How to Bring a Dog or Cat from Vietnam to the USA: 2026 Requirements

To bring a dog or cat from Vietnam to the USA, you meet three sets of rules: Vietnam’s export rules, US import rules and the airline’s conditions. For dogs, the US rules set the pace: a rabies titer test, a CDC form, a booked Animal Care Facility and one of eight entry airports. Plan 4–6 months for a dog and about 3–4 weeks for a cat.

Short Answer: Can You Bring a Dog or Cat from Vietnam to the USA?

• Is it still possible? Yes, you can bring a dog from Vietnam. The 2021 suspension on dogs from high-risk countries ended. Since 1 August 2024, dogs from Vietnam follow a fixed set of CDC dog import rules.
• Why are dogs harder than cats? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists Vietnam as high-risk for dog rabies. Cats are outside these dog rules.
• How long does it take? 4–6 months for a dog starting from scratch. About 3–4 weeks for a dog with a valid titer result, and for a cat.
• Can the pet fly with you? Yes, in the cabin or as checked baggage, if the airline accepts it. Large dogs and pets travelling alone go as manifest cargo.
• Where does a dog land? Only at one of 8 US airports with a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility (ACF).

What Must Your Dog Have Before You Book Anything?

Check these points first. If one fails, the trip moves or stops.

• Age. The dog must be at least 6 months old on the day it enters the US. The ACF checks the teeth to confirm age.
• Microchip first. The vet implants the microchip before the rabies vaccine. A vaccine given before the chip does not count.
• Breed. US law bans no breed, but many airlines refuse snub-nosed breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Persian cats in the hold. Get the airline’s answer before you pay for vet work.
• Arrival airport. A dog may land only at JFK, LAX, MIA, ATL, PHL, IAD, DFW or SEA. Seattle (SEA) takes cargo arrivals only. Korean Air accepts these dogs only into IAD and ATL.
• Airline. Vietnam Airlines does not carry dogs on any Vietnam–US flight. A dog connects through an Asian hub on another airline.

Cats skip most of this. Their requirements are in the section on cats below.

How Will Your Pet Fly from Vietnam to the USA?

There are three ways to fly. The airline and your pet’s size decide which ones are open.

• In the cabin. A small pet travels in a soft carrier under your seat, on your ticket.
• Checked baggage. The pet travels in the hold on your flight, in an IATA-compliant crate.
• Manifest cargo. The pet travels on its own air waybill, with or without you on board. This is required for pets travelling alone and for pets over the airline’s baggage limit.

Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop between Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) and San Francisco (SFO). It takes cats from 10 weeks old, in the cabin up to 6 kg with the carrier, or as checked baggage up to 32 kg (Vietnam Airlines pet rules). Dogs connect through Seoul, Taipei or Tokyo on another airline. Hong Kong allows pets to transit only as manifest cargo.

At LAX, the CDC states that dogs not arriving as cargo are moved to the airline’s cargo warehouse first. The warehouse charges its own handling fee, about USD 300–500. Routes, transit hubs and airline limits are compared in our guide to airlines flying pets from Vietnam to the USA.

8 Steps to Bring a Dog from Vietnam to the USA

This plan assumes the dog has no microchip, rabies vaccine or titer result yet. A dog with a valid titer result starts at Step 3 and needs about 3–4 weeks. Each step says who does it.

• Month 1: microchip and rabies vaccine.
• Month 2: titer blood draw.
• Months 2–3: titer result arrives.
• Months 3–4: book the flight, then file the CDC Dog Import Form.
• 3–4 weeks before arrival: reserve the Animal Care Facility.
• 5–10 days before departure: export health certificate, rabies form endorsement, screwworm check.
• Arrival day: ACF exam and release.

Step 1 (Month 1): Microchip and Rabies Vaccine

Who: a vet in Vietnam.

The vet implants an ISO 11784/11785 microchip with 15 digits, then gives the rabies vaccine. The dog must be at least 12 weeks old at its first rabies vaccine. The chip number must be identical on every document that follows.

The vaccine must still be valid on the day the dog lands in the US. A booster given on time keeps the coverage unbroken.

Step 2 (Month 2): Rabies Titer Blood Draw

Who: the vet draws the blood; the sample goes to a laboratory abroad.

The rabies titer test (RNATT) measures the dog’s antibodies after vaccination. The vet draws the blood at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine. The draw must also be at least 28 days before the dog enters the US.

Vietnam has no laboratory on the CDC-approved lab list, so the sample is shipped abroad. The result takes 3–5 weeks. A pass is 0.5 IU/mL or higher. The result stays valid for the dog’s life, as long as the vaccine coverage never lapses and the lab stays approved. Our rabies titer test guide explains the test.

Step 3 (Months 3–4): Choose the Route and Book the Flight

Who: you, or your pet shipper for manifest cargo.

Book only after the titer result passes. Pick the ACF airport first, then an airline that accepts dogs into that airport. Check the breed list, the crate size and the transit hub before you pay.

Step 4 (Right After Booking): CDC Dog Import Form

Who: you, or your pet shipper.

The CDC Dog Import Form is filed online and takes a few minutes. It asks for the flight, the arrival airport, the microchip number and one recent photo showing the dog’s face and body. A dog under one year needs a photo taken within 15 days before travel.

The CDC emails a receipt with a barcode. The receipt is valid only for the arrival date written on it. If the flight or the airport changes, you file a new form. Our CDC Dog Import Form guide walks through each field.

Step 5 (3–4 Weeks Before Arrival): Reserve the Animal Care Facility

Who: you, or your pet shipper.

