Pet Transport from Brazil to the USA: 2026 Guide
Brazil is treated as high-risk for dog rabies, which puts a Brazil-vaccinated dog on the CDC foreign-vaccination pathway. That pathway has two branches. Branch one is a rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory, with blood drawn at least 30 days …
The Brazil to United States import process
Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.
Responsible: Vet
Responsible: Owner, ideally with a specialist pet transport agent
Responsible: Your vet and the CDC-approved laboratory
Responsible: Owner or specialist pet transport agent
Responsible: Owner
Responsible: Your vet, then government endorsement
Responsible: MAPA-authorised official vet
Responsible: Owner and the airline cargo team
Which United States rules depend on a pet coming from Brazil?
The United States sorts countries into 2 groups, and Brazil falls in “High-risk countries for dog rabies”.
Dog has been in one of these within 6 months: rabies vaccination mandatory. US-vaccinated dogs need USDA-endorsed CDC certification form; foreign-vaccinated dogs need foreign certification form, CDC-approved titre or 28-day quarantine, facility reservation and arrival at that facility's airport. Official source
These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:
- Quarantine: Without a valid titre, the dog is admitted only after 28 days' quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility; this can be shortened if criteria are met. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: All foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility before entry, where they are examined and revaccinated with a US-licensed rabies vaccine. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: The 28-day CDC facility quarantine may be shortened only if all of these are met: personal pet or service dog; documentation of at least 2 rabies vaccines; healthy on exam; the facility gets CDC approval for a prospective serologic monitoring (PSM) assessment; the dog gets a US-issued rabies vaccine under PSM; and a titre is obtained from a CDC-approved US lab (CDC FAQ updated 27 August 2026). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a passing rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory; blood drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Passing titre results are valid for life while vaccination does not lapse and the lab remains approved. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Not required: US-vaccinated dogs returning from a high-risk country need valid (unexpired) documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination, not a titre. If that documentation is invalid, the foreign-vaccinated rules (including titre or 28-day quarantine) apply. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries need the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by a vet and endorsed by an official government vet of the departure country. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: That form must be completed no more than 30 days before travel, is single use and is valid 30 days from the vet's signature. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and USDA-endorsed before the dog leaves the US (at least 28 days after a first vaccine). Page updated 28 April 2026. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after 31 July 2025 are no longer accepted for re-entry; the CDC certification form is needed instead. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies vaccination: For high-risk dogs the first rabies vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age; earlier vaccines are not accepted. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - How your pet may travel: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive by air; only service dogs (14 CFR 382.3) may arrive by sea. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive at the airport where their CDC-registered facility is. CDC list (updated 1 Sept 2026): Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA, cargo only), Washington DC (IAD). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: There are no CDC-registered facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories, so foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs cannot enter the US through those places. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries may arrive at any airport, land border or seaport matching the receipt. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months cannot enter at a land border crossing (Canada or Mexico). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Microchip: For dogs from high-risk countries the chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine, otherwise the vaccine is invalid. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026
One rule for every pet entering the United States decides whether yours can travel at all:
- Minimum age: Every dog must be at least 6 months old on entry or return to the US.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Minimum age: Not listed: cats. CDC's cat section requires only that cats appear healthy on arrival (they may be inspected, examined at the owner's cost if ill, or refused if they show a zoonotic disease); rabies vaccination proof is not required. APHIS states it has no animal health requirements for pet cats (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/cats). Neither sets a minimum age; destination states may.
Bringing an Animal into the U.S., checked 2 October 2026
The rules that apply to every pet entering the United States, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our United States guide.
What does Brazil require before your pet leaves?
- Export permit: Not required: no separate export permit; the CVI issued by Vigiagro is the document used for a dog or cat to leave Brazil. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil.
CVI União Europeia, Irlanda do Norte, Noruega e Suiça: Solicitar Certificado Veterinário Internacional, checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Brazil's CVI is issued by Federal Agricultural Inspectors (AFFA) of Vigiagro units (gov.br service page modified 25/08/2026). Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil.
CVI União Europeia, Irlanda do Norte, Noruega e Suiça: Solicitar Certificado Veterinário Internacional, checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Owners apply to MAPA for the CVI; for most agreed destinations the request is made online on gov.br with an electronically signed health certificate and vaccination proof. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil.
Sair do Brasil, checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Only an enabled (habilitado) private veterinarian may submit the CVI request on gov.br for Japan, USA, EU, Great Britain, Mercosur, Bolivia and Venezuela, and for Canada from 17 August 2026. Applies to dogs and cats going to the listed destinations.
Sair do Brasil, checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: Request windows: EU, Norway, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Japan 9 to 3 days before departure; USA dogs 5 to 2 days and cats 10 to 3 days; most Latin American destinations and Canada 9 to 3 days (Mexico 14 to 3). Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil.
