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Pet Transport from the United States to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Getting a pet from United States to Bosnia and Herzegovina is a step by step process, and each stage has its own timing. This is a middle of the road route, and about 5-9 weeks of preparation usually …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United States to Bosnia and Herzegovina
typically takes around 5-9 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 United States to Bosnia and Herzegovina import process
01
At least 21 days before travel
Microchip your pet (ISO 11784/11785), then confirm or give the rabies vaccination
Responsible: USDA-accredited vet
02
Within 10 days of travel; allow 3-5 business days for endorsement
USDA APHIS health certificate completed and endorsed
Responsible: USDA-accredited vet, then USDA APHIS State Vet
03
4-6 weeks before travel, since APHIS has no confirmed requirements page for this destination
Contact the Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina directly to confirm current entry conditions
Responsible: Owner or agent
04
4-6 weeks before travel
Book cargo routing via Istanbul or Frankfurt into Sarajevo
Responsible: Owner or agent
05
On travel date; documents and microchip checked on landing
Travel and arrival check at Sarajevo International Airport
Responsible: Airline cargo, then Bosnian veterinary officials
Requirements
Bosnia and Herzegovina entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted at the same time as or before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Current rabies vaccination required, given at least 21 days before entry.
Rabies titre test
Not required. The United States is named in Part B of Bosnia and Herzegovina's own Annex IV country list (Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina No. 34/12 and 68/12, alongside Canada, Japan and Australia). Part B pets skip the titre test just as Part A pets do; only a country left off Annex IV entirely triggers the test and its 3-month wait. Source: Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, vet.gov.ba, checked 17 July 2026.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for a pet arriving with correct paperwork.
Import permit
No standalone import permit is published for an owner travelling with their own pet.
Health certificate
Part B countries need an animal health certificate completed and issued by an official veterinarian, a lighter requirement than Part A's EU-passport wording. A USDA-endorsed international health certificate satisfies this in practice.
Leaving United States
Export requirements
Export permit
No export permit required from the US side for companion animals.
Health certificate
USDA APHIS Veterinary Health Certificate (international health certificate) completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA APHIS State Veterinarian. Allow 3-5 business days for endorsement.
Costs
What this route typically costs
USDA APHIS endorsement fee: USD 38 per certificate, plus the vet consultation, USD 150-300
Microchip and rabies vaccination, if not already current: USD 60-120
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 80-300
Cargo fare, a US gateway to Sarajevo via Istanbul or Frankfurt: USD 1,200-3,000
Agent fee, worth budgeting for given the lack of a confirmed APHIS requirements page for this destination: USD 500-1,200
Total typical range: USD 2,000-4,900
Critical points
USDA APHIS's own country pages state it has not been officially informed of Bosnia and Herzegovina's entry requirements. That doesn't mean there are none, since the Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina does publish its own rules; it means don't rely on the USDA site alone. Confirm current conditions with the Bosnian authority or an agent with recent experience on this route.
There is no direct Sarajevo-US flight. Expect to route via Istanbul or Frankfurt, and confirm live-animal acceptance on both legs before booking.
Because the US sits in Part B of Bosnia's Annex IV list, no titre test applies. Don't accept a quote for one on this specific route.
Austrian Airlines' Vienna connection can end up on a partner airline for the transatlantic leg, since Austrian's own US network has shrunk. Confirm the operating carrier before committing to that routing.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Turkish Airlines
Via Istanbul, with an extensive Turkish Airlines network into the US including New York and Chicago, plus Turkish Cargo's dedicated Pet Lounge at Istanbul for connecting animals. Cats and dogs can travel in the cabin or as cargo.
Cabin and Cargo
Lufthansa
Via Frankfurt, the group hub equipped for a connecting cargo pet (Munich is not), onward to several US gateway cities. Brachycephalic breeds are excluded from the hold.
Cabin and Cargo
Austrian Airlines
Via Vienna, a regular Sarajevo connection. Austrian's own long-haul network to the US has narrowed in recent years, so the transatlantic leg often continues on a Star Alliance partner; confirm the operating carrier at booking.
Cabin and Cargo
The rules for bringing a pet into Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina keeps its requirements reasonable, though a few steps have fixed timing. Map those out first and the rest falls into place.
How to keep this move on track
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
No. The United States is named in Part B of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s own Annex IV country list (Official Gazette No. 34/12 and 68/12). Both Part A and Part B countries skip the titre test; only a pet from a country absent from Annex IV entirely needs one.
APHIS builds its destination pages from information foreign governments supply directly, and Bosnia and Herzegovina hasn’t formally provided that to APHIS. The country’s own Veterinary Office does publish its rules, though, so the absence from the USDA site doesn’t mean there’s no framework to follow.
No. You’ll connect through a European hub, most practically Istanbul with Turkish Airlines or Frankfurt with Lufthansa. Vienna with Austrian Airlines works too, though the transatlantic leg on that routing is often operated by a Star Alliance partner rather than Austrian.
No, provided the pet arrives with a valid microchip, current rabies vaccination given at least 21 days beforehand, and the correct health certificate. Compliant pets aren’t held for a fixed period.
Five to nine weeks is realistic. There’s no fixed regulatory wait beyond the 21 days after vaccination; the rest is the USDA endorsement process, confirming current Bosnian requirements directly, and booking a connecting cargo flight.
Airline guides
Turkish Airlines
Lufthansa
Austrian Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.