CDC New Dog Import Form for Nigeria to USA 2026

Last Updated on September 18, 2026

If you are searching for the CDC new dog import form for Nigeria to USA, you are probably trying to understand one thing: what exactly do I need to fill, print and carry before my dog leaves Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt?

The confusion is understandable. The CDC changed its dog entry system on August 1, 2024, and Nigeria is a high risk country for dog rabies.

In 2026, the rules still depend on two major things: where your dog was vaccinated and which countries the dog has been in during the six months before entering America.

If your dog was vaccinated in Nigeria, you need more than the basic CDC Dog Import Form. You also need the appropriate foreign rabies vaccination and microchip certification, rabies serology from a CDC approved laboratory, and a reservation at a CDC registered animal care facility before arrival.

This guide breaks everything down in simple Nigerian English so you can understand what to enter on the form, what documents you need and what can go wrong.

Quick Answer Box

Is Nigeria a High-Risk Country for CDC Dog Import?

Yes. Nigeria is currently listed by the CDC as a high risk country for dog rabies. CDC’s current high risk country list was updated in April 2026, and Nigeria remains included.

This is the first thing you should establish before filling any paperwork. If your dog has been in Nigeria during the six months before entering the United States, you cannot use the simple low risk country process.

For a dog vaccinated in Nigeria, the CDC requirements are stricter. Your dog generally needs:

• • At least 6 months of age when entering the United States
• • A detectable microchip
• • A valid rabies vaccination
• • Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip
• • Government endorsement of that certification
• • A passing rabies antibody titer from a CDC approved laboratory
• • Reservation at a CDC registered animal care facility
• • CDC Dog Import Form receipt
• • Arrival by air at the U.S. airport where the reserved CDC facility is located
• • Required veterinary examination and U.S. rabies revaccination
• • Additional quarantine if the dog does not have a valid rabies serology titer

The CDC specifically states that foreign vaccinated dogs that have been in a high risk country within the previous six months must have a reservation at a CDC registered animal care facility.

This is why a Nigerian dog cannot simply land at any American airport and continue to your final destination.

What is the CDC New Dog Import Form?

The CDC Dog Import Form is an online form that creates a receipt showing that your dog has been registered for entry into the United States.

Every dog entering the United States needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The form is free. But here is where Nigerians often misunderstand the system.

The CDC Dog Import Form is not the same thing as a CDC Dog Import Permit. For a Nigerian dog vaccinated in Nigeria, the current CDC requirements do not simply say, “Get a CDC import permit.”

Instead, the dog follows the foreign vaccinated, high risk country pathway. That means you should think about your paperwork as two separate layers.

READ ALSO:Cost to Fly Dog from Nigeria to USA Cargo    2026

Layer 1: CDC Dog Import Form

This is the online form you complete yourself or have someone complete for you.

Layer 2: Foreign vaccinated dog documents

These include the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, government endorsement, rabies serology and the CDC registered animal care facility reservation.

If your dog was vaccinated in the United States, the process is different. A U.S. vaccinated dog that has been in Nigeria needs the CDC Dog Import Form receipt plus the Certification of U.S.

Issued Rabies Vaccination form completed by a USDA accredited veterinarian before the dog leaves America.

CDC Requirements for Dogs from Nigeria to USA 2026

Use this table to identify which situation applies to you.

Requirement	Dog vaccinated in USA	Dog vaccinated in Nigeria
CDC Dog Import Form	Required	Required
Dog age	At least 6 months	At least 6 months
Microchip	Required	Required
Rabies vaccination	U.S. issued	Foreign vaccination accepted under CDC rules
U.S. Rabies Certification	Required	No
Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form	No	Required
Rabies titer	Normally not required if valid U.S. documentation	Required for the normal titer pathway
CDC registered animal care facility	Generally not required if valid U.S. certification allows eligible port of entry	Required
28 day quarantine	Not normally required	Required under the standard pathway if no valid titer
U.S. rabies revaccination at facility	No	Required
Approved U.S. arrival airport	Depends on documentation	Must be an airport with the required CDC facility

The CDC says a foreign vaccinated dog from a high risk country must have the foreign rabies vaccination and microchip certification, and the document must be endorsed by an official government veterinarian in the exporting country.

The rabies titer is also important. A passing titer is at least 0.5 IU/mL. CDC states that passing results can remain valid for the dog’s life as long as rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse.

