For the foreign affairs community posted to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas, the Overseas Briefing Center provides country-specific pet information. We advise pet owners to carefully choose cheap international packages and make travel arrangements for the prospective overseas journey with pet(s).
When reserving the seat for your pet, specify an airline carrier’s laws on live animals (pet policy) such as extra baggage, freight, and in-cabin before traveling overseas or returning to the United States on official U.S. government instructions. Pet owners must also pinpoint the air carrier that has the contract for their trip route and the associated overseas travel cost. You must always carry pet travel documents to ensure smooth travel.
This section has references to international cat travel requirements and dog information for overseas travel. So airline guidelines may vary for other pets. You must check the airline policy while getting the best travel deals online. You should connect directly with the dedicated airline to check the pet policy or any additional details.
US Airlines travel policies in regard to overseas animal shipping are subject to change at any time. In case you wish to ship your pet as cargo using a commercial shipper, then reach out to the shipping service provider on time to understand the moving process, using IPATA.
We are now providing general information or guidelines for pet shipping overseas. So you would require to once ask the chosen airline or pet shipper for accurate information. Also, OBC recommends putting the pet shipping request in writing for confirmed booking even if you book last minute flights.
*Note* – Pets weighing 100 lbs. or above (including the weight of the cage) are charged as cargo even if animals travel on the same plane with pet owners. So check with the dedicated airline if your pet is close to the weight limits. This will also help you to know if the airline policies differ from this general 100 lb. rule.
Service Animals who are well-trained to assist owners with either their physical or psychiatric disabilities are allowed to travel in the same cabin as the passenger free of cost under this policy. But you would have to consider a pet health certificate for international travel cost. However, emotional support pets do not have access to the same entitlement. Please note that airlines often require additional forms to permit service pets on the plane. And you would always require a pet health certificate for international travel.
There are mainly 2 scenarios as mentioned below so have a look before booking cheap international holiday packages: –
For U.S. Government Employees & Family Members –
For General Public (Traveling Outside USA With Pets) –
In general, every airline asks for pet health certificates not older than 10 days, even if the country accepts older documents. In fact, some countries may also demand animal health certificates less than 10 days old. So it is advisable to directly check these details with the airline about whether are pets allowed in international flights. People who are government employees of the US or their family members can reach out to the Overseas Briefing Center for information on airline restrictions for pet travel.
In case you are allocated to an EU or non-EU country, then you would require an ISO microchip. So you should check if your veterinary clinic carries ISO-compliant microchips. Normally, the EU transponders do NOT read non-ISO microchips. Please note that microchips must be always imbued before administering the rabies booster. In fact, the need for ISO microchips has become prevalent globally for pet travel.
If your vet or pet clinic does not entertain with ISO microchips, you can buy them from the Pet Travel Store. However, you must check microchips have ISO standards 11784 and 11785-compliant. This helps a lot in how to travel with a dog internationally by maintaining all the safety precautions.
You must visit certain websites like the US Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) online to check country requirements for pet arrival. As certification requirements for pet travel may vary from one country to another country. Therefore, it is necessary to keep all the necessary documents before the last minute flights.
Some countries only need a licensed veterinarian to permit pets in the state of origin without USDA endorsement of the veterinarian’s examination statement. Nevertheless, many countries also ask for pets to be checked by a federally-accredited veterinarian along with a United States Interstate and International Certificate for Health Examination for Small Animals (7001 USDA-APHIS Form) issued by the veterinarian and approved by the USDA.
You might be surprised to know that some countries do not mandate certificates, but certain airlines do. Also, there is a USDA approval fee per certificate for cats and dogs.
*Important Note* – More than 1 dog or cat may be on a certificate. For other animals, check the USDA website. A hard copy of the APHIS-endorsed veterinary export certificate must be with the animal during the export process.
Government or professional-approved USDA certifications are required while traveling overseas with pets. However, documents may vary from one country’s requirements to another. So it is recommended to check with the embassy before planning travel with animals. The Department of State’s Office of Authentications attests the pet certificates related to air travel even if you travel on a business class flight.
*Note* – Due to Covid-19, the office suspended in-person counter service. So you would need to send an e-mail with any query or concern. This process can take 2-3 months to process your request.
As a pet owner, you must also consider the possibility of some emergency situations during overseas pet travel. This could demand either rapid departure or shipment of your pet. So take your time to think and plan the resources for your pet(s) after buying cheap international holiday packages. For say, you might need shelter options for a pet within the country or after departure on short notice. You can refer to the Overseas Briefing Center which offers U.S. government foreign affairs personnel helpful information in the case of evacuation from an embassy or consulate.
For information related to returning to the USA with pet(s), you would need to visit OBC Returning to the United States with Pets and USDA-APHIS.
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