How do I bring my dog to Korea? What paperwork do I need?

Bringing a pet to Korea is doable but you need to start the paperwork at least 6 months before your move. Here is the timeline we recommend. 6 months out: Get the FAVN rabies titer test done. Your vet draws blood and sends it to an approved lab (Kansas State is the most common in the US). Results take 2-3 weeks. The test proves your pet has sufficient rabies antibodies. This is the most important step because Korea requires a 180-day waiting period AFTER you get the results before your pet can enter without quarantine. If you skip the FAVN test or your timing is off, your pet WILL be quarantined at Incheon for up to 180 days (around 20,000 KRW per day). 2 weeks out: Visit your USDA-accredited vet for a health certificate. They examine your pet and fill out the APHIS 7001 form. Then you send it to your regional USDA-APHIS office for endorsement. This costs about $38 for the USDA endorsement. 3 days out: Double-check that your airline has your pet reservation confirmed. Korean Air is very pet-friendly. Cabin is available for pets under 7kg with carrier. Larger animals go in cargo, which costs $200-400 depending on the route. Make sure your pet's microchip is ISO 11784/11785 compliant. Korea uses the same standard as Europe. If your pet has a US-style microchip, bring your own scanner or get it re-chipped. Total cost is typically around $800 including the FAVN test ($275), vet visits ($150), USDA endorsement ($38), airline pet fee ($250), and miscellaneous supplies. At Incheon: go directly to the Animal Quarantine Agency counter in the arrivals area. They check your paperwork and inspect your pet. It takes about 30 minutes. Have all documents printed and organized in a folder. They do not accept digital copies. Once settled in Korea: register your pet at your local gu office (district office). It is required by law for dogs. The registration costs about 10,000 KRW. Finding pet-friendly housing is challenging, as most Korean landlords do not allow pets, especially dogs over 10kg. Filter for pet-friendly listings on Zigbang or Dabang and expect to pay a slightly higher deposit. For finding a vet, search Naver Maps for animal hospitals near your apartment. Korean vets are excellent and much cheaper than the US, with a standard checkup running 30,000-50,000 KRW.