Pets and International Travel - United States Department of State (2024)

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For information on how to bring your pet into the United States, please visit OBC’sReturning to the United States with PetsandUSDA-APHIS Bring your pet into the United States from a foreign country (Import)webpages.

Shipping a Pet Overseas from the United States

The Overseas Briefing Center provides country-specific pet information for the foreign affairs community assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.We encourage pet owners to review carefully their travel plans for upcoming international moves.

Whether moving overseas or returning to the United States on official U.S. government orders, pet owners need to determine an airline carrier’s pet policies on live animals as excess baggage, cargo, and in-cabin before booking your pet.Pet owners also need to determine which carrier has the contract for their travel route and what the expenses will be.

International Pet Travel on American Carriers

The information below pertains to cats and dogs.Airline policies regarding other pets may vary. Contact the airlines directly for additional information. The travel policies of U.S. airlines with regard to shipping animals are subject to change at any time. If your pet must be shipped as cargo using a commercial shipper, ontact one early in the moving process, usingIPATA. The information below provides only general guidelines. Review all considerations with the airline and, if necessary, the pet shipper you plan to use. OBC recommends that you request written confirmation of reservations you make for the shipment of your pet.

There arethree ways you can ship your petvia the airlines:

1. Your pet can travel on the plane with you(either in-cabin, as accompanied baggage, or as cargo).Yourpet will be charged accordingly. Some airlines no longer offer this option and some countries do not allow pets to enter the country in-cabin.
2. You can book your pet on a separate flight. You will be charged the cargo rate, which is considerably more than excess baggage.However, most airlines no longer allow pet owners to book their pets directly with the airline as cargo.
3. You can have your pet shipped through a licensed commercial shipper.You will be charged the cargo rate plus the pet shipper’s fee. Many airlines now require this method unless your pet is small enough to fit in the cabin.

As a rule, animals 100 lbs. or larger (includingthe weight of the cage) will be charged as cargo even if they travel on the same plane as you. Check with the airline if your pet is close to that weight and to determine if the airline policy may vary from this general 100 lb. rule.

Traveling with a Service Animal

Check the following updated website as of Dec. 2, 2020:U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals.The rule indicates only trained service animals that assist owners with either physical or psychiatric disabilities will be allowed to travel in the cabin free of charge. Emotional support animals will no longer receive the same entitlement. Please check out theDOT formfor more details.Airlines may also require additional forms.

The following websites may have additional helpful information:Service Dog Registration of America (SDRA)|VetDogs.org

Worldwide Import and Quarantine Restrictions

For U.S. government employees and family members ONLY

• Visit or e-mail theOverseas Briefing Center(OBC)to inquire about pet entry requirements for your post assignment.
• Notify the post once you have your assignment that you will be bringing pet(s) and what kind.

For the general public traveling outside the United States with pets

• Review theInternational Animal Export Regulations, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).
• Check the requirements to see how close to departure the required veterinarian examination, inoculations, and tests must be scheduled.
• Call theappropriate embassyin Washington, DC to confirm the entry requirements for the country you are moving to. Some embassies will provide forms printed in English and in the host language for your veterinarian to complete. Some countries do not permit importation or have long quarantine requirements.
• Arrange with your veterinarian for required shots and certificates within the specified time period.

U.S. Airline Pet Policies

Typically, airlines require pet health certificates that are no older than 10 days, even if the receiving country accepts an older one. Some countries, however, require a health certificate to be even less than 10 days. Check directly with the airline. U.S. government employees or family members may contact theOverseas Briefing Centerfor information on airline restrictions.

• American Airlines
• Delta
• United Airlines (for in-cabin pets, check the following United Airlines (for in-cabin pets, check the following United Airlineswebpage)webpage)

The ISO Microchip

If assigned to an EU or non-EU country that requires an ISO microchip, determine if your veterinary clinic carries ISO-compliant microchips known as ISO microchip standards 11784 and 11785. EU transponders do NOT read non-ISO microchips. Microchips should always be implanted prior to administering the required rabies booster. The requirement for ISO microchips is becoming more prevalent worldwide.

