Almost everywhere, the baseline is the same trio: an ISO-compliant microchip, a valid rabies vaccination administered after the microchip was implanted, and a government-endorsed veterinary health certificate issued within days or weeks of travel. The rabies shot usually needs a minimum waiting period, commonly around three to four weeks, before the pet may enter.
Stricter countries, particularly rabies-free islands and some in Asia-Pacific, additionally demand a rabies antibody titer test from an approved laboratory, with a waiting period of up to several months between the blood draw and entry. Dogs sometimes need extra treatments, such as tapeworm dosing recorded by a vet within a set window before arrival.
The golden rule is sequence and documentation: chip first, vaccinate second, test third, certificate last, with every date and the chip number consistent across all papers. One mismatch can mean quarantine or refusal. Download the official checklist from the destination's agriculture or veterinary ministry and have your vet follow it line by line.