Moving your pet from India to the USA, handled end to end.
The US is one of the most involved destinations to relocate a pet to from India. We run the entire pathway — vaccinations, the rabies titer, government paperwork, the CDC facility booking and the flight — so your dog or cat lands safely and you stay sane.
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Takes ~60 seconds · no obligation · we reply fastWhy the USA is different from most moves
We'd rather be honest up front than surprise you later. Here's why this route takes real planning — and why almost everyone uses a specialist for it.
India is "high-risk" to the CDC
The US classifies India as high-risk for dog rabies. That puts dogs on the strictest entry pathway — including a blood titer test and a CDC-registered facility on arrival.
It takes about 3–4 months
The rabies titer and its mandatory waiting period set the clock. Start early or you'll miss your travel window — there's no fast-tracking it.
Airline options are limited
Few carriers move pets on this ultra-long-haul corridor, and summer heat embargoes narrow it further. Routing and timing matter a lot.
The exact pathway for a dog from India
Most India–US relocations are dogs, and this is the part that takes the planning. Here's every step, in order — the same checklist we run for you.
At least 6 months old and healthy
The CDC requires every imported dog to be a minimum of six months old and in good health on arrival. A dog that appears unwell can be refused at the border.
Microchip — fitted before the rabies shot
An ISO-standard (15-digit) microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. If the chip goes in afterward, the CDC treats the vaccination as invalid and the dog has to be revaccinated.
Valid rabies vaccination
A current rabies vaccination, given after the microchip, recorded on a certificate your vet completes. This is the basis for everything that follows.
Rabies titer (RNATT) at a CDC-approved lab
A blood sample sent to a CDC-approved laboratory to prove immunity. It must be drawn at least 30 days after the rabies shot and at least 28 days before the flight — and lab processing takes weeks, so this is what sets your timeline. A valid titer is what lets your dog skip the 28-day quarantine on arrival.
CDC Dog Import Form receipt
Filed online before travel. You show the receipt to the airline before boarding and to US Customs on arrival. For a dog from India it only lets you select airports that have a CDC-registered facility.
Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination & Microchip
A CDC form your Indian vet completes and an official government veterinarian endorses — tying the microchip, the vaccination and the titer result to your dog.
Indian export clearance (AQCS)
On the India side, the Animal Quarantine (AQCS) health certificate and NOC that clear your pet to leave the country for export.
Reservation at a CDC-registered facility
Foreign-vaccinated dogs from India must land by air at a US airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility, and have a booking there for an examination and revaccination. With a valid titer it's a same-visit check; without one, it's a 28-day quarantine — and all facility costs are the importer's.
Between the 30-day wait after vaccination, the lab turnaround and the 28-day pre-flight window, the rabies titer is what makes this a 3–4 month process. We confirm the exact dates, a current CDC-approved lab and an available facility for your specific travel window before anything is booked.
Cats have a much simpler path
Moving a cat? Breathe easier. The heaviest parts of the dog process don’t apply — the US sets no rabies requirement for cats at the federal level.
Cats aren’t covered by the CDC’s dog-rabies rules — no rabies titer, no CDC-registered facility and no arrival quarantine. Your cat simply needs to arrive healthy, and may be briefly inspected at the port of entry.
- India’s AQCS export health certificate and NOC to leave the country
- An airline health certificate, usually issued within about 10 days of travel
- An IATA-compliant travel crate sized to your cat
- A rabies vaccination if your destination US state requires one — and we recommend it either way
How your pet actually flies
There are two ways pets travel, and the airline landscape on this route changes often. We book whatever is genuinely available and safest for your pet.
Accompanied, with you
Your pet flies on your itinerary, in the hold or as excess baggage — in-cabin only for very small pets on certain carriers. Possible when you’re travelling on the same route at the same time.
Manifest cargo
Your pet travels as booked cargo, with or without you on the flight. Often the most reliable way to move a dog on this corridor, with professional handling at both ends.
The honest airline picture right now
Air India doesn’t carry pets on its nonstop India–US flights — only certified service dogs — and US carriers tightly restrict pet cargo, with seasonal summer heat embargoes when it’s too hot to fly safely.
So the right carrier depends on your dates, your pet’s size and breed, and the weather. Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds face cargo-hold restrictions and heat limits. We’ll tell you honestly what’s possible and book the safest routing.
What 3–4 months actually looks like
Start early and this is a calm, predictable process. Here’s roughly how the months map out for a dog — the part that catches people out is the titer.
Microchip + rabies vaccine
If they’re not already done. This starts the clock for everything else.
