Pet Shipping from the USA to Belgium

Belgium, as an EU member state, does not require quarantine for pets arriving from the United States, as long as every step is completed correctly and on time. Pets are checked on arrival against their paperwork and microchip, and if something does not match, entry can be delayed. Most delays trace back to a few avoidable things: microchip details that do not line up across documents, a rabies vaccination given before the microchip or without enough wait time, an EU health certificate endorsed too early or too late for the travel date, or routing that does not align with the planned entry. The preparation sequence is what keeps the trip smooth.

Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether airline policies affect travel. Most moves are dogs and cats, though we handle other pets too, and the requirements can differ by species. Eligibility can come down to your pet’s type and health, airline rules for certain breeds or conditions, the documentation and timing, and which routes are available. Ready to start? Request a quote.

We align the vet steps and paperwork with what the European Union asks for when a pet arrives from the United States. Your pet will need an ISO microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, a valid rabies vaccination with at least a 21 day wait before travel, and an EU non-commercial health certificate endorsed by USDA and used within 10 days of endorsement. Because the United States is a listed country, no rabies blood titer test is needed. Before travel we double-check that microchip numbers, dates, names, and signatures all match across the paperwork.

Timing is what we plan around, since each step has to happen in the right order. An EU move is usually quicker than Australia or Japan, but the rabies wait and the certificate window still set the pace. A typical timeline runs like this: a consultation and a check of what applies to your pet, then the microchip, then the rabies vaccination and its 21 day wait, then booking the route and getting the crate ready, then the EU health certificate timed so you arrive within 10 days of USDA endorsement, and finally a document review before travel and arrival.

For a line by line breakdown of what this move costs, from freight to the USDA endorsement fee, see our USA to Belgium pet shipping cost page.

Most pet shipping pages still cite Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 and its companion 577/2013. Both are long out of force. Recital 1 of the delegated regulation now in force records that 576/2013 “was repealed by Article 270(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as from 21 April 2021”, so a page still citing it is at least five years behind. The framework in force is Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, with the country lists in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 and the document models in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705, both applying from 22 April 2026.

Two consequences matter to a move booked now. The animal health certificate model is now Part 1 of Annex III to 2026/705, and a certificate on the older Annex IV model counts as compliant only if it was issued before 1 October 2026, and then only for a transitional period ending 31 March 2027. And once your pet has been checked at the point of entry, the same certificate covers onward movement inside the EU for six months rather than the four months most sources still state.

None of this changes what Belgium asks of your pet. It changes which form your accredited veterinarian completes and which form the APHIS endorsement office will accept, so we confirm the version in force before the vet appointment is booked. The United States remains listed in Annex II to 2026/636, so no rabies titer test is required.