Two dogs resting on the grass beside their owners after an international move

What's the Pet Relocation Process Step-by-Step?

One move, nine steps, one strict order. The end-to-end relocation process to Taiwan from first chip scan to the handover at your Taipei door — and where each step tends to go wrong.

Published · 7 min read

One move, nine steps, one strict order

A pet relocation to Taiwan can feel like a wall of requirements, but it's really a single sequence — and the sequence is the whole point. Steps done out of order often don't count. This is the complete process end to end, from the first chip scan to the handover at your Taipei door, with a note on where each step tends to go wrong.

The end-to-end process

  1. ISO microchip

    • A 15-digit ISO 11784/11785 chip, implanted and scanned first. Everything references it. Why it comes first.
  2. Rabies vaccination

  3. FAVN titer blood draw

    • 2–4 weeks after the vaccine, to an approved lab, ≥ 0.5 IU/mL. This sets your dates. Full mechanics.
  4. The waiting period

    • At least 90 days after the draw to enter; 180 days–1 year to qualify for a quarantine waiver.
  5. APHIA import permit

    • Filed online ≥ 20 days before travel; no fee. Details must match the chip record exactly.
  6. Book the flight as a live-animal shipment

    • Confirmed hold space and the right airline — not just a note on a ticket.
  7. Endorsed health certificate

  8. Travel day

  9. Arrival, clearance and delivery

    • APHIA inspection at Taoyuan, release or short quarantine, then home to settle in.

Which steps apply to you

From a rabies-origin country (US mainland, most of Europe), all nine steps apply. From a designated rabies-free area, steps 3 and 4 — the titer and its waiting period — fall away, which is why those moves are so much faster (see how long it takes).

The one rule that ties it together

Build the calendar backwards from your arrival date. Every failed move failed on timing, not effort — a titer drawn a week too late or a permit filed a day too close resets everything. The six-month countdown turns this list into dates, and 7 mistakes to avoid shows where it breaks. Want it run for you, start to finish? Get a quote and one team owns all nine steps.

Want this handled for you?

Everything in this article is work 886JetPet does daily on the Taiwan corridor — the paperwork, the calendar, the airline, the arrival. One quote, one team, door to door.

— The 886JetPet team, Taipei