If your dog does not have a valid titer, the standard process involves a 28 day quarantine after examination and U.S. rabies revaccination at the CDC registered animal care facility.

How to Fill CDC Dog Import Form from Nigeria Step-by-Step

You can fill the CDC Dog Import Form yourself. You do not need to pay someone simply because the form is an American government form.

Step 1: Open the CDC Dog Import Form

Go to the CDC’s dog importation section and select the Dog Import Form. The form is completed online and produces a receipt after submission. Before you start, keep these details beside you:

• Your passport

• Dog’s vaccination record

• Dog’s microchip number

• Dog’s exact date of birth

• Dog’s breed

• Dog’s sex

• Your U.S. arrival details

• Flight information

• Country of departure

• Countries where the dog has been during the previous six months

Step 2: Enter the owner’s information

Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your passport and travel documents. Do not enter a nickname such as “Mama’s Boy” as the owner’s name.

• If your passport says:
• Titus Philemon
• then use:
• Titus Philemon

Keep your phone number and email address active because these details may be useful if there is a problem with the submission.

Step 3: Enter the dog’s information

Be extremely careful here.

• If the dog’s microchip number is:
• 123456789012345
• do not type:
• 123456789012354

One wrong number can create a mismatch between your CDC form, veterinary certificate, rabies record and the dog’s actual microchip.

Check the following twice:

• Dog’s name
• Breed
• Date of birth
• Sex
• Microchip number
• Rabies vaccination information

A good Nigerian tip is to photograph the dog’s microchip record and vaccination certificate before beginning the online form.

Step 4: Country of departure

If your dog is flying from Lagos, and Nigeria is the country from which the dog is departing for America, enter: Country of departure: Nigeria

• Do not enter:
• Lagos
• Do not enter:
• Murtala Muhammed International Airport
• Nigeria is the country. Lagos is the city.
• If your dog travels from Abuja, the country is still Nigeria.

If you are flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos first and then departing internationally from Lagos, Nigeria remains the country of departure for the international U.S. journey.

Step 5: Check your arrival airport carefully

This is one of the most important parts for a Nigerian dog. A foreign vaccinated dog that has been in Nigeria must arrive at a U.S. airport where a CDC registered animal care facility is located and where you have made the required reservation.

Do not choose Houston simply because Houston is your final destination. Do not choose Chicago simply because your university is in Chicago.

First confirm the CDC approved entry airport and facility. Then build your flight around that airport. The CDC Dog Import Form receipt should match the port of entry you use.

Screenshot description: after submission, you should see the confirmation or receipt containing the dog’s information and travel details. Save the receipt as a PDF, print it and keep a copy on your phone.

Do not rely only on your phone. At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, your phone battery could die, your internet could fail or an airline staff member could request a printed document. Keep at least two printed copies.

CDC Registered Animal Care Facility: What Nigerians Must Book

This is probably the most important part of the entire Nigerian dog import process.

If your dog was vaccinated in Nigeria and has been in a high risk country, you must reserve space at a CDC registered animal care facility before entering America. These facilities are located at approved U.S. airports. The CDC list includes facilities serving airports such as:

• Atlanta

• Los Angeles

• Miami

• New York

• Philadelphia

• Washington, DC

The exact facility and airport options can change, so check the current CDC registered facility list when booking.

Your reservation is not optional paperwork. The facility needs to know that your dog is coming. The facility will examine the dog and provide the required U.S. rabies revaccination.

If your dog does not have a valid rabies titer, the facility reservation must also cover the required quarantine. For a Nigerian student going to America, this creates an important planning issue.

Suppose your university is in Houston. You may not be able to make Houston your dog’s first U.S. entry point if the dog’s documentation requires the CDC registered animal care facility process at another airport.

You may therefore need:

• Lagos to approved U.S. entry airport
• Then CDC facility examination
• Then dog released according to CDC requirements
• Then domestic travel to Houston
• Plan the entire journey before buying the pet ticket.

Common Reasons CDC Denies Dogs from Nigeria, And How to Avoid

Most expensive mistakes are preventable.

Wrong age

Your dog must be at least 6 months old when entering the United States. Do not try to estimate the age. Use the dog’s actual veterinary records.

Missing microchip

The microchip must be detectable and correctly documented.

Wrong vaccination timing

Rabies vaccination and microchip records must meet CDC requirements.

