Planning a pet relocation from United States to Namibia is easier when you work backwards from your travel date. Give yourself close to 10-14 weeks so none of the fixed waiting periods catch you out. Compliant pets are not held in …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United States to Namibia
typically takes around 10-14 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 Namibia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Microchip confirmed and rabies vaccination given or booster administered, timed for Namibia's 30-day-to-12-month arrival window.
Responsible: US vet
As early as reasonably possible, but not so early it lapses before travel.
2
Apply for the Namibian import permit through the Directorate of Veterinary Services. This has to be in hand before APHIS will endorse the export certificate, so it cannot be left until the final weeks.
Responsible: Owner or agent, N$150 fee
As early as practical; no published turnaround time.
3
Book a USDA-accredited vet for the Namibia-specific International Health Certificate, or the general certificate for a cat.
Responsible: USDA-accredited veterinarian
Within 10 days of travel.
4
USDA APHIS endorses the certificate, referencing the Namibian import permit number, via VEHCS where the vet participates or by manual submission otherwise.
Responsible: USDA APHIS
Typically 2-5 business days once the permit number and certificate are both ready.
5
Cargo routing booked: Washington Dulles to Windhoek via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines, or via Johannesburg on an alternative carrier.
Responsible: Owner or IPATA agent
Once the import permit is confirmed.
6
Arrival in Windhoek: present the endorsed certificate and import permit, and confirm any additional parasite test results the permit specified.
Responsible: Owner / receiving agent
On landing.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Namibia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 15-digit microchip required, implanted and recorded before the Namibian import permit application is submitted, which in turn has to happen before APHIS will endorse the US certificate.
Rabies vaccination
Required, and timed carefully: Namibia accepts a vaccination given between 30 days and 12 months before arrival, not older and not newer. Source: Namibia Directorate of Veterinary Services import permit application, mawf.gov.na.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Namibia doesn't ask for a rabies antibody test from any country of origin, the US included, which sets it apart from the CDC's own high-risk-country rules that apply in the reverse direction.
Quarantine
No mandatory quarantine for a pet that meets the import permit's conditions in full.
Import permit
Required in advance from the Directorate of Veterinary Services, N$150 fee (roughly USD 8). No published processing time, so apply as early as practical, since USDA APHIS needs this permit number confirmed before it will endorse your dog's export certificate.
Health certificate
USDA's Namibia-specific International Health Certificate for dogs, or the general international certificate for cats, presented alongside the Namibian import permit on arrival.
Export permit (United States)
No general US export permit for a pet dog or cat. The controlling document is the International Health Certificate below, and APHIS will not endorse it for this destination until you already hold a Namibian import permit number. Source: USDA APHIS, Pet Travel from the United States to Namibia, aphis.usda.gov, 2026.
Costs
What this route typically costs
US vet visit, vaccination and Namibia-specific health certificate: USD 150-350
USDA APHIS endorsement fee: USD 38
Any additional parasite testing the Namibian permit specifies: USD 80-200
Namibian import permit: N$150 (roughly USD 8)
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 90-320
Cargo, Washington Dulles to Windhoek via Addis Ababa: USD 1,800-3,800 depending on crate size and season
Total typical range: roughly USD 2,200-4,900 all-in, over 10-14 weeks
Critical points to read before you book
APHIS will not endorse the US export certificate until you already have a Namibian import permit number. Owners who treat the permit as a late-stage formality routinely stall the endorsement step by weeks. Apply for the Namibian permit first, not last.
APHIS states it has not been officially informed of Namibia-specific requirements for cats. That is not the same as no requirements: confirm directly with the Directorate of Veterinary Services what a cat's paperwork should show before your vet issues the certificate.
Namibia's vaccination window cuts both ways: not older than 12 months, not younger than 30 days at arrival. A vaccination booked too close to the flight date can fail the same check as one that's lapsed.
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.
ETHIOPIAN
Ethiopian Airlines
Nonstop from Washington Dulles (IAD) to its Addis Ababa hub, roughly 13 hours, then onward to Windhoek. The same single-carrier routing used in the reverse direction, and the most direct option currently available from the US.
Cargo Only
QATAR AIRWAYS
Qatar Airways
Routes from several US gateways via Doha, then onward to Johannesburg and Windhoek, or via Doha to Johannesburg for an Airlink connection. Adds an extra transfer compared with the Ethiopian option.
Cargo Only
AIRLINK
Airlink
Regional connector from O.R. Tambo, Johannesburg (JNB) to Hosea Kutako International (WDH), the standard final leg for a US routing that connects through Johannesburg rather than Addis Ababa.
Cargo Only
Namibia import rules, explained
Namibia keeps its requirements reasonable, though a few steps have fixed timing. Map those out first and the rest falls into place.
Practical tips for this move
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.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about United States to Namibia pet transport
APHIS will not endorse the US export health certificate until the owner already holds a Namibian import permit number from the Directorate of Veterinary Services. Most routes let owners finish the US paperwork first and sort the destination permit afterward. For Namibia, the permit has to come first, so apply for it as early as possible rather than treating it as a late step.
No. Namibia doesn’t require a rabies antibody titre test from any country of origin, the US included. What it does require is a rabies vaccination dated between 30 days and 12 months before arrival.
Yes for dogs: USDA APHIS publishes a Namibia-specific International Health Certificate. For cats, APHIS states it has not been officially informed of Namibia’s specific requirements, so a cat travels on the general international certificate instead, confirmed against the Namibian import permit conditions.
No. Ethiopian Airlines offers the most direct single-carrier option, flying Washington Dulles to its Addis Ababa hub, then onward to Windhoek. Routing via Doha or Johannesburg on other carriers is possible but adds an extra transfer.
Airline guides
Ethiopian Airlines
Qatar Airways
Airlink
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.