The Paperwork Is Where Pet Moves Succeed or Fail
Most pets that are delayed, quarantined, or turned away at the border aren’t sick — their paperwork is wrong. A microchip number with one digit off, a rabies date outside the window, or a health certificate signed a day too early can undo months of planning.
Across The Pond Pets prepares international pet travel documents every day, both for pet owners who need documentation only and for veterinary clinics that issue health certificates for their clients. We know each country’s forms, the USDA VEHCS system, and the timing rules that trip people up — so your pet’s documents are accepted the first time.
- IPATA member
- IPATA Excellence Award 2025
- USDA VEHCS specialists
Who We Help
Pet owners
Flying in the cabin, checking your pet, or moving on your own? Our documentation-only service gives you a destination-specific plan, prepares your health certificate packet, works with your veterinarian, and tracks USDA endorsement — whether or not we’re handling your pet’s flight.
Request documentation assistance →Veterinary clinics
Through our AV Support program, we prepare the documents and supporting materials, upload them to VEHCS, and coordinate with USDA APHIS so your accredited veterinarians can review, sign, and submit with confidence. It’s a partnership service with no charge to your clinic.
AV Support for veterinary clinics →Veterinarians: international health certificates take time your clinic may not have — country forms change, VEHCS rejects small errors, and clients ask questions you can’t always answer. Refer those clients to us, or have us prepare the packet for your review. Learn how AV Support works.
What We Prepare
Every destination has its own combination of forms, tests, and deadlines. We build the full packet for your pet’s route.
Export
USDA-endorsed health certificates
Country-specific international health certificates prepared in VEHCS for your veterinarian to review, sign, and submit for APHIS endorsement.
Import
Import permits & notifications
Entry permits, advance notifications, and quarantine reservations — such as Japan’s AQS notification, Hawaii’s AQS-279, and Guam’s entry permit.
Testing
Rabies titer (FAVN) coordination
Timing the blood draw, choosing an approved lab, and making sure results reach the destination authority and match your pet’s microchip.
Vet records
Vaccination & microchip review
Checking microchip standards, rabies vaccine dates and order, and required treatments such as tapeworm or parasite treatments against your destination’s rules.
Return to U.S.
CDC dog import paperwork
CDC Dog Import Form guidance and the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination for dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Airline
Airline & cargo documents
Airline acclimation and health forms, shipper’s declarations for live animals, and the copies airlines and customs expect at check-in.
Military
PCS documentation
Packets timed to PCS orders and Patriot Express flights, with itemized receipts for JTR reimbursement. See our military pet transportation guides.
Consulting
Destination requirements plan
A written, step-by-step plan for your pet’s destination: what to do, in what order, and by when — before you book anything.
How the Health Certificate Process Works
Most international health certificates from the U.S. are now issued electronically through USDA’s Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). Here’s how we move yours from draft to endorsed certificate.
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Weeks before travel
Requirements review and document prep
We confirm your destination’s current rules, review your pet’s microchip, vaccination, and test records, and prepare the health certificate and supporting documents in VEHCS for your veterinarian.
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Within the destination’s window
Veterinary exam and VEHCS submission
Your USDA-accredited veterinarian scans the microchip, examines your pet, reviews our packet in VEHCS, signs it, and submits it to USDA APHIS. Most destinations require this exam within about 10 days of travel; some use different windows.
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Usually a few business days
USDA APHIS endorsement
APHIS reviews the certificate and may ask for corrections. Once approved, it’s endorsed — digitally for countries that accept electronic endorsement, or with an original embossed seal for countries that require paper.
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Before departure
Delivery and final check
We confirm the endorsed certificate is complete and deliver it digitally or by FedEx, depending on your destination and airline. You travel with the originals and copies your pet needs.
Download our Pet Travel Health Certificate Process (PDF)
When to Start Your Pet’s Documents
Lead times assume a dog or cat starting from scratch in the U.S. Pets with an existing microchip, vaccinations, or a recent titer test can often move faster.
| Destination type | Examples | Start at least |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip, rabies vaccine, certificate | EU countries, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico | 4–6 weeks before |
| Titer test, no long wait | South Korea | 6–8 weeks before |
| Titer test plus waiting period | Hawaii, Guam | 3–6 months before |
| Titer test plus 180-day wait | Japan, Australia, New Zealand | 7+ months before |
Rules change often. We confirm current requirements for your pet’s exact route before any vet work begins.