Rabies titer drawn
Blood is drawn 30 days after the vaccine and sent to a CDC-approved lab.
Lab result
Processing time you can’t rush — and the titer must be at least 28 days before the flight.
Forms + bookings
CDC Dog Import Form, the foreign-vaccination certificate, your facility reservation and flights.
Export + travel
AQCS health certificate and NOC, a final vet check, then travel — landing at a CDC-facility airport.
Almost everything else can be arranged in parallel, but the titer’s 30-day wait, the lab time and the 28-day pre-flight window are fixed. Miss that window and the whole trip slips — so it’s the first thing we put in motion.
What FidoJet handles
Every moving part of a US relocation, managed by one team — so you’re never chasing a vet, a lab and an airline at the same time.
Eligibility & timeline
We check your pet, the route and your dates, then map the titer window back from your travel date.
Vaccinations & microchip
ISO microchip and rabies vaccination in the correct order, so nothing gets invalidated.
The rabies titer
We arrange the CDC-approved lab, send the sample and track the result against your travel date.
US import paperwork
The CDC Dog Import Form and the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination & Microchip, completed correctly.
Indian export clearance
The AQCS export health certificate and NOC that clear your pet to leave India.
Arrival facility booking
Your reservation at a CDC-registered facility, at a US airport that accepts your pet.
IATA-compliant crate
Sized so your pet can stand, turn and lie down, with time to get comfortable before travel.
Flights & routing
The right carrier and routing for your pet’s breed, size and the season.
One point of contact
Door-to-door from your home in India to safe arrival in the US — one team and one WhatsApp thread the whole way.
Why FidoJetNo boarding, no middlemen — pet relocation is all we do.
What shapes the cost of a US move
There’s no flat price for a US relocation — and anyone who quotes one before knowing your pet hasn’t really priced it. Here’s what moves the number; we’ll give you a clear, itemised quote once we know yours.
Pet size & breed
Weight and dimensions set the crate and how your pet can fly. Snub-nosed breeds need special routing and care.
Where you’re flying from and to
Your origin city in India and your US destination — which must be an airport with a CDC-registered facility — shape the routing.
How your pet travels
Accompanied baggage versus manifest cargo makes a real difference to what the move costs.
Vet work & the titer
The CDC-approved lab titer, vaccinations, microchip and the health certificates that go with them.
The arrival facility
The CDC-registered facility’s exam and revaccination — and quarantine if there’s no valid titer — are billed by the facility.
Timing & season
Peak periods, summer heat embargoes and how much lead time you have all affect routing and price.
Want a real number for your pet? We’ll itemise it for your pet and route — no guesswork, no surprises.
Get a free quoteFlying to the US from across India
We relocate pets to the US from cities across India — handling the pickup, the paperwork and the flight from your doorstep. Don’t see your city? We cover many more.
A FidoJet pet checked in for an international departure — handlers, crate and paperwork, all handled.
Delhi NCR
Pet relocation to the USA BOM IADMumbai
Pet relocation to the USA BLR JFKBengaluru
Pet relocation to the USA HYD IADHyderabad
Pet relocation to the USA MAA ATLChennai
Pet relocation to the USA PNQ JFKPune
Pet relocation to the USAPets flown to the US, safely
Shadow reached JFK safely. I was worried how a Shepherd his size would cope with 15+ hours in cargo — he doesn’t warm up to strangers. But your Delhi handler never forced him into the crate, and Sahil updated me at every checkpoint. I collected a completely calm dog.
Kaju landed in Washington and cleared customs without any issue. She’s a rescue indie, and flying her this far had me so anxious — but honestly, everything went smoother than I imagined. Thank you, Tanuj, for patiently answering my hundred questions.
Charlie reached Atlanta and settled in like nothing happened. He’s an anxious Golden, so a long journey with a connection worried me — but Rohan coordinated it without a single hiccup. What I appreciated most was the honesty: you told me upfront what was doable and what wasn’t, not just big promises to lock the booking.
India to USA pet relocation: common questions
Is India a high-risk country for rabies to the US?
How long does it take to move a dog from India to the US?
What is the rabies titer (RNATT) and why does my dog need it?
Does my cat need a rabies titer or quarantine for the US?
What is the CDC-registered facility, and do we have to use one?
Which US airports can my dog fly into?
Can my pet fly in the cabin to the US?
Is the cargo hold safe for my pet?
What about snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds?
What documents does a dog from India need for the US?
Let’s get your pet to the US
Tell us about your pet and your timeline. We’ll map the requirements, handle the paperwork and the flight, and give you a clear quote — start with a free quote or just message us.