Every dog in this situation needs a reservation at a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility before it enters the US. The facility asks for the CDC receipt, the flight, the documents and photos of the dog’s teeth. Busy airports fill up, so reserve early.

The ACF fee is about USD 1,000–1,500 per dog, paid to the facility. If the dog has no valid titer result, the reservation must include a 28-day quarantine. Our ACF reservation guide lists each facility and its process.

There is no ACF in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Puerto Rico or other US territories.

Step 6 (5–10 Days Before Departure): Export Certificate, Rabies Form and Screwworm Check

Who: your vet, and the Department of Animal Health (DAH) of Vietnam.

Your vet completes the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip. It is valid for 30 days from the vet’s signature, so the vet signs it shortly before travel. An official government vet at the DAH endorses it. The form works for one entry only.

At the same appointment, the DAH issues the export health certificate. A government vet also checks the dog for screwworm within 5 days of departure, as APHIS requires. Vietnam is affected by foot-and-mouth disease, so the crate, bedding and coat must be clean of soil and manure.

Step 7 (Departure Day): Check-In with the Original Documents

Who: you at the passenger counter, or your pet shipper at the cargo terminal.

Carry these originals with the dog:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt (printed or on your phone).
• Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, endorsed and printed.
• Titer report from the laboratory.
• Export health certificate.
• ACF reservation confirmation.

Step 8 (Arrival Day): CDC Animal Care Facility Exam and Release

Who: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the ACF team and you.

CBP checks the documents. The ACF team collects the dog and its vet examines it. The vet gives a US rabies booster to every dog. With a valid titer result, the ACF usually releases the dog within 1 business day. A dog landing on a weekend, a holiday or after 5 pm may wait until the next business day. After release, the dog can take a domestic flight to any US state.

What Does a Cat Need to Fly from Vietnam to the USA?

A cat needs no CDC form, no titer test and no ACF. It can land at any US airport.

• Vietnam side: the DAH issues an export health certificate before departure.
• Airline: most airlines ask for a health certificate issued within 10 days of the flight.
• US state: some states ask for a health certificate or a rabies vaccine. Check your destination state.
• Microchip and rabies vaccine: not federally required, but recommended.

Preparation takes about 3–4 weeks. Our guide to shipping a cat from Vietnam to the USA covers cabin and cargo options.

What Happens If Something Goes Wrong?

• The titer fails (below 0.5 IU/mL). The vet gives a booster. A new blood draw follows, with the same wait as Step 2.
• The flight slips past the rabies form’s validity. The vet issues a new form, and the DAH endorses it again.
• The flight or the arrival airport changes. You file a new CDC Dog Import Form.
• The dog arrives without a valid titer result. It stays 28 days in quarantine at the ACF, at the owner’s cost. The CDC may shorten this if certain criteria are met.
• Required documents are missing. The CDC can refuse entry to the dog.

How Much Does It Cost to Bring a Pet from Vietnam to the USA?

A cat flying with you costs about USD 350–450, or USD 2,350–2,900 as manifest cargo. A dog flying with you costs about USD 3,150–4,050, including the ACF fee and the airline’s warehouse fee. A small dog as manifest cargo costs about USD 5,600–6,300, ACF fee included. The crate and the airline’s pet fee are extra. Each cost line is explained in our USA pet shipping cost guide.

Flying On to Hawaii or Guam

Hawaii and Guam are rabies-free and run their own rules. A dog from Vietnam first clears one of the 8 mainland ACF airports, then flies on.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture releases a dog within 5 days at Honolulu when the dog has:

• two rabies vaccines after the microchip;
• a titer of at least 0.5 IU/mL, drawn at least 30 days and no more than 36 months before arrival;
• documents filed at least 10 days before the flight.

If these are not met, the stay can reach 120 days. Guam’s Customs and Quarantine Agency sets its own conditions.

Taking Your Pet Back to Vietnam Later

The return trip follows different rules. The US side issues a USDA-endorsed health certificate, and Vietnam checks the pet on arrival. Keep the rabies vaccine current, so the titer result stays valid if the dog returns to the US again. The steps are in our guide to shipping a pet from the USA to Vietnam.

Dogs Daisy Pet Has Flown from Vietnam to the USA

• Ki, a Red Poodle (SGN–LAX): flew on ANA as checked baggage, cleared the ACF at LAX and was back with her owner within 24 hours.
• Pun, a 25 kg dog (SGN–LAX–Houston): Houston has no ACF, so Pun entered at LAX via Taipei, after 100 days of preparation.
• Mimi, a Pomeranian (SGN–MIA): was refused at check-in twice before a third booking got her to Miami.
• Devil, an 8-year-old dog (SGN–LAX): flew as checked baggage, after an airline booking was cancelled without notice, and met the new LAX warehouse fee.

FAQ: Bringing a Pet from Vietnam to the USA

Is bringing a dog from Vietnam to the USA still banned?

No. The 2021 suspension ended, and since 1 August 2024 dogs from Vietnam can enter under the CDC’s rules for high-risk countries.

Can my dog fly in the cabin from Vietnam to the USA?

Yes, if the dog is small and the airline accepts dogs in the cabin on that route. Vietnam Airlines does not carry dogs to the US, so the dog flies on a connecting airline.

Does a cat need a rabies titer test to enter the USA?

No. The titer test, the CDC Dog Import Form and the ACF reservation apply to dogs only.

Can a dog from Vietnam land at any US airport?

No. It must land at one of 8 airports with a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility: JFK, LAX, MIA, ATL, PHL, IAD, DFW or SEA.

How long is the CDC rabies vaccination form valid?

The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip is valid for 30 days from the vet’s signature, for one entry.