Moving to Palau with a dog is one of the stricter routes I've helped people through, and the quarantine requirement is what catches most families off guard. Cooper and I have learned that the paperwork here rewards early starters. Here's what I wish someone had told me: treat every deadline as fixed, work backwards from your flight date, and give yourself a comfortable buffer. It is absolutely doable when you start early.

Bringing a pet to Palau requires three documents in the right order: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the destination's wait window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. The table below lays out exactly what's required, what's not, and where each rule comes from.

How Palau handles your pet

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Hover the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

Other rules

Pets accepted Accepted“An import permit is required.”

Timing chain

Day -30 rabies vaccine deadline · Day 0 arrive at customs

Palau requires an inactivated rabies vaccine for dogs older than three months. That vaccine must be given at least 30 days before departure, and no more than 12 months before departure. Book the vaccination appointment first. Mark the date on a calendar and count forward 30 days to find the earliest departure the timing allows. Confirm the dose falls inside the 12-month window.
Palau requires dogs to be under official veterinary supervision and isolation for 28 days before departure. During those 28 days the dog must show no clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease. Arrange supervised isolation with a licensed veterinarian far ahead of the flight. Schedule the isolation start so the full 28-day period ends on the departure date. Keep the supervision records.

Frequently asked

How long before travel must the rabies vaccine be given for Palau?
The rabies vaccine must take effect at least 30 days before entry. Travelling before that window makes the vaccination invalid at the border.
What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.
What happens if I forget a document?
At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.
The 28-day supervised isolation period before departure carries real cost. Boarding, veterinary oversight, and daily monitoring across 28 days add up. Request a written quote from the supervising veterinarian covering the full 28 days. Budget for the entire isolation window, not a single visit. Confirm whether the daily rate includes veterinary checks or bills them separately, then set the money aside early.
Palau asks a lot up front, but families do this successfully every year, and so can you. Cooper reminds me that the calm dogs are the ones whose humans planned ahead. Build your dates around the vaccination and isolation windows, then let Pawgo's plan-builder turn your specific flight and paperwork into a personalized plan. It's the friend-who's-done-it checklist I wish I'd had on our first move.
Get YOUR personalized plan for Palau →

Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.