If your veterinary clinic does not carry ISO microchips, you may purchase one from thePet Travel Storeand bring it to your vet for insertion. Check with your local pet store or any online retailer that offers specificallyISO standard 11784 and 11785-compliant microchips.

Certification Requirements

Pet owners should first visit theU.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS)website to review country requirements for pet arrival.Pet certification requirements vary from country to country. A few countries simply require the veterinarian who examines your pet to be licensed in the state of origin, and no USDA endorsem*nt of the veterinarian’s examination statement is required. However, most countries require that your pet be checked by a federally-accredited veterinarian and that a United States Interstate and International Certificate for Health Examination for Small Animals (7001 USDA-APHIS Form) be issued by that veterinarianandendorsed by the USDA.Check the airlineyou will be using for your pet. There have been cases where a country does not require a certification, but a particular airline does. There is a USDA endorsem*nt fee per certificate for cats and dogs.

NOTE:More than one dog or cat may be on a certificate. For other types of pets, check the USDA site below or emailCustomerServiceCallCenter@aphis.usda.gov.

The timetable for examination statementsandcertifications can be very tight.Plan well in advance to be sure all paperwork is complete in time for your shipping date.

As of April 29, 2020: Endorsem*nt of pet health forms is now a 100%electronicthrough theVeterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS).

How does the process work?First, for your assigned country, check theU.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS)site and look for a colored banner at the top of each country page. Banners will either be green or orangewith explanations for how documents are processed (either fully digital or digitally endorsed with hard copy processes).

Note: A hard copy of the APHIS-endorsed veterinary export health certificate must travel with the animal during the export process.

Authentication of the USDA Certificate

Authentication of the USDA certificate formsmay be required by the country to which you will be traveling with your pet. Check with the embassy before arrival.

The certificates are authenticated by theDepartment of State’s Office of Authentications
600 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: 202-485-8000 or 1-800-333-4636 and then press 5
Fax: (202) 663-3636

Note: The office suspended in-person counter service during the COVID-19 pandemic and is only offering mail-in service at this time. You shouldexpect delaysprocessing your request for authentication services. It may take 2-3 months to process your request from the date it was received. Please consider waiting to mail your request until normal operations are resumed.

You may view more information about form requirements on theUSDA-APHISwebsite at and whether forms need to be authenticated. The most common form that will need authentication is7001 USDA-APHIS Form(Certification of Health for Small Animals).

European Union Pet Regulations

• For a detailed explanation of the European Union (EU) Pet Regulations, check theEuropean Commission website for pet entry into a EU country.
• For the United Kingdom, check theUK’s Bring Your Pet to the UK: Step by Stepwebsite.
• If your pet is shipped as cargoover five days after your arrival in the EU, a commercialEU Pet Animal Health Certificate Formwill be required. Theform must be signed by your private veterinarian and endorsed by a USDA-APHIS veterinarianwithin 48 hours prior to the pet’s arrival in the EU. This form is attached to the pet’s paperwork during travel.If your pet is only transiting the EU, this regulation will not apply.
• Rabies Titer Tests –A rabies titer blood test (rabies antibody titration test) may be required for entry into certain EU countries(depending on the country from which the pet originates).Those shipping a pet to the EU from outside the United States can expect to have to pay for the cost of the blood test in addition to the shipment cost.Check the European Union website for a list of “rabies controlled” countries from which the rabies titer test is not required.

Emergency Planning for Your Pet

Pet owners should also consider the possibility of emergency situations while overseas that could require rapid departure or shipping of a pet.Take time to think about the resources your pet(s) might need and consider options for sheltering them in-country as well as making plans for departure on short notice.The Overseas Briefing Center offers U.S. government foreign affairs personnel helpful information in the case of evacuation from an embassy or consulate.Email the OBC.

Returning Your Pet to the United States

Please visit OBC Returning to the United States with Pets and USDA-APHIS Bring your pet into the United States from a foreign country (Import) webpages.

Helpful Links

• Plane Talk: Traveling with Animals and Pet Tipsfrom the Department of Transportation

Note: Information provided on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsem*nt. The U.S. government can provide no guarantees and accepts no responsibility thereof for any action taken on the visitor’s part based on the information provided.