Bringing a dog or cat to Philippines
Currently straightforward: get an SPS Import Clearance (SPSIC) online before travel and vaccinate at least 14 days before applying. There is no titer and no routine quarantine. A rabies antibody test (RNATT) becomes mandatory for all applications from 1 January 2027, and each owner may import at most 3 animals a year.
Which rules apply to you
Philippines sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All countries (applications from 1 Jan 2027)Every SPSIC application submitted on or after 1 January 2027. | Yes | — | Yes | Only if rules not met |
| All countries (applications before 1 Jan 2027)Same rules for every origin country. | No | — | Yes | Only if rules not met |
Step by step
Plan the titer test early
From 1 Jan 2027 the SPSIC application needs a rabies titer (RNATT) result. Check BAI's updated guidelines for the threshold, lab and timing before booking.
Follow all other steps
Microchip, vaccinations, deworming, SPSIC and health certificate are as for current rules unless BAI's 2027 guidelines say otherwise.
This is the rule for import clearances applied for from 1 January 2027. Clearances applied for before then do not need a titer test.
Not specified in the 2027 notice found
Microchip the pet
Use an ISO-compliant chip; its number goes on the SPSIC application. A pet with no microchip is sent back.
Vaccinate and deworm
Rabies at 12 weeks or older, at least 14 days before applying. Dogs also need distemper, hepatitis, lepto, parainfluenza and parvo; cats need panleukopenia. Deworm at least 7 days before applying.
Apply for SPSIC
Register as a one-time importer on the DA/BAI trade system (intercommerce.com.ph) or apply by email to BAI. Allow about 11 working days. The clearance is valid for 60 days and must list each animal.
Get the health certificate
Get an international veterinary health certificate endorsed by the origin's government veterinary authority (e.g. USDA APHIS). It must state the pet is free of dangerous communicable diseases, and the number of animals must match the SPSIC.
Clear on arrival
Present the SPSIC, health and vaccination certificates to Veterinary Quarantine at the airport. Pay the import permit and landing/inspection fees (about PHP 100 + 250).
No routine quarantine; a Veterinary Quarantine officer inspects documents and the animal on arrival. Animals without an ISO microchip are refused and returned at the importer's cost.
Good to know
- Cats
- Rabies plus feline panleukopenia; otherwise the same as dogs.
- How many pets
- Max 3 dogs/cats per year per importer (non-commercial). Importing more than once a year is allowed only for the same animals (same microchips).
- Parasite treatment
- Internal deworming at least 7 days before applying for SPSIC. External parasite treatment is recommended.
- Arrival
- Any international port of entry with a BAI Veterinary Quarantine Station. A layover under 24h on the same airline, with the pet kept in cargo, needs no new permit; changing airline does.
- Pets must be at least 4 months old when the SPSIC is applied for. Pregnant animals are not accepted, and females must have given birth at least 12 weeks before travel.
- A pet staying 1+ year in the Philippines needs a local rabies booster and then yearly vaccination.
- BAI says new documentary and health requirements take effect 1 Jan 2027; re-check before publishing.
What we could not confirm
- The details of the 2027 RNATT requirement (threshold, timing, approved labs, any waiting period) were not found. BAI's page only says it is 'required for all SPSIC applications starting January 1, 2027'.
- The health certificate window of 30 days before arrival comes from a 2022 consulate page; the BAI pages found do not state one.
- Rabies vaccine maximum age: the BAI FAQ says no more than 1 year before travel, while the BAI pet import page says a 3-year foreign vaccine is honoured.
- No banned breed list was found on BAI sources.
- Quarantine for non-compliant animals (other than refusal for a missing microchip) is not described.
Sources
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Department of Agriculture – National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division before booking.