Canada
Mexico
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Channel Island
Chile
China
Columbia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
England – UK
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Guadeloupe
Hungary
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
Norway
Panama
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Scotland
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Wales
An International Health Certificate (IHC) is a country-specific official document required when traveling internationally with pets. It verifies that the animal is healthy and free from contagious diseases and parasites, as required by the destination country’s import regulations. Most international destinations require IHCs to be issued within 10 days of travel, though timing varies by country. The certificate must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and typically requires USDA-APHIS endorsement before travel.
GlobalVetLink has built-in requirements for numerous countries organized into levels. Level 1 includes Canada and Mexico. Level 2 includes over 60 countries such as Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, most European Union countries, and many others. For all other countries not yet built into the platform, GlobalVetLink offers the Pet Travel Concierge Service, where experienced consultants can assist clinics with paperwork preparation and USDA endorsement tracking.
After creating and signing your IHC in GlobalVetLink, you can submit it for endorsement either online through VEHCS (Veterinary Export Health Certification System) or by mail. For online submission, enter your VEHCS Organization ID when signing the certificate in GlobalVetLink. The platform will create your certificate in VEHCS for you to review. You’ll receive an email with your VEHCS tracking number. Then, log in to VEHCS to upload any additional documents, complete payment, and submit for final endorsement.
VEHCS (Veterinary Export Health Certification System) is the USDA’s online system for submitting international health certificates for endorsement. If you plan to submit certificates online rather than by mail, you’ll need a VEHCS account with an Organization ID. GlobalVetLink streamlines the VEHCS submission process by automatically creating and populating your VEHCS certificate with the information from your IHC, saving significant time and reducing errors during the endorsement process.
USDA endorsement typically takes a minimum of three business days. To ensure timely processing, submit documents as early as possible before travel, carefully review IHC and Rabies Certificates for accuracy regarding pet information and vaccinations before submission, ensure all required supporting documents are included, and allow adequate time before the pet’s departure date. Errors or missing information will delay the endorsement process.
Non-commercial movements are for pets traveling with their owners for personal purposes. Commercial movements involve the transportation of pets for sale, adoption, breeding, exhibition, or other business purposes. For countries with different commercial requirements, the health inspection must be completed within 48 hours of departure (versus 10 days for non-commercial), and the method of travel must be air cargo. Both types still require USDA endorsement, but they have different forms and requirements based on the destination country.
Yes, if your pet is transiting through a European Union country on the way to a non-EU final destination, you’ll need an EU transit health certificate in addition to your destination country certificate. For example, if flying from the US through Germany to England, you need both a Germany transit certificate and an England destination certificate. GlobalVetLink automatically creates the transit certificate when you specify the transit country during the IHC creation process.
Yes, GlobalVetLink streamlines Hawaii pet travel documentation with a simple step-by-step workflow that collects basic pet information, completed FAVN test results (if required), and Rabies Vaccination certificates to create a submission-ready Hawaii travel document packet. Hawaii has specific and strict import requirements, and the platform ensures you meet all necessary regulations for compliant entry into the state.
The Pet Travel Concierge Service is GlobalVetLink’s comprehensive solution for complex international pet travel to countries not yet built into the platform, or when you prefer expert handling. The experienced pet travel consultant team assists with the pet travel documentation process, from paperwork preparation to USDA endorsement tracking and follow-up. This service is ideal for complex destinations like Australia and New Zealand, first-time international health certificates, or when you want to offer white-glove pet travel services without the administrative burden.
International pet travel typically requires a country-specific International Health Certificate, a domestic Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), a Rabies Vaccination Certificate, and potentially additional documents like FAVN titer test results, parasite treatment records, or import permits, depending on the destination country. GlobalVetLink assists in creating these documents in a coordinated packet and verifies they meet the destination country’s specific requirements, eliminating hours of manual research and reducing the risk of missing critical documentation.
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