voids the US-recognised vaccination
Get the rabies vaccination done in India on the correct timelineDon't get this wrong
Your Indian veterinarian gives the rabies vaccination after the microchip. For US entry the vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age and at least 28 days before the dog enters the US, so schedule the shot well ahead of your flight.
- First rabies shot at or after 12 weeks / 84 days of age
- Must be at least 28 days before US entry
- Done by your Indian vet after microchipping
Arrange the rabies titre blood draw — the sample must go to a CDC-approved lab OUTSIDE IndiaDon't get this wrong
For a foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country, the US needs a passing rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory. Important: India is NOT on the CDC's approved-laboratory list, so blood drawn in India must be shipped to an approved lab abroad (for example, Kansas State University in the US or another approved lab). Results must come directly from the approved lab, not a third party. Have your vet draw the sample at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before entry. Confirm current shipping/lab arrangements with your relocation vet.
- India is NOT on the CDC-approved rabies lab list
- Blood sample must be sent to an approved lab abroad (e.g. Kansas State University)
- Draw ≥30 days after first valid vaccination and ≥28 days before entry
- Titre result must come directly from the approved lab
Obtain the export/veterinary certification from AQCS before departure
AQCS provides the internationally accepted export certification aligned to the importing country's health rules. Since the US requirements are largely CDC-driven, coordinate with your AQCS quarantine station and USDA-facing paperwork so your documents are in order. Because India does not publish a fixed timeline, contact the station early. Any specific fee, form number, or lead time must be confirmed directly with AQCS.
- AQCS issues internationally accepted export certification
- Certification is matched to the destination's health requirements
- Fees, forms and lead times: confirm with the AQCS station directly
Entering the USA — the CDC import side
The CDC is the primary authority for dog imports and sets the high-risk-country rules that shape everything for dogs. USDA APHIS adds requirements only for FMD/screwworm origins, and individual states can set their own rules.
Authority: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); USDA APHIS
Know that the US treats India as a HIGH-RISK country for dog rabiesDon't get this wrong
India is on the CDC's list of countries that are high-risk for dog rabies. That means a dog that has been in India in the 6 months before arrival must meet the full high-risk import rules — it cannot enter unvaccinated. This is the single fact that shapes everything else for dogs.
- India is officially high-risk for dog rabies
- CDC uses a 6-month lookback window
- An unvaccinated dog from a high-risk country will be refused entry
Microchip the dog before vaccinationDon't get this wrong
Your dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can read, and it must be implanted before the rabies vaccine is given. The microchip number has to appear on all the import documents.
- Universal-scanner-readable microchip required
- Must be implanted before the rabies vaccine
- Chip number must be on every document
Meet the minimum age: at least 6 months old
The dog must be at least 6 months old at the time it enters the United States. Puppies younger than this cannot be imported from a high-risk country.
- Dog must be ≥6 months old at entry
- Applies to high-risk-country dogs like those from India
Have a valid rabies vaccination on the right timeline
The rabies vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age and at least 28 days before entry. Vaccines given before 12 weeks are not accepted, regardless of the product.
- First shot at or after 12 weeks / 84 days of age
- At least 28 days before entry
- Vaccines before 12 weeks are rejected
Submit the CDC Dog Import Form and carry the receipt
You must complete the online CDC Dog Import Form. It can be filled out on the day of travel, but CDC recommends doing it a few days ahead; for dogs under one year the photos must be taken within 15 days before travel. You get an emailed receipt to print or show on your phone. The receipt is valid for a SINGLE entry into the US and only for the arrival date listed on it — it is not a multi-entry or multi-month pass, so you complete a new form for each trip.
- Online CDC Dog Import Form is mandatory
- Can be done day of travel; CDC recommends a few days ahead
- Under-1-year dogs: photos within 15 days before travel
- Receipt is valid for a SINGLE entry, only on the arrival date listed on it
Provide a valid rabies serology (titre) report from a CDC-approved labDon't get this wrong
For foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, you need a valid rabies serology titre report from a CDC-approved laboratory, recorded on the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form. Draw the blood at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before entry. The CDC pages do not publish a numeric passing value — the standard antibody threshold must be confirmed with the approved lab.
- Titre must be from a CDC-approved lab
- Recorded on the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form
- Blood draw ≥30 days after first valid vaccination and ≥28 days before entry
- No numeric titre threshold stated on CDC pages — confirm with the lab
Book a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility and arrive at that airportDon't get this wrong
Before travel you must reserve a spot at a CDC-registered animal care facility, and the dog must arrive at the US airport where that facility is located. On arrival the dog gets a veterinary examination and revaccination with a US-licensed rabies vaccine. If the dog does NOT have a valid titre, it must be quarantined for 28 days at the facility. Onward domestic travel is barred until the facility completes its checks. All costs are the importer's responsibility.
- Reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility required before travel
- Must land at the airport served by that facility
- Exam + revaccination with a US-licensed rabies vaccine on arrival
- No valid titre = 28-day quarantine at the facility
- Importer pays all costs
Carry the required documents at entry
At the port of entry present: the CDC Dog Import Form receipt, the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, and the reservation confirmation for the CDC-registered animal care facility.
- CDC Dog Import Form receipt
- Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form
- CDC-registered animal care facility reservation confirmation
Cats: much lighter rules
Cats face a far simpler path. The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination and does not require a general health certificate for cats; the cat only has to appear healthy on arrival (it can be inspected and refused if it shows signs of a zoonotic disease). CDC still recommends rabies vaccination. Note that Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine rules.
- No CDC rabies-vaccine proof required for cats
- No CDC general health certificate required for cats
- Cat must appear healthy on arrival
- CDC still recommends rabies vaccination
- Hawaii/Guam have separate quarantine rules
USDA APHIS: no cat rules, and dog rules only for FMD/screwworm origins
CDC is the primary authority for dog imports. USDA APHIS Veterinary Services has no animal-health requirements for pet cats, and for dogs it only adds requirements if the dog comes from a country affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or screwworm — extra bathing/separation or a screwworm-freedom certificate. Destination US states can also set their own entry rules.
- CDC is the primary authority for dogs
- APHIS has no cat health requirements
- APHIS dog rules apply only for FMD/screwworm-affected origins
- Individual US states may add their own rules
Official sources
Every step above was read off one of these pages. They are the version that counts — check them before you travel or ship.
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- USDA APHIS — pet travel
- USDA APHIS — pet travel
- DAHD India — Animal Quarantine & Certification Services
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
Read off the official CDC and APHIS pages and independently fact-checked; the CDC Dog Import Form validity was corrected to match the CDC page exactly (single entry, arrival date only).
This page is free to read and always will be. It is written from the official pages linked above; those pages can change, and if one has, the link is the fastest way to see what it says now.
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