Pets Travelling Overseas: Official U.S. Forms and Requirements

Pets travelling overseas from the United States means taking a privately owned companion animal across an international border under rules set by the destination country—not under a single U.S. government “pet passport.” The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) issues USDA-endorsed health certificates for export, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) controls dog re-entry. As of August 2026, most owners start planning months ahead with a USDA-accredited veterinarian.

This guide covers the official U.S. forms, fees, and timelines for dogs, cats, and other APHIS-defined pets leaving the country—and what you need if you plan to return. It also explains how EU pet passports differ from U.S. paperwork, and how Animal Passport biometric livestock ID fits a separate use case entirely.

What Counts as a Pet for U.S. Export Rules?

USDA APHIS defines a pet as a privately owned companion animal not intended for research or resale. As of March 2026, qualifying species include dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, hedgehogs/tenrecs, reptiles, amphibians, and certain birds, according to APHIS pet travel guidance. Animals classified as livestock or poultry—such as pigs or chickens—or birds regulated as poultry (ducks, pigeons, turkeys, and similar species) follow different export regulations.

If your species is not listed on the APHIS destination-country pages, the destination government may still impose import rules. APHIS states that missing listings do not mean no requirements exist; owners should contact the destination country’s embassy, consulate, or ministry of agriculture and obtain written guidance in English.

U.S. Pet Travel Documents vs. EU Pet Passports

Search results often mix up three different concepts. Here is how they differ:

APHIS states explicitly: “Because pet entry requirements vary by country, the United States does not issue pet passports for international travel.” Instead, health certificates confirm the pet meets each destination’s unique requirements. The European Commission requires an EU pet passport—issued by an authorised veterinarian—for dogs, cats, and ferrets moving non-commercially between EU countries under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131. U.S. residents travelling to the EU with pets typically need a USDA-endorsed health certificate, not an EU passport.

Step-by-Step: Taking a Pet Overseas from the United States

APHIS outlines a repeatable process. As of June 2026, the agency recommends treating these as sequential steps rather than last-minute tasks.

Step 1: Contact a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian Immediately

As soon as you decide to travel, contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian. These veterinarians complete National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) training and can issue export health certificates that USDA endorses when required. Your veterinarian will need your pet species, destination country, any transit countries, departure date, and whether the pet travels in cabin, as cargo, or unaccompanied.

Step 2: Look Up Destination Country Requirements

Every destination sets its own entry rules, which can change without notice. APHIS publishes country-specific pages covering microchips, rabies vaccinations, blood tests, parasite treatments, and import permits. The process can take a few weeks to many months depending on the country, according to APHIS frequently asked questions updated January 2026.

Step 3: Complete Vaccinations, Tests, and Treatments on Schedule

Your veterinarian cannot issue the health certificate until your pet meets all destination requirements. Common prerequisites include ISO-compliant microchips, rabies vaccination after microchip implantation, rabies antibody titers for some countries, and tapeworm treatment before entry to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway, or Northern Ireland under EU rules cited by the European Commission.

Step 4: Obtain and Endorse the Health Certificate

If the destination requires USDA endorsement, your accredited veterinarian completes, signs, and dates the certificate—usually through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). APHIS reviews and counter-signs with an embossed stamp. Original signed or endorsed paperwork must travel with the pet; APHIS warns that electronic-only copies are not accepted by destination officials.

There is no universal U.S. form. If a country-specific certificate exists on APHIS pet travel pages, that is the only certificate APHIS can endorse for that destination, per APHIS accredited-veterinarian guidance updated July 2025. APHIS Form 7001 (Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals) may be used when no country-specific form exists or when an airline requires it, but APHIS typically cannot endorse Form 7001 if a country-specific certificate is available.

Step 5: Confirm Airline and Transit Requirements

Airlines may impose carrier dimensions, seasonal embargoes, breed restrictions, and separate health paperwork. APHIS notes that airlines sometimes require documentation beyond what the destination country mandates. Always verify directly with the carrier before booking.

Step 6: Plan for Return to the United States

Export paperwork does not automatically cover re-entry. Before departure, review both APHIS import guidance and CDC dog import rules—especially if you travel with a dog.

Key USDA and CDC Forms for Pets Travelling Overseas

As of August 2026, these are the primary U.S. government forms owners encounter:

1. Country-specific export health certificate — Issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and USDA-endorsed when the destination requires it. Submitted through VEHCS or shipped to a USDA Endorsement Office.
2. APHIS Form 7001 — A generic health examination certificate used when no country-specific form applies or when airlines request it. Not a substitute for a country-specific export certificate when one exists.
3. CDC Dog Import Form — Required for every dog entering or returning to the U.S., completed online at no cost. Each dog needs its own form. The receipt is valid for six months for repeat entry from the same low-risk country, per CDC guidance updated July 2024.
4. Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination — Required before departure for U.S.-vaccinated dogs that will visit or return from a CDC high-risk rabies country within six months. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete and submit it through VEHCS before the dog leaves the United States; CDC states it cannot be issued retroactively.
5. Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip — Completed by foreign veterinarians for foreign-vaccinated dogs entering the U.S. from high-risk countries, with additional CDC-registered animal care facility requirements in many cases.

