Pet import requirements for Afghanistan
What Afghanistan asks for before a dog or cat can enter — the microchip, the rabies work, the permit and the paperwork — and how far ahead you need to start. We handle all of it on a move we arrange.
Import rules change, and they change without notice. Last verified 2025-02-16 by the country-profile service Furry Freight uses; profile last updated 2026-03-10. Confirm every requirement with the authority named below, or with us on (424) 421-1650, before you book a flight or start any vet work. This profile has not been re-verified recently, so treat it as a starting point for the consultation rather than a checklist.
Afghanistan at a glance
| Requirement | For Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Microchip | Chip the animal before travel and print that microchip number on the vaccination record so identity matches every shot |
| Rabies | Dogs and cats must be vaccinated for RABIES within the last year or 12 months (if recently administered 30 days should lapse after the rabies vaccination date) |
| Rabies antibody test Not required | Not required |
| Import permit Not required | Not required for a personal pet |
| Quarantine | Quarantine is not applied on arrival when the import file is complete |
| Minimum age to travel | Minimum age of the dog/cat should be 3 months at the time of export and import into Afghanistan |
| Customs clearance | A customs broker is required |
| Agent at destination | Strongly advised |
Where this fits in the timeline. The order matters more than the effort: a rabies vaccination given before the microchip was implanted does not count in most regimes, and a titer test drawn too early restarts a waiting period. On a move we handle, we check your pet's existing dates against these rules on the free consultation before anything is booked.
The detail
Afghanistan, of ficially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Typical air gateways on file in clude KBL. A destination agent is strongly advised.
Import requirements
Minimum age of the dog/cat should be 3 months at the time of export and import into Afghanistan.
Dogs and cats should arrive in Afghanistan with listed documents:
- Pet up to date vaccination and microchip record.
- Health and fitness certificate by the competent authority of the exporting country.
- Airway bill.
- Pet owner copy of passport with complete address and contact number in Pakistan
- Pet in ternal and external parasites treatment proof.
If the owner arrives in Afghanistan with the animal, of ficials treat it as a personal pet relocation.
If the owner is not on the same itinerary into Afghanistan, of ficials treat the shipment as commercial.
Identification and microchip
Chip the animal before travel and print that microchip number on the vaccination record so identity matches every shot.
Rabies and vaccinations
Dogs and cats must be vaccinated for RABIES within the last year or 12 months (if recently administered 30 days should lapse after the rabies vaccination date).
Vaccination records should show the microchip number and every shot date. The vaccinations required are listed below:
Dogs:
Rabies - Primary vaccination must be given between 30 days - 12 months from the date of departure.
Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, & Canine parvo virus given between 21 days - 12 months before the date of departure
Cats:
Rabies - Primary vaccination must be given between 30 days - 12 months from the date of departure.
Vaccination against Feline Rhinotracheitis, Panleukopenia, and Calici is between 21 days - 12 months before the date of departure.
Tests and treatments
A rabies titer test is not required to enter Afghanistan from any country.
Have a veterinarian give in ternal and external parasite treatments 10 days before entry and must be on health certificate.
Health certificate and permits
The exporting country must issue a health certificate, confirming vaccinations, and should be in English. There is no specific format required for the health certificate, but the health certificate must be issued or endorsed by the competent authority of the exporting country within 10 days.
An import permit is not needed when entering Afghanistan with a personal pet.
Quarantine
Quarantine is not applied on arrival when the import file is complete
Restrictions and banned breeds
Afghan hound dogs are not allowed to export.
Customs, agents, and airports
A customs broker is required
A destination agent is strongly advised
Best Airport: Kabul is the main airport and the IATA code for the Kabul airport is KBL.Another possible way of import and export is Torkham border between the Pakistani city of Torkham and Afghanistan.
Airports listed on this destination file: KBL.
Export notes
- Up to date pet vaccination record.
- Health certificate
Other pets / CITES / extra rules
All CITES animals/birds need an import permit beside the CITES import document.
Official contacts
*Ministry of Agriculture*, Irrigation and Livestock
Karti Sakhi Avenue, Jamal Mena, 3rd District,
Kabul, Afghanistan
Tel: +93 20 292-2460 / 0705489223
E-mail: media@mail.gov.af
Email: ajbar_rostami10@yahoo.com
Email: info@mail.gov.af
and the Website: https://mail.gov.af/en
Current as January 2024
Disclaimer
Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2025-02-16.
Next: measure your dog, find the kennel size, then get a free travel quote. Moving on military orders? PCS moves. Going to Hawaiʻi instead? Hawaiʻi has its own regime.
Other destinations: Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · all destinations
Official sources for Afghanistan
- Website mail.gov.af
Questions about moving a pet to Afghanistan
Does my dog or cat need a microchip for Afghanistan?
Chip the animal before travel and print that microchip number on the vaccination record so identity matches every shot
From the country profile, last verified 2025-02-16.
What rabies vaccination does Afghanistan require?
Dogs and cats must be vaccinated for RABIES within the last year or 12 months (if recently administered 30 days should lapse after the rabies vaccination date)
Is a rabies antibody (titer) test needed for Afghanistan?
Not required
A titer test is the single most common reason a move takes months rather than weeks, because the waiting period runs from the blood draw.
Do I need an import permit to bring a pet into Afghanistan?
Not required for a personal pet
Will my pet be quarantined on arrival in Afghanistan?
Quarantine is not applied on arrival when the import file is complete