Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Poland → the United States
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Poland publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. The national page only says the destination decides and lists per-country certificates. The timing below comes from the Warsaw county veterinary inspectorate's own page; other counties may differ, so ask yours.
How early to start
No fixed wait
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
No fixed wait
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Poland is in the group “Dog rabies-free or low-risk” in the United States’s published list.See every group
Headlines for the United States
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Designated entry point for some trips
What your dog needs
Dogs
Paperwork
CDC Dog Import Form
Fill in the free CDC Dog Import Form online (one per dog) and keep the emailed receipt to show on arrival. You can submit it up to the day of travel; the receipt is valid for 6 months unless your dog visits another country in that time.
Details and the official words
The receipt stops being valid if your dog visits a high-risk country, or a different low-risk country, during those 6 months — then you need a new form.
If your travel date or port of entry changes, submit a new form.
“the receipt is valid for 6 months from when it's issued unless the dog visits a high-risk country or a different dog rabies-free or low-risk country during that time”
Age rule
Dog at least 6 months old
Dogs must be at least 6 months old when they enter or return to the U.S.
Details and the official words
“Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the U.S.”
Identification
Microchip
Your dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can detect. If it has been in a high-risk country, the chip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccine.
Details and the official words
“Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.”
“The microchip must be implanted before getting the rabies vaccine, or else the vaccine will be invalid.”
Vet exam
Medical-veterinary declaration from a vet at any clinic (valid 48 hours)
A vet at any clinic issues a medical-veterinary declaration that is valid for 48 hours. The county veterinarian bases the health certificate on it, together with proof of your pet's current rabies vaccination (in the passport or health booklet).
Details and the official words
“na podstawie ważnego 48 godzin orzeczenia lekarsko – weterynaryjnego wystawionego przez lekarza weterynarii w dowolnej lecznicy oraz dowodu aktualnego szczepienia przeciwko wściekliźnie (w paszporcie lub książeczce zdrowia)”
Official stamp
Health certificate issued by your county veterinarian (Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii)
The county veterinarian issues the health certificate for companion animals taken out to non-EU countries. The certificate is valid for 15 days.
Details and the official words
“Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii wystawia świadectwa zdrowia dla zwierząt towarzyszących wywożonych do krajów trzecich”
“Świadectwo wystawione przez Powiatowego Lekarza Weterynarii jest ważne 15 dni.”
Good to know
- Your destination state may have its own rules (for example a rabies vaccination or health certificate). Check with the state veterinarian before you travel.
- If your dog comes from a region affected by screwworm, USDA requires a certificate from a full-time salaried government vet confirming a screwworm inspection within 5 days before shipment. Check USDA's list of affected regions.
- The rules for bringing a pet into a non-EU country are set by that country. GIW lists links and extra material for the most visited ones. Plan your return too.
- Some countries (the Warsaw inspectorate names Australia, Japan and South Africa) require health certificates on their own models and a pre-export certificate. If the destination has its own certificate, show it to your county vet with a sworn Polish translation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
What your cat needs
Cats
On arrival
Cat appears healthy on arrival
Cats must appear healthy on arrival and may be inspected. No federal proof of rabies vaccination is required, but CDC recommends it and your destination state may require it.
Details and the official words
“Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination for importation into the United States.”
“APHIS Veterinary Services does not have any animal health requirements related to bringing (importing) a pet cat”
Vet exam
Medical-veterinary declaration from a vet at any clinic (valid 48 hours)
A vet at any clinic issues a medical-veterinary declaration that is valid for 48 hours. The county veterinarian bases the health certificate on it, together with proof of your pet's current rabies vaccination (in the passport or health booklet).
Details and the official words
“na podstawie ważnego 48 godzin orzeczenia lekarsko – weterynaryjnego wystawionego przez lekarza weterynarii w dowolnej lecznicy oraz dowodu aktualnego szczepienia przeciwko wściekliźnie (w paszporcie lub książeczce zdrowia)”
Official stamp
Health certificate issued by your county veterinarian (Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii)
The county veterinarian issues the health certificate for companion animals taken out to non-EU countries. The certificate is valid for 15 days.
Details and the official words
“Powiatowy Lekarz Weterynarii wystawia świadectwa zdrowia dla zwierząt towarzyszących wywożonych do krajów trzecich”
“Świadectwo wystawione przez Powiatowego Lekarza Weterynarii jest ważne 15 dni.”
Good to know
- Your destination state may have its own rules (for example a rabies vaccination or health certificate). Check with the state veterinarian before you travel.
- The rules for bringing a pet into a non-EU country are set by that country. GIW lists links and extra material for the most visited ones. Plan your return too.
- Some countries (the Warsaw inspectorate names Australia, Japan and South Africa) require health certificates on their own models and a pre-export certificate. If the destination has its own certificate, show it to your county vet with a sworn Polish translation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Poland to the United States?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into the United States?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog be quarantined in the United States?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can detect.