Sair do Brasil, checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: For destinations still issued in person, MAPA suggests contacting a Vigiagro unit at least 60 days ahead, as in-person appointments must be booked in advance. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil to destinations without an online CVI.
Sair do Brasil, checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: Some destinations (including Great Britain, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and some EU countries) still need a physical MAPA endorsement (chancela) of the electronic CVI at a Vigiagro unit. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Brazil to the listed destinations.
Sair do Brasil, checked 2 October 2026
What this route typically costs
Critical points
A Brazil-vaccinated dog has two ways in, not one. Either a rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory, with blood drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before US arrival, which means the facility examines the dog and releases it the same day. Or no titre, and 28 days at the CDC-registered facility at your expense. Miss either timing gap and the 28 days apply.
Dogs must be at least 6 months old at US entry, and the microchip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccination or the CDC treats the vaccination as invalid. Neither can be fixed at the airport, and a wrongly ordered microchip means re-vaccinating and restarting the titre clocks.
Every dog entering the US needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt whatever its origin, and it is free and completed online. Separately, a foreign-vaccinated dog needs the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by your vet and endorsed by a Brazilian government vet. A MAPA health certificate alone does not cover the CDC side.
Brazil is treated as high-risk for dog rabies, which is what triggers everything on this page. The list we hold in-house is Canada's CFIA high-risk register, which names Brazil; that is a Canadian instrument, not the CDC one, and we have not been able to read the CDC list directly. Check Brazil's current CDC classification at cdc.gov/importation/dogs before you spend anything.
Cats from Brazil face no federal US requirements. States set their own rules, and Hawaii operates its own quarantine scheme for every cat and dog entering the state, so check your destination state's agriculture department before booking.
LATAM flies Sao Paulo Guarulhos direct to Miami, one of the six facility airports and the usual arrival point on this corridor.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
CDC high-risk: the distinction that matters most
Everything on this page turns on one classification: whether the CDC treats Brazil as high-risk for dog rabies. The register we hold is Canada’s CFIA high-risk list, which names Brazil. That is a Canadian instrument rather than the CDC’s own, and we have not been able to read the CDC list directly, so confirm Brazil’s current status at cdc.gov/importation/dogs before you spend anything.
The second question is where your dog was vaccinated. A dog carrying an unbroken, USDA-endorsed US rabies vaccination is on a much shorter route. A dog vaccinated in Brazil, which is the usual case, is on the foreign-vaccination pathway, and that pathway has two branches.
Branch one is the titre. Your vet draws blood for a rabies serology test at a CDC-approved laboratory, at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before the dog arrives in the US. Both gaps have to be satisfied. With a valid titre the dog still lands at a facility airport and is still processed at the facility, but it is examined and released the same day.
Branch two is the facility stay. Most owners are better off doing the titre, which costs a fraction of 28 days of boarding, but it has to be started months ahead.
Two conditions apply on both branches and neither can be fixed at the airport. The dog must be at least six months old at entry. And the microchip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccination, or the CDC treats that vaccination, and with it the titre and the certification form, as invalid.
Where you land is not open either. Seven CDC-registered facilities operate across six airports: Atlanta, Los Angeles (two), Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington Dulles. Chicago O’Hare is not among them. The dog must arrive at the airport where its own reserved facility sits, and no onward domestic flight is allowed until the facility releases it. The list changes, so check it at cdc.gov against your routing before booking.
Cats from Brazil: a completely separate process
Cats are not subject to the CDC high-risk country rules. Wherever a cat was vaccinated, a cat from Brazil enters the US with no federal CDC or USDA requirement: no facility reservation, no titre, no quarantine.
Federal is not the whole story, though. Individual states set their own rules, and Hawaii runs a quarantine scheme of its own for every cat and dog entering the state whatever its origin, with pre-arrival steps that take months to complete. If you are moving to Hawaii, or to any state you have not checked, start with that state’s agriculture department before you book anything.
Airlines ask for their own paperwork too. A cat travelling as cargo will need a health certificate, and the MAPA-endorsed certificate from your Brazilian vet satisfies that. This is airline policy, not a US entry requirement.
LATAM direct from Sao Paulo to the US
LATAM Airlines operates direct cargo services from Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Miami, New York JFK, and other US gateways. Miami matters here for a specific reason: it is one of the six airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility, so a GRU to MIA booking lands the dog somewhere it can actually be processed.
American Airlines also flies GRU to Miami and to Dallas, and United connects GRU through its US hubs. Dallas is not one of the six facility airports. For pets from other Brazilian cities, a domestic leg to GRU usually comes first.
Common questions
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Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.
- CDC · United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog import rules
- IATA · International Air Transport Association, Live Animals Regulations
- MAPA Brazil · Ministerio da Agricultura e Pecuaria, Brazil
- USDA APHIS · United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service