APHIS 7001: Entry Requirements for Pets from the US

Pet travel isn't easy, and  -- on top of everything else you have to do -- obtaining all the right documents with all the right endorsements can seem like quite the endeavor. Specifically, we commonly receive questions regarding the APHIS 7001, a Veterinary Health Certificate that comes into play for many international pet moves.

You can learn more about and also download the APHIS Form 7001 on our site. As you can see from the comments on this post, many people have questions about it, so we thought we'd revisit the topic just in time for summer pet travel season.

Recently a few pet shippers who are a part of IPATA (an international pet travel organization) examined this form in detail. The discussion reminded us that nothing is as simple as we'd like it to be when it comes to pet travel, but if you're preparing your pet's paperwork for entry to the EU, here are a few basics to remember:

-Only an EU health certificate is needed to enter the EU, however it's a good idea to check with the airline you'll be using because some of them require an APHIS Form 7001 certificate in addition to the EU health certificate.

-The EU health certificate is valid for four months from its date of issue (and/or the date of endorsement by the USDA), but the APHIS 7001 is usually only valid for 7-10 days to comply with airline protocol.

-The USDA will endorse the EU health certificate without a 7001, but travelers should still check with the airline they're flying with to determine if an APHIS 7001 is required.

-There is one fee for travelers who have both forms endorsed at the same time or have just the EU health certificate endorsed. If the two forms are endorsed on separate occasions, two separate user fees will apply.

Please contact us for a consultation if you'd like some guidance when it comes navigating health certificates, travel requirements or anything else relating to pet travel!