Bringing a Dog to Singapore From the US

General information, not veterinary advice. Requirements are set by the destination authority and can change: confirm with the official authority, your accredited vet and your airline.

Moving a pet from the US to Singapore takes time and a strict order of steps. Singapore's Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), part of NParks, places the USA in Schedule II of its rabies-risk list. That drives most of what follows, especially the titer test and its 90-day wait.

Start with the titer test: it sets your earliest flight

For Schedule II countries, your pet needs a valid rabies vaccination with a vaccine acceptable to AVS, followed by a WOAH-prescribed serology test showing at least 0.5 IU/ml.

The timing rules:

Blood is drawn at least 28 days after the primary vaccination or last booster. Keep boosters up to date with no lapse.
Blood is drawn no less than 90 days and no more than 12 months before export. AVS gives the example of a sample taken on January 1 allowing import from April 1 at the earliest.
The test must be done by a WOAH reference laboratory for rabies, or by a lab in a Schedule I or II country approved by that country's competent authority. Ask your USDA-accredited vet to confirm the lab you use meets this rule. The original report travels with your pet.

Count back at least 90 days from departure before booking flights.

Residence, age and microchip

Your pet must have lived in the USA (or another Schedule I or II country) for 6 months before export, or since birth, and be at least 12 weeks old. The microchip must meet ISO 11784 or Annex A of ISO 11785; with any other chip, you or your agent must bring a reader. The chip number must appear on every vaccination and treatment record, and a government-approved vet scans it within 7 days before export.

Vaccines and parasite treatments

Dogs need core vaccines against canine distemper, canine adenovirus type 1 and canine parvovirus type 2. Cats need feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus-1 and feline panleukopenia. These must be given at least 14 days before export.

External treatment (fleas and ticks) and internal treatment (nematodes and cestodes) must each be given 2 to 7 days before export.

Licenses, permits and the pet agent

Each animal needs a dog or cat license first, obtained on PALS, then an import license with that license attached. AVS publishes an import license fee of S$50 (normal) or S$100 (express), valid 90 days from issue with no extensions.

You also need a Customs In-Payment (GST) permit or GST relief approval before arrival and before you book the inspection. The permit is valid for 10 working days from approval.

All personal pet clearance now goes through an AVS-recognized pet agent, appointed before arrival.

The US paperwork: USDA APHIS endorsement

Use the Singapore-specific health certificate published by USDA APHIS, not the generic APHIS 7001. A USDA-accredited vet completes it after a clinical exam within 7 days before export, and submits it through VEHCS for APHIS endorsement. The endorsed certificate travels with your pet.

Key dates for a US departure

Timing (relative to export)	Requirement
At least 6 months before, or since birth	Continuous residence in the USA
12 months to 90 days before	Rabies titer blood draw
At least 14 days before	Core vaccines completed
Within 7 days before	Exam, chip scan and health certificate, then APHIS endorsement through VEHCS
2 to 7 days before	External and internal parasite treatments
At least 5 working days before arrival	Inspection booked through AVS e-services

Flights, arrival and quarantine

Schedule II pets need a captain's declaration signed by the airline, confirming the pet stayed in a sealed cage with no contact with other animals. Changing aircraft en route requires prior AVS permission.

Pets are inspected at the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine station (CAPQ), open Monday to Tuesday 9:00 to 17:00 and Wednesday to Friday 9:00 to 20:00, closed weekends and public holidays. Aim to land at least 3 hours before closing. Arriving without a booking costs S$133 per hour or part of an hour. Containers must meet the IATA Live Animal Regulations, and soft bags are not allowed for the transfer to CAPQ.

For a personal import from the USA, at least 10 days of home quarantine apply if your pet arrives more than 5 days after you move to Singapore, or if there is a transfer of ownership: an adopted or rescued animal, or an animal obtained overseas less than 6 months before export. If neither applies, there is no quarantine. During home quarantine, the smart collar tag costs S$29 per animal per day.

Airlines, at the time of writing: Singapore Airlines' page states pets travel as checked baggage in a temperature-controlled hold, minimum age 3 months, with brachycephalic breed restrictions. ANA's page states pets cannot travel in its cabin and that Singapore imports require an AVS-certified agent. American Airlines' page states carry-on pets are not accepted on trans-Pacific trips. Confirm with the airline before booking.

Singapore also bans certain dog breeds and early-generation Bengal or Savannah crosses, and HDB flats have their own limits.

Plan it with the kit

The USA to Singapore kit includes a user guide, a timeline workbook that computes every date from your flight date, a vet visit brief, a document and airline checklist, and letter templates. It links to each AVS and APHIS page.

Schedule II + titer$39

USA to Singapore pet move kit

Singapore from the US (Schedule II): licences in order, a titer then 90 days, the 2 to 7 day certificate window and the required pet agent, all dated.

See the kit

Bringing a Dog or Cat to Singapore From the US