US export permit, microchip, rabies, residence-dependent testing and reception-centre clearance.
Pet identification
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Identify the pet with an ISO 11784/11785-compatible microchip before rabies vaccination. The veterinarian verifies the chip and its number must match every supporting vaccination and laboratory document.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Obtain the Veterinary Services import permit first; it is valid for six months from issue. The official veterinarian must see the permit for certificate endorsement.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Vaccinate from three months of age using a suitable inactivated vaccine after microchipping. Wait 35 days after the final dose of a primary course or a booster following a lapse; vaccination day is day zero. A timely booster follows the continuous-validity branch.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Category 1 requires three continuous months in the US or other listed Category 1 countries (the certificate also has a since-birth branch). Otherwise use Category 2: an approved-laboratory FAVN result ≥0.5 IU/ml, sampling at least 30 days after rabies vaccination, and the linked certificate’s 90-day wait after sampling. A failed result requires revaccination and retesting. Sea arrivals also use Category 2 and need separate transport planning.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Dogs over six months need a heartworm test within 30 days before leaving the US. ELISA antigen tests may be used; a positive result or prior treatment calls for the certificate/authority’s follow-up pathway. Cats are exempt. Confirm the exact six-month boundary with Veterinary Services, as the page and certificate express it differently.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Treat dogs against ticks and tapeworms within seven days before leaving the US; the tapeworm product must contain praziquantel. Record treatments on the certificate. This dog-specific requirement does not apply to cats.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Arrange examination and the export health certificate within seven days of travel, with official government endorsement. The certificate lasts ten days from endorsement (specific sea extension). Use the linked certificate, including its wound/screwworm attestations; review those declarations against the pet’s actual origin and transit history before signing.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Give Veterinary Services at least three working days’ notice with arrival details, owner/agent contact and customs-broker information. Working days are not ordinary calendar days.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
Dog / Cat · In the cabin / Accompanied hold baggage / Separate cargo service
Use a customs broker and arrange the airline pre-alert. Pets go directly to the Animal Reception Centre for veterinary/customs clearance; cabin pets are handed to handling agents on disembarkation. Customs treatment of live animals as cargo does not itself require flying as manifest cargo.
Selected official requirements for personal pet dogs/cats exported from the United States. These are entry conditions, not airline acceptance. Other origins, commercial movements, transit, unusual ages and permit-specific conditions need separate checks. Confirm all requirements with the issuing veterinarian and destination authority.
