Pet relocation from Thailand to United States
One classification decides how hard this move is. The CDC treats Thailand as a high-rabies-risk origin, and that ruling lands almost entirely on dogs: titer timing, a six-month minimum age, and a short list of airports you are allowed to arrive at. For cats it barely applies, because the CDC sets no rabies vaccination requirement for cats entering the United States. Two very different moves share one route, so the first thing we tell you is which one you are actually planning.
Get a Quote: Thailand → United StatesLeaving Thailand
Thailand export requires DLD export health certificate, microchip, and IATA crate compliance check at BKK cargo terminal.
- Permit / authority
- DLD export health certificate
- Border control
- Suvarnabhumi (BKK) live-animal cargo inspection
Entering United States
USA dog imports follow CDC rules by rabies-risk origin; cats follow airline/state rules.
- Permit / authority
- CDC Dog Import Form (rabies-control countries)
- Border control
- None federally; state may vary
How long it takes
- Leaving Thailand: Plan 3–6 weeks ahead (longer for AU/JP/EU)
- Entering United States: Plan 6–12 weeks ahead
- Flight: One connection through an East Asian hub out of Bangkok (BKK) into Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) or New York (JFK), roughly 20–26 hours door to door including the transit stop.
Estimated cost
$2,400–$5,200
Indicative range for one cat or small dog, door-to-door. The final quote depends on pet size, crate dimensions, routing and season.
Document checklist
- ISO 15-digit scannable microchip
- DLD export health certificate issued in Bangkok
- Cats: a current veterinary health certificate, plus rabies proof where the airline or arrival state asks for it
- Dogs: CDC Dog Import Form receipt, minimum age six months, and a rabies titer from a CDC-approved laboratory
- Dogs: arrival routed through a CDC-approved airport
- IATA-compliant crate, or an airline-approved cabin carrier where every leg permits it
Regulations change. We verify current requirements before every move.
Airlines we coordinate with
- Thai Airways / THAI Cargo
- Korean Air Cargo
- EVA Air Cargo
- Cathay Cargo
Subject to each airline's live-animal acceptance at the time of booking.
Moving a cat?
Cats enter the US through a far simpler path than dogs. Read our dedicated page on cat relocation to the United States. →
Frequently asked questions
- How long does pet relocation from Thailand to United States take?
- Timelines depend on import permits and quarantine rules for United States. Most Thailand-to-United States moves are planned 4–8 weeks ahead; we map the exact timeline after a quick assessment.
- What documents are required to move a pet from Thailand to United States?
- Typically a health certificate, vaccination records, microchip, and an import permit for United States. We prepare and verify the full document set for you.
- Is it really easier to bring a cat than a dog from Thailand to the US?
- Yes, and the gap is wide. The CDC rules that key off rabies risk apply to dogs, not cats: there is no federal rabies vaccination requirement for cats entering the United States, so a healthy cat with clean Thai export paperwork is a comparatively direct move. Dogs leaving Thailand are counted as coming from a high-risk country, which adds titer testing, the six-month minimum age, the CDC Dog Import Form and a restricted list of arrival airports. Airlines and individual states can still set their own conditions for cats, and we check those per itinerary.
- Can my cat fly in the cabin from Bangkok to the US?
- On some routings yes, and it is the option we push for when the cat fits an under-seat carrier and every carrier on the itinerary permits pets in cabin. The condition people miss is that it has to hold for the whole journey, not just the first flight. When one leg refuses in-cabin, we plan manifested cargo from the start rather than leave it to a decision at the gate.
- How much does moving a pet from Thailand to the US cost?
- Plan on roughly USD 2,400–5,200 for one cat or small dog, door to door. Crate size, whether the pet travels in cabin or as manifested cargo, the routing, and for dogs the rabies-risk requirements all move the figure. We confirm a fixed quote after a short assessment.