Moving a dog or cat from Barbados to United States is very doable with the right preparation. Around 4-6 weeks should do it, as this is an easier route to plan. No routine quarantine applies as long as every requirement is met.
You will not …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Barbados to United States
typically takes around 4-6 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Barbados to United States pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm the microchip is implanted (dogs must have it before the rabies vaccination), and keep the vaccination current even though the CDC does not require it from Barbados.
Responsible: Barbados-based vet
Start of planning.
2
Complete the free CDC Dog Import Form online. Cats need no equivalent form.
Responsible: Owner
Before travel; valid 6 months.
3
Obtain the Veterinary Health Export Certificate from Barbados's Veterinary Services after a clinical exam.
Responsible: Barbados Veterinary Services, The Pine
Within about a week of departure.
4
Book cargo hold space on American Airlines' Miami service, or check Caribbean Airlines and JetBlue's cabin-only option for a small pet.
Responsible: Owner or a pet relocation agent
4-6 weeks before travel, earlier in peak season.
5
Travel day: documents presented at the BGI cargo desk, dog appears healthy on arrival for CBP.
Responsible: Owner and cargo handling agent
Day of arrival.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter United States of America
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
Required for dogs, and it must be implanted before the rabies vaccination or the vaccine does not count toward entry. No federal microchip requirement for cats. Source: CDC, Bringing a Dog into the United States, cdc.gov, 2026.
Rabies vaccination
Not required by the CDC for a dog coming from Barbados, because Barbados does not appear on the CDC's high-risk countries list for dog rabies. Most cargo airlines still want a current vaccination for their own booking conditions, so it is worth keeping regardless. Cats face no federal rabies rule at all. Source: CDC, High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies, cdc.gov, updated 2026.
Rabies titre test
Not required. The rabies serology titre test and the 28-day CDC-registered facility rule only apply to dogs arriving from a country on the CDC's high-risk list. Barbados sits outside it, in the same low-risk bracket as the UK, Canada and Australia. Source: CDC, cdc.gov/importation/dogs.
Quarantine
None for dogs or cats travelling on a completed CDC Dog Import Form. There is no CDC-registered facility requirement for a low-risk-country dog, so entry is not restricted to a handful of specific airports.
Import permit
CDC Dog Import Form, a free form completed online by the owner before travel, one per dog, valid for 6 months and good for multiple entries within that window if the dog stays in a low-risk country. There is no equivalent CDC form for cats, and no formal import permit of any kind for either species.
Health certificate
The CDC does not itself demand a Barbados-endorsed export certificate for entry, but airlines generally still want a veterinary health certificate issued close to travel, and a US Customs and Border Protection officer can refuse entry to any animal that appears unwell regardless of paperwork.
Export permit (Barbados)
None required specifically to leave Barbados. There is no separate Barbados export permit distinct from the Veterinary Health Export Certificate below.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Barbados Veterinary Health Export Certificate: BDS $30.00 (about USD 15), cash only
Barbados vet fees for microchip, vaccination and the export exam: USD 60-150
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-300
American Airlines cargo, BGI to Miami: USD 400-900 depending on crate size and season
Onward domestic connection if the final destination is not Miami: USD 150-400
Agent and handling fees at both ends: USD 200-450
Total typical range: USD 900-2,200
Critical points to read before you book
Barbados is not on the CDC's high-risk countries list for dog rabies, so this route skips the titre test, the 28-day wait and the CDC-registered facility restriction that trip up owners moving from most of Latin America. Do not assume a certificate like the UK's numbered 3890 form applies here; no equivalent named certificate or non-stop-flight-only condition governs the US side of this route.
Cats carry almost no federal paperwork burden into the US at all. Do not let a Barbados vet or agent apply dog-specific rules to a cat by mistake.
JetBlue's nonstop BGI-JFK service will not carry a pet in the hold under any circumstances. If your dog is too large for the cabin, book American Airlines or Caribbean Airlines cargo instead.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
AMERICAN
American Airlines
Flies BGI to Miami (MIA) seven times a week in belly hold, the most direct route off the island toward the mainland US. Miami also happens to be one of the CDC's registered animal care facility cities, though a Barbados-origin dog does not need one. Confirm current hold-space availability before booking.
Cargo Only
JETBLUE
JetBlue
Runs a nonstop BGI to New York JFK service, but JetBlue is cabin-only: it does not accept pets as cargo in the hold at all. Relevant only for a small cat or dog under roughly 9kg travelling in the cabin with its owner, not for larger dogs.
Cabin
CARIBBEAN
Caribbean Airlines
Serves BGI to Miami and to New York JFK, generally routed via Port of Spain. A fallback option if American's direct Miami service is full on a given date; confirm live animal cargo acceptance and the actual routing before booking.
Cargo Only
Meeting United States's entry requirements
Bringing a pet into United States is one of the simpler processes. Cover the core requirements and you should have few surprises.
Advice worth following
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
FAQ
Common questions about Barbados to United States pet transport
No. Barbados does not appear on the CDC’s high-risk countries list for dog rabies, so the titre test, the 28-day wait and the CDC-registered facility restriction that apply to high-risk origins simply do not apply here. Source: CDC, High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies, cdc.gov, 2026.
Any airport, seaport or land border crossing, since Barbados is treated as a low-risk country. There is no requirement to land at one of the six US cities with a CDC-registered animal care facility, unlike a dog arriving from a high-risk country without a valid titre result.
No. JetBlue’s BGI-JFK route is cabin-only and does not accept pets in the hold at all. A dog too large for an under-seat cabin carrier needs American Airlines’ Miami cargo service or Caribbean Airlines instead.
No. Cats face no federal CDC rabies vaccination, titre test or import form requirement at all. The Barbados export side, the Veterinary Health Export Certificate, still applies to cats, but the US federal side is lighter for cats than for dogs.
Airline guides
American Airlines
JetBlue
Caribbean Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.
Get a free, fully itemised quote for your Barbados to United States pet move. Our specialists will map out the entire timeline and costs. No surprises.