CDC Dog Re-Entry Rules After Overseas Travel

CDC is the primary federal authority for dog imports, including U.S.-origin dogs returning from abroad, according to APHIS export guidance updated August 2026. Rules depend on where the dog has been in the prior six months.

Dogs From Rabies-Free or Low-Risk Countries Only

Starting August 1, 2024, CDC simplified entry for dogs that have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries for six months. The only required document is the CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Dogs must also be at least six months old, microchipped with a universal-scanner-readable chip, and appear healthy on arrival, per CDC entry requirements published July 2024.

Dogs That Visit High-Risk Rabies Countries

U.S.-vaccinated dogs travelling to high-risk countries need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form endorsed by USDA before departure. For a first rabies vaccination, CDC requires the form be completed at least 28 days after vaccination. Booster vaccines are valid immediately if coverage has not lapsed.

CDC accepted USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued by July 31, 2025 as an alternative for re-entry, but certificates issued after that date are not accepted for CDC import purposes as of April 2026 CDC FAQs. Owners departing after July 31, 2025 must obtain the dedicated rabies certification form before leaving.

Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries face stricter rules: they must enter through airports with CDC-registered animal care facilities, may require rabies serology titers of at least 0.5 IU/mL from CDC-approved laboratories, and can face 28-day quarantine without a valid titer, according to CDC veterinarian guidance updated April 2026.

USDA Endorsement Fees and Timelines

USDA charges federal endorsement fees separate from your veterinarian’s exam charges. As of June 2026, APHIS fees are:

• $101 per certificate when no laboratory tests are required
• $160 for one pet with 1–2 required tests; plus $10 for each additional pet on the same certificate
• $206 for one pet with 3–6 tests; plus $18 per additional pet
• $275 for one pet with seven or more tests; plus $21 per additional pet

APHIS does not charge endorsement fees for ADA-defined service dogs but does charge for emotional support animals. User fees were adjusted effective January 10, 2025, after APHIS had not updated veterinary service fees since 2012, according to an APHIS agency announcement.

Allow extra time for VEHCS submission or overnight shipping to a USDA Endorsement Office. Incomplete submissions delay endorsement until corrected.

How Animal Passport Differs From Official Travel Paperwork

Official pet travel documents—USDA health certificates, CDC import forms, and EU pet passports—exist to satisfy government animal-health and border-control rules. They are not interchangeable with digital identity tools.

Animal Passport is a phone-based digital animal and livestock passport that uses muzzle biometrics—a nose print unique like a fingerprint—to bind an animal record to an owner, breed, estimated age, body condition score, and vaccination history. Age estimation uses a dental photograph with a confidence score; body condition is scored 1–5 from a side-profile photo. In August 2025, the system was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim cattle when paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, does not replace USDA or CDC forms for pets travelling overseas, and does not provide veterinary diagnosis or legal advice. It can complement herd or pet record-keeping—especially where paper tags fail—but border officials require the official certificates described above. Read more on the Animal Passport blog.

Pre-Departure Checklist for Pets Travelling Overseas

• Confirm your pet qualifies under APHIS pet-travel species definitions
• Book a USDA-accredited veterinarian and build a timeline from destination requirements
• Verify microchip, rabies, titer, and parasite rules for every country visited or transited
• Obtain the correct country-specific health certificate—not a generic form when a specific one exists
• Pay USDA endorsement fees and receive original stamped documents before travel
• For dogs: complete the CDC Dog Import Form before return; pre-arrange rabies certification if visiting high-risk countries
• Confirm airline carrier, routing, and seasonal pet policies in writing
• Carry original paper documents during travel—destination officials may reject digital copies

When Rules Conflict or Change

Destination countries, CDC, and APHIS update requirements independently. APHIS country pages, CDC dog import FAQs, and EU Commission pet-travel regulations can all change within the same year. Neither your veterinarian nor APHIS can waive another country’s import rules; waivers must come from the destination ministry of agriculture in writing.

If you cannot find requirements on APHIS for your species or destination, contact the foreign government directly. For dogs, always check both APHIS export pages and CDC import pages before booking return travel—failure to obtain the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination before visiting a high-risk country can block re-entry or force quarantine.

Last updated: August 2026. By Animal Passport editorial team.