How the VEHCS Identity Declaration Works for U.S. Pets Going to Australia

TLDR: Australia's identity declaration requires two different USDA-accredited vets at two different clinics to scan your pet's microchip and submit declarations through VEHCS. Complete all three parts correctly before the RNATT blood draw and your pet qualifies for 10 days of quarantine. Skip it or get the sequence wrong and your pet serves 30 days. The most common mistake: drawing blood for the titer test before the second vet scan is finished.

Australia's identity declaration process determines whether your pet spends 10 days or 30 days in quarantine at Mickleham. The process requires two different USDA-accredited veterinarians at two different clinics, three separate VEHCS submissions, and precise sequencing. Most pet owners have never heard of it until they are already mid-process.

What Is the Australia Identity Declaration and Why Does It Matter?

The identity check confirms your pet's microchip number through a government-verified process before any other export preparations begin. Australia implemented this requirement to reduce biosecurity risk and ensure the pet arriving at the border is the same pet that completed all the pre-export testing.

Completing the identity check correctly makes your pet eligible for 10 days of post-entry quarantine. Skipping it, or getting the sequence wrong, means your pet defaults to 30 days.

The process is optional for pets from Group 3 countries like the United States, but nearly every family completes it. The difference between 10 and 30 days of quarantine is significant in cost, stress, and time.

How Does the Three-Part VEHCS Process Work?

Part 1: What Happens at the First Vet Visit?

Take your pet to a USDA-accredited veterinarian to complete the first identity declaration. The vet scans your pet's microchip and takes a color photo showing the pet and the microchip scanner with the number visible. The vet then submits the declaration and photo through VEHCS for endorsement.

After USDA reviews and endorses the declaration, the vet provides you with the endorsed certificate number.

Part 2: Why Do You Need a Second Vet at a Different Clinic?

Take your pet to a different USDA-accredited veterinarian at a different clinic. The second vet repeats the process: microchip scan, color photo with scanner and number visible, and identity declaration submitted through VEHCS for endorsement.

Parts 1 and 2 should be completed on different days. Australia requires two separate clinics.

Part 3: How Does USDA Finalize the Identity Declaration?

After both Part 1 and Part 2 are endorsed, the official USDA VMO endorses Part 3 remotely based on the two previously endorsed declarations.

Part 3 must be endorsed within three months of the date of the first microchip scan in Part 1. If you miss this window, the process may need to restart.

Once Part 3 is complete, you can proceed to the next step in Australia's import process.

What Happens If the RNATT Blood Draw Is Done Too Early?

The RNATT blood draw cannot happen before the Part 2 microchip scan is complete. It can happen on the same day as Part 2, but not before.

If your vet draws blood for the titer test before the second identity scan is finished, the identity check is invalid. Your pet will default to 30 days in quarantine regardless of what happens afterward.

This is the most common mistake we see on this route. Owners schedule the blood draw early to get the 180-day clock started, not realizing the identity check must come first.

Booking the RNATT blood draw as a separate appointment on a different day than Part 2 is the safest approach. It removes any ambiguity about sequencing.

Which Pets Are Exempt from the Identity Declaration?

Pets originating from Australia that have their export permit automatically qualify for 10-day quarantine. They do not need to complete the VEHCS identity check process.

Need help coordinating the identity check, RNATT timing, and documentation? PetRelocation manages the full process for US-to-Australia moves. Get a free quote to start planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VEHCS identity declaration for Australia?

The identity declaration is a three-part process that confirms your pet's microchip number through two different USDA-accredited veterinarians at two different clinics. Completing it correctly before the RNATT blood draw makes your pet eligible for 10 days of quarantine instead of 30.

Can both vets be at the same clinic?

No. Australia requires two different clinics.

Can the RNATT blood draw happen on the same day as the second vet visit?

Yes, but it must happen after the Part 2 microchip scan is complete. Drawing blood before the second scan invalidates the identity check. Booking the blood draw as a separate appointment on a different day is the safer approach.

How long do I have to complete Part 3?

Part 3 must be endorsed within three months of the date of the first microchip scan in Part 1. If you miss this window, the process may need to restart.