Bringing a Dog From Australia to the U.S.
Australia's rabies-free status makes this one of the simplest international pet moves: one free CDC form and a microchip for dogs, even less for cats.
Bringing a dog from Australia to the U.S. is one of the simplest international pet moves there is. Australia is rabies-free, so your dog skips the blood test and the quarantine that complicate moves from most other countries. Since August 2024, a dog arriving from Australia into the mainland U.S. needs just one free online form and a microchip. Cats are simpler still. The one thing that can throw off your timeline is the vet appointment, and that's the part to book first.
Key takeaways
- Australia is rabies-free, so dogs need only the CDC Dog Import Form (free, online) plus a microchip. No rabies blood test and no quarantine for the mainland U.S.
- Cats have no federal rabies or vaccination requirement for U.S. entry. They only have to appear healthy on arrival, and your destination state may add its own rules.
- Most airlines require a health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet for cargo transport, issued within about 10 days of travel. Book that appointment before you commit to a flight date.
- Hawaii and Guam run their own quarantine rules for both dogs and cats, even from the mainland.
- Plan on about eight weeks start to finish, twelve to be comfortable, because USDA-accredited vets are in limited supply in Australian cities.
What the U.S. requires for dogs and cats
Two different agencies sit over pet imports, and confusing them is where most planning goes wrong. The CDC is the authority for all dogs. The USDA only steps in when the origin country has foot-and-mouth disease or screwworm, and Australia has neither, so for an Australian dog the USDA defers to the CDC entirely.
As of June 2026, the CDC's requirements for a dog from a rabies-free country are short. Your dog needs:
- A completed CDC Dog Import Form
- A microchip readable by a universal scanner (the ISO 11784/11785 standard), to be at least six months old
- To appear healthy on arrival
No vaccination certificate, no rabies blood test, no quarantine for the mainland.
The form itself is free and takes a few minutes online. You select Australia as the country of departure, fill in your dog's details and travel history, and a receipt lands in your inbox within minutes. It's valid for six months and covers multiple entries, so you can complete it weeks ahead.
You can show the receipt on your phone or print it. The only thing that resets it is your dog visiting a high-risk rabies country in the meantime, which a direct trip from Australia won't.
Cats are easier again. There's no federal rabies or vaccination requirement to bring a cat into the U.S., and no USDA permit for a personal pet cat. Your cat only has to appear healthy on arrival, though your destination state may have its own rules and USDA APHIS lists the cat import baseline if you want to confirm.
| Document | Required by | Applies to | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDC Dog Import Form | CDC (federal) | Every dog from Australia | Before the flight, receipt valid 6 months |
| Health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet | The airline, not federal law for Australia | Dogs traveling as cargo on most airlines | Issued within about 10 days of travel |
The one real constraint: a USDA-accredited vet
The federal side is easy. The part that shapes your timeline is the health certificate, and it surprises people because it isn't a CDC requirement at all. It's the airline's.
Most carriers won't load a dog as cargo without a health certificate signed by a vet who holds U.S. Department of Agriculture accreditation, and most set the certificate to be issued within about 10 days of the flight. The window and how it's counted vary by carrier, so confirm the exact rule with yours before you book.
USDA accreditation is a separate credential from a normal Australian veterinary license. A regular vet, however good, can't issue the certificate the airline will accept unless they hold it, which thins out the available pool. Use the accredited-vet search on USDA APHIS pet travel to find one near you, and call ahead, because the list doesn't always show who's currently seeing pet export clients.
When you go, bring your microchip documentation, your dog's vaccination records, proof of ownership, and a copy of your CDC form receipt. The vet scans the chip to confirm it matches the paperwork, so it's worth checking your microchip is ISO-compatible early, well before this appointment.
Hawaii and Guam are different
If you're moving to Hawaii or Guam rather than the mainland, none of the above is the whole picture. Both run their own quarantine programs for dogs and cats, even for animals arriving from the U.S. mainland, and the requirements are stricter and need much earlier planning. If that's your destination, treat their state and territory rules as the binding ones and start there.