Missing foreign rabies certification

A Nigerian vaccinated dog needs the appropriate Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form.

Missing government endorsement

The foreign rabies form must be endorsed by the appropriate official government veterinarian.

No rabies titer

If you arrive without the required valid titer, you may face the standard 28 day quarantine at the CDC facility.

Wrong airport

A foreign vaccinated dog from a high risk country must arrive at the airport where the reserved CDC registered animal care facility is located.

Incorrect CDC form information

If your dog’s microchip number, travel information or other important information does not match your supporting documents, problems can occur.

Unplanned transit

CDC says dog requirements can be affected by layovers and countries where the dog has been during the previous six months.

A dog that does not meet the requirements can be returned to the last country of departure at the owner’s expense.

For this reason, do not build your dog itinerary around the cheapest flight without checking the animal rules for every segment.

How Long Does CDC Approval Take for Nigeria?

There is an important distinction here. The CDC Dog Import Form is not normally something you should think of as an application waiting for a traditional visa-style approval.

You submit the form and receive a receipt. CDC recommends completing the form in advance of travel so that you have the receipt available.

Do not rely on the claim that every Nigerian dog must submit the form exactly 2 to 10 days before arrival. The current CDC guidance does not establish that as a universal deadline.

Instead, complete it early enough that you can check the receipt and correct mistakes before travelling. The bigger time issue for a Nigerian dog is the veterinary process. If your dog needs a rabies titer, you need to allow time for:

• Rabies vaccination
• Required waiting period
• Blood collection
• Laboratory testing
• Receipt of passing titer result
• Foreign rabies certification
• Government endorsement
• CDC facility reservation
• Airline booking
• Nigerian export procedures

That is why I would not advise a Nigerian family to begin this process one week before flying. Start months ahead where possible.

Also remember that the CDC Dog Importation Navigator can help you determine which requirements apply, but completing the Navigator does not itself satisfy the import requirements.

For Lagos travellers, also plan your Nigerian veterinary paperwork around Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the relevant Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service process.

Keep your dog’s original vaccination records, microchip information and laboratory results together. Do not give one document to your airline agent, another to the veterinarian and another to your family member without keeping copies.

Your master travel folder should contain:

• ☐ Owner passport copy
• ☐ Dog vaccination record
• ☐ Microchip record
• ☐ Rabies certificate
• ☐ Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip certification
• ☐ Government endorsement
• ☐ Rabies titer result
• ☐ CDC Dog Import Form receipt
• ☐ CDC facility reservation
• ☐ Airline booking
• ☐ Nigerian veterinary/export documents
• ☐ Dog health certificate
• ☐ Crate information
• ☐ Copies of everything stored digitally

One more point about screwworm is worth knowing. Screwworm requirements come under USDA animal health rules rather than simply being another CDC Dog Import Form requirement.

Whether a certificate or inspection is required depends on the applicable disease-status rules and the dog’s travel history.

Do not assume that every Nigerian dog automatically needs a five day screwworm certificate without checking the current USDA requirements and any transit countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The CDC Dog Import Form looks intimidating when you first hear about it, especially if you are sitting in Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt trying to move your dog to America.

But the form itself is not the hardest part. The real work is making sure your dog’s entire documentation chain agrees with itself.

The microchip number must match. The rabies record must match. The foreign rabies certification must be properly completed and endorsed.

The titer must come from an approved laboratory and meet the required standard. The CDC facility reservation must be made before arrival.

The arrival airport must be the correct airport for your dog’s pathway. And your CDC Dog Import Form must contain accurate information.

If you are travelling from Nigeria, do not leave this until the week before your flight. Give yourself enough time to correct mistakes, complete laboratory testing and secure the CDC registered animal care facility reservation.

Also remember the most important correction in the 2026 rules: the CDC Dog Import Form is not the same thing as a CDC Dog Import Permit.

A Nigerian dog vaccinated in Nigeria follows the foreign vaccinated, high risk country pathway, which has additional requirements beyond the free online form.

Once you understand that distinction, the process becomes much clearer. You can fill the online form yourself, keep your receipt, organize your veterinary documents and work with the appropriate Nigerian and U.S. authorities without paying someone simply to explain basic form fields to you.

Your dog’s journey to America should not be a guessing game. Start early, check every number twice and plan the U.S. arrival airport before you finalize the flight.