Schedule II · United States of America
Pet relocation from the USA to Singapore
The United States is Schedule II. Expect a rabies blood test and two fixed waits, but no quarantine at the AQC when your pet arrives.
The whole country sits on the AVS Schedule II list, so the route is the same from any state: microchip, rabies vaccination, a 28-day wait, the blood draw, then 90 days before export. Where US moves differ is the domestic leg — pets often connect through a hub before the long-haul flight, and that connection has to be planned for heat, layover length and airline acceptance, not just price.
The blood test must be run at a WOAH rabies reference laboratory or a laboratory approved by a Schedule I or II country's authority. The US has well-established options, but turnaround times vary, so we build a buffer between the draw and the date you rely on.
Your health certificate must be on the AVS template and endorsed by the government veterinary authority — for the US, that means USDA APHIS endorsement. Booking that endorsement late is the most common cause of a missed flight on this route.
Your dates and costs
Every deadline between today and arrival.
Schedule
II
Blood test, no quarantine
Earliest landing
5 Mar 2027
If the microchip goes in today
Typical total
S$2,315–7,290
Approximate — our fee plus costs at cost
United States of America is a Schedule II country.
Controlled risk. Rabies vaccination plus a blood test, with fixed waiting periods, but no quarantine at the AQC on arrival.
Starting today, the earliest flight lands 5 Mar 2027
That's about 4 months of preparation. Dates assume nothing goes wrong — a failed blood test restarts the middle section.
What these dates assume›
- The microchip goes in today and the rabies vaccination the next day.
- Blood is drawn on the first day AVS allows it — 28 days after vaccination — and the result passes first time at 0.5 IU/ml or above.
- Export happens on the first day after the 90-day wait, with the result still inside its 12-month validity.
- Your pet has lived in the exporting country for the previous six months, or since birth.
- Cargo space is available on the date we want, and the arrival is not a Sunday or public holiday.
- 6 Nov 2026You
Microchip
An ISO microchip is implanted and the number recorded. Every later document must show this number.
- 7 Nov 2026You
Rabies vaccination + core vaccinations
Rabies is given after the microchip, along with feline calicivirus, herpesvirus-1 and panleukopenia.
Starts the 28-day wait before blood can be drawn
- 5 Dec 2026You
Rabies blood test (serology)
Blood is drawn at least 28 days after the vaccination and sent to an approved lab. It must read 0.5 IU/ml or more.
Starts the 90-day wait — and the result is only valid for 12 months
- 19 Dec 2026You
Lab result expected
Typical turnaround. A failed test means re-vaccinating and starting this stage again.
- 29 Jan 2027We
Import licence & flight
We apply for the AVS import licence, book cargo space and source an IATA-approved crate.
- 28 Feb 2027You
Vet visit & parasite treatment
The government-endorsed health certificate is issued, with flea/tick and worm treatment 2–7 days before travel.
Treatments must fall 2–7 days before export
- 5 Mar 2027We
Earliest arrival in Singapore
We clear your pet at CAPQ and deliver to your door the same day.
What it typically costs (approximate)
Our fee is for handling. Everything else is a third-party cost we pass through at cost, itemised, with no markup.
| Line item | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Our handling fee | S$650 – S$2,800 | CAPQ clearance only, up to a fully managed move |
| Air cargo | S$900 – S$2,600 | Depends on crate size, airline and route |
| IATA-approved crate | S$180 – S$450 | By weight class |
| Origin vet & paperwork | S$400 – S$900 | Varies by country |
| Rabies blood test | S$120 – S$350 | Approved laboratory, varies by country |
| AVS import licence | S$50 – S$100 | S$50 standard, S$100 express |
| Cat or dog licence (PALS) | S$15 – S$90 | Sterilised to unsterilised, per year |
| Estimated total | S$2,315 – S$7,290 | Before 9% GST on declared value |
All prices are approximate and for guidance only, not a quote. Third-party costs — air cargo, crates, vet work — move with the market, and AVS fees and requirements change from time to time (AQC daily rates rise again on 1 December 2026). We confirm every figure against the current AVS guidelines before you commit to anything.
Want this checked against your actual dates?
Send us your cat's vaccination records and we'll confirm the schedule, every deadline and a firm quote — at no charge.
Estimates follow the AVS Pet Agents Handbook (28 Oct 2025) and are a guide, not a quote. Full rules are on our import rules page.
Questions
United States of America, answered.
Does a pet from the USA need quarantine in Singapore?
No. The USA is a Schedule II country, so no AQC quarantine applies when the rabies vaccination, serology and documentation requirements are met.
How far ahead should I start a move from the USA?
Six months is comfortable. The hard floor is about four: 28 days from vaccination to blood draw, then 90 days from sampling to export.
Who endorses the health certificate for a US export?
The exporting country's government veterinary authority must endorse the AVS-template certificate, which in the US is USDA APHIS. Appointments should be arranged well before the travel week.
Start the conversation
Tell us where your pet is — we'll map the route home.
Every import is a little different. Send us the origin country and your timeline, and we'll come back with a clear plan and an honest quote.