How do you bring pets to Russia in 2026?

Start with a readable microchip and a rabies vaccination recorded against that chip. Vaccination timing windows are strict: too soon after a first shot, or outside the validity period, can stop boarding or entry. Obtain an international veterinary health certificate (or an accepted government pet passport format) from a licensed vet in the departure country, then get the government veterinary endorsement your origin country requires. Endorsement and certificate validity are often measured in a few days before departure, not weeks. Confirm the live window with Rosselkhoznadzor and your origin authority rather than copying a forum date.

Personal non-commercial imports of a small number of dogs or cats often follow a lighter permit path than commercial shipments, but headcount thresholds and temporary disease restrictions change. Use the official FSVPS guidance and online enquiry form when your route or animal count is unusual. Keep originals in hand luggage, not in checked bags.

Arrival checks at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, or Pulkovo can send you to the airport veterinary control point before or during customs clearance. Officers may stamp or re-issue accompanying veterinary paperwork. Incomplete rabies records or missing endorsements are common failure points.

Airline approval is not border approval. Breed bans, crate sizes, and seasonal embargos belong to the carrier contract. Book only after both the airline pet desk and FSVPS-aligned paperwork look current.

Housing is the next friction. Many Moscow and Saint Petersburg leases restrict dogs; read How to rent a home and Rent in Russia before you fly a large breed into a no-pet building. Once you settle, daily life tips sit in Dog-friendly Russia. Pet arrival is a parallel track in Paperwork after moving, not a substitute for migration registration or residence filings.

If you also ship furniture, keep animal and household-goods customs stories separate: Import household goods. Expect Russian-language forms at veterinary desks; Bureaucracy without Russian applies here too.

Do not invent quarantine lengths, cash inspection fees, or fixed headcount cut-offs as evergreen facts. Confirm current FSVPS and customs requirements for your origin country and species shortly before travel.