Who can handle the move for you
You can run the whole thing yourself. The CDC form takes minutes, and if you're comfortable coordinating the vet, the cargo booking, and the timing, self-managing keeps the cost down.
A pet relocation company takes that off your plate. They coordinate the USDA-accredited vet, book and manage the cargo, and handle transit logistics, which tends to suit larger dogs, tight timelines, or anyone who'd rather not project-manage it. You still complete the CDC form yourself, since it's a personal declaration.
If you go that route, a few names come up often for Australians moving to the U.S.:
- IPATA: the international association for pet transporters, with a searchable directory of vetted members. A good first stop for finding a reputable shipper.
- PetFlyers: Australian pet relocation specialist.
- Jetpets: Australian pet travel and relocation company.
- Dogtainers: long-established Australian pet transport company.
Your pet timeline, keyed to your start date
If you're moving from Australia to the U.S. to work on a visa such as the E-3 visa, the whole schedule works backward from the day you fly, and that day is set by your start date. The sooner your visa is filed and approved, the sooner that date is fixed and the more room you have to line up the vet and the cargo around it.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12+ weeks out | Accept the offer and confirm your start date with HR |
| 10 to 12 weeks out | Book the USDA-accredited vet appointment |
| 8 to 10 weeks out | Complete the CDC Dog Import Form and book airline cargo |
| Within 10 days of the flight | Attend the USDA-accredited vet appointment |
| Departure week | Travel with the CDC receipt and the health certificate |
The pet timeline only works once your flight date is set, and that date depends on your E-3 being filed and approved. Migrate Mate's E-3 service handles the filing end to end, so your start date is fixed early enough to plan everything else around it.
Your E-3 could be approved in as little as 4 weeks. Migrate Mate handles everything.
Book free consultationFrequently asked questions
Does the CDC Dog Import Form receipt cover more than one trip to the U.S.?
Yes. One CDC Dog Import Form receipt covers multiple entries into the U.S. for six months from the day you submit it. The only thing that voids it is your dog visiting a high-risk rabies country in that window, in which case you complete a fresh form before the next trip.
Can I bring a dog and a cat from Australia to the U.S. at the same time?
Yes, but each animal follows its own rules. A dog needs the CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip, and to be at least six months old, while a cat needs none of that at the federal level and only has to appear healthy on arrival. Check your airline's policy for carrying both on the same booking.
Does my dog need a rabies vaccination to enter the U.S. from Australia?
No. A dog entering the mainland U.S. from Australia doesn't need a rabies vaccination or any proof of one, because Australia is rabies-free. What the CDC requires instead is the Dog Import Form, a microchip, a minimum age of six months, and a healthy appearance on arrival.
Can I complete the CDC Dog Import Form before I return to Australia?
It depends on where your dog will fly from. The country of departure on the form has to match the country your dog physically leaves from, so if your dog is in Australia you complete it listing Australia, any time within six months of travel. If the dog moves countries before the flight, fill it out from that final departure country instead.
Will a non-ISO microchip stop my dog from entering the U.S.?
It can. U.S. entry requires a microchip that a universal scanner can read, which means the ISO 11784/11785 standard, so an older non-ISO chip may not be accepted. The usual fix is to have a second ISO-compatible chip implanted, and it's best to check this with your vet well before the health-certificate appointment.
Can I bring a rescue dog from Australia without a full vaccination history?
Yes. A rescue dog can enter the U.S. from Australia without any vaccination records, because a rabies-free country doesn't require proof of vaccination on the CDC form. The dog still has to be at least six months old, microchipped, and healthy on arrival.
About the Author
Founder & CEO @ Migrate Mate
I moved from Australia to the United States in 2023. I have had 3 jobs, and 3 different visas. I started Migrate Mate to help people like me find their dream job in the USA & help them get visa sponsorship.