Don’t book flights before you know your timeline. Destinations with titer tests and waiting periods can take months to prepare, and the clock usually starts from a blood draw — not from your booking. Confirm requirements with us first.
Common Documentation Mistakes We Catch
These are the errors that most often delay departures, trigger quarantine, or get pets refused at the border.
Microchip problemsA number that doesn’t match across documents, a chip that won’t scan, or a chip implanted after the rabies vaccine. Many countries require the chip first.
Rabies dates outside the rulesA vaccine given too close to travel, a lapsed booster, or a waiting period counted from the wrong date. Even one day can invalidate a certificate.
Exam outside the windowA health certificate issued too early for the destination’s timing rule — often after a flight change. Delays can also push treatments like the UK’s tapeworm dose out of range.
Wrong form or VEHCS errorsUsing an outdated or generic certificate instead of the country’s required form, or missing fields in VEHCS that send the submission back.
Titer test problemsA blood sample sent to a lab the destination doesn’t accept, a result without the microchip number, or a rabies booster given after the draw where that’s not allowed.
Booking before confirmingFlights booked before the timeline is known, leaving no room for a titer wait, a permit, or an advance notification deadline.
Bringing a Dog Back to the U.S.
Every dog entering the U.S. needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, a microchip, and to be at least six months old. Dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country in the last six months need additional documents — and if your dog was vaccinated in the U.S., the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination must be completed and endorsed before you leave the U.S. We prepare this paperwork so your dog can come home without being refused entry.
Traveling to a high-risk country and coming back? Sort out the U.S. rabies certification before your dog leaves the U.S. See Returning to the U.S. with Dogs (High-Risk Rabies Rules), or request U.S. rabies certification assistance.
Why Pet Owners and Clinics Work with Us
- Destination-specific plans checked against current rules
- Packets prepared in USDA VEHCS, ready for vet review
- Guidance for veterinarians new to VEHCS or a country’s forms
- APHIS endorsement tracked until it’s complete
- Permits, notifications, and quarantine reservations filed on time
- Documentation-only service — no flight booking required
- Full relocation available when you need more than paperwork
- Teams at SEA-TAC and LAX, serving clients nationwide
Pet Documentation FAQs
What documents do I need for international pet travel?
Most countries require an ISO-compliant microchip, a current rabies vaccination, and a USDA-endorsed health certificate on the destination’s own form. Many also require a rabies titer test, an import permit or advance notification, and specific parasite treatments. We build the full packet for your destination.
Can you help if you’re not handling my pet’s flight?
Yes. Our documentation-only service is for owners flying with their pet in the cabin, checking their pet, or arranging travel themselves. We prepare the paperwork and work with your veterinarian; you handle the flight.
Does my veterinarian need to be USDA-accredited?
Yes. International health certificates must be issued and signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before APHIS can endorse them. If your vet isn’t accredited or isn’t comfortable with international certificates, we can help you find one who is.
What if my veterinarian doesn’t use VEHCS?
We work directly with your veterinarian, prepare the documents in VEHCS for their review, and walk them through signing and submitting. Clinics can also join our AV Support program at no charge.
How long does USDA endorsement take?
Electronic VEHCS submissions are often endorsed within a few business days, but timing varies with volume and with whether APHIS requests corrections. Paper certificates that need an original seal also need shipping time, so we build in a buffer before your travel date.
When should I start preparing my pet’s documents?
At least four to six weeks before travel for most destinations, and much earlier for countries that require a titer test and waiting period — seven months or more for Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Contact us before you book flights.
Do all countries require quarantine?
No. Most destinations release pets on arrival when the documents are correct. Countries and territories like Japan, Hawaii, and Guam can quarantine pets that miss a requirement, which is why the paperwork matters so much.
Get Your Pet’s Documents Right the First Time
Tell us your destination and travel date, or call +1-206-317-4515. Veterinary clinic? Ask about our free AV Support program.
