Planning an International Move with Multiple Pets
Last reviewed and updated: October 29, 2026
TLDR: Dogs and cats entering the Philippines need a required ISO-compliant microchip, a full vaccine set including Canine Parainfluenza, and an SPSIC import permit applied for online before travel. The health certificate must be issued within 10 days of departure, and antiparasitic treatment is timed to the SPSIC application, not the flight date. There’s no quarantine for pets arriving with complete documentation. These are the current rules for permits approved on or before December 31, 2026. From January 1, 2027, permit applications also need a rabies titer test and Form 1, and several rules change. See 2027 Changes below.
The Philippines is one of the more manageable Southeast Asia destinations for pet relocation, but getting the sequence right matters: several requirements are timed against your SPSIC application date, not your travel date. Here’s exactly what your dog or cat needs.
Some requirements change for import permit (SPSIC) applications from January 1, 2027. Where a rule changes, each section below shows the rule for permits approved on or before December 31, 2026 and the rule for applications from January 1, 2027. Sections without a date label apply to both.
An ISO-compliant microchip is required, not optional. It’s a listed SPSIC document, and pets without the required ISO microchip identification can be refused entry and returned at the owner’s cost. The microchip number must appear consistently across every document.
If your pet’s microchip isn’t ISO 11784/11785 compliant, you’ll need to bring a compatible scanner, since a non-ISO chip alone isn’t sufficient.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Your pet must be at least 120 days (4 months) old at the time of the SPSIC application. The minimum age for the rabies vaccination is 84 days (12 weeks), and it must be given at least 14 days before the SPSIC application. If your pet was vaccinated earlier than that, a booster is needed first.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: Your pet must be at least 18 weeks old when the permit is applied for.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Every pet needs original rabies and vaccine certificates. Vaccines must be given at least 14 days before the SPSIC application.
Dogs need: Rabies, Canine Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, and Leptospirosis.
Cats need: Rabies and Feline Panleukopenia.
The certificate must include microchip details, pet details (breed, color, markings, date of birth, sex, age), date of inoculation and validity period, and for the rabies vaccine specifically, the serial/lot number, product, and manufacturer.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: Rabies is the only required vaccine. Other vaccines can still be given but are no longer required.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Internal parasite treatment (deworming) must be given at least 7 days before the SPSIC application. External parasite treatment is recommended but optional. This is timed against the SPSIC application date, not your pet’s departure date.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: Both internal and external parasite treatment are required, with no set timing window, as long as treatment stays valid from the permit application through arrival.
Your USDA-accredited veterinarian issues the official health certificate (APHIS Form 7001) within 10 calendar days before departure. It must state there have been no reported cases of rabies within a 20-kilometer radius of the pet owner’s home in the last six months.
The following documents must be sent to your local USDA office for endorsement:
Every pet entering the Philippines needs an SPSIC (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance) from the Bureau of Animal Industry, secured before travel. Apply online through the BAI’s Intercommerce system.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Personal pet owners apply as one-time importers. Up to 3 animals can be listed on a single permit, and the permit is valid for 60 days from the date of approval.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: Each permit covers one shipment and cannot be transferred. Applications must also include a completed Form 1, an individual photo of each pet and a rabies titer test result.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) published the detailed 2027 requirements in BAI Memorandum Circular No. 60 on October 26, 2026.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: the requirements on this page apply. No rabies titer test or Form 1 is needed, and your pet can travel within the permit’s 60-day validity. Permits cannot be extended.
BAI applies the new rules by approval date, so an application submitted in December but approved on or after January 1, 2027 must meet the 2027 requirements.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: every SPSIC application for a dog or cat must include:
Titer test timing: the blood sample must be drawn at least 30 days after your pet’s first rabies vaccination. If the vaccination is already valid, it can be drawn any time. A result below 0.5 IU/ml means revaccinating and retesting after 14 days. A passing result stays valid for life as long as rabies boosters are given on time. A booster given even one day late makes the result invalid.
On arrival: bring the signed Form 1 and a copy of the titer result, along with the approved SPSIC and the original health certificate.
Moving your pet to the Philippines in late 2026 or 2027? Contact us early so we can plan the timing.
Read BAI’s 2027 pet import guidance.
The consignee/consignor name and all vaccination details on the health certificate must match the SPSIC exactly. The microchip number must be consistent across every document, the health certificate, the SPSIC, and the vaccination records.
Permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Pregnant pets are refused at the time of SPSIC application. If your pet has already given birth, she and the litter can clear only if the birth occurred at least 12 weeks before travel, with a veterinarian certifying both the dam and litter are fit to travel.
Permit applications from January 1, 2027: Pregnant pets are still refused. BAI’s 2027 guidance sets the waiting period after giving birth at 18 weeks.
Fees are paid on arrival:
There’s no mandatory quarantine for pets arriving with complete, compliant documentation.
The Philippines’ process is predictable once you know the sequence, but several requirements are timed against your SPSIC application date rather than your travel date, which is where cases most often go off track. PetRelocation has coordinated Philippines moves for over 20 years and works directly with the Bureau of Animal Industry to keep every document aligned.
Complete Support covers full coordination of your pet’s vaccination schedule, SPSIC application, and health certificate endorsement. Vet Paperwork Support focuses on the health certificate and vaccination documentation while you manage the SPSIC application yourself. Consultation gives you direct access to a coordinator to confirm your pet’s timeline before you commit to travel dates.
Get a free quote from PetRelocation and a relocation manager will walk you through your options.
Yes. An ISO-compliant microchip is required, not optional, and is a listed SPSIC document. Pets without the required microchip identification can be refused entry and returned at the owner’s cost.
For permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: Rabies, Canine Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, and Leptospirosis, each given at least 14 days before the SPSIC application. From January 1, 2027, rabies is the only required vaccine, and a rabies titer test is also required.
For permits approved on or before December 31, 2026: deworming at least 7 days before your SPSIC application, not before your flight; external parasite treatment is recommended but optional. From January 1, 2027, both internal and external treatment are required, with no set window, as long as treatment stays valid from the permit application through arrival.
60 days from the date of approval, with no extensions. For permits approved on or before December 31, 2026, up to 3 animals can be listed on a single permit. From January 1, 2027, each permit covers one shipment and cannot be transferred.
No, provided your pet arrives with complete and compliant documentation.
Not for permits approved on or before December 31, 2026. From January 1, 2027, every import permit (SPSIC) application must include a rabies titer test result of at least 0.5 IU/ml and a completed Form 1. See the 2027 Changes section above for timing and lab details.