These 3 steps are required in order for your pet to qualify for 10 days of quarantine instead of 30.
Important Notes
- Must be done by a USDA certified vet
- Each vet must have their own personal account in VEHCS
- Part 3 must be endorsed within 3 months of the date of the first microchip scan/identity declaration.
- You must wait until after the SECOND identity declaration is completed before the rabies titer test blood draw.
- You and your vet are responsible for ensuring the USDA is paid and the correct documents/photos are submitted. If there are any issues with what has been submitted to the USDA, it is the vet's responsibility to provide any amended documentation or new photos to resolve the issue with the USDA in a timely manner. Failure to do so can result in delays with endorsement and potential delays with your pet's ideal travel timeline.
- Although Australia allows the rabies titer test to be done after the second microchip scan - if all of the microchip verification documents are not approved/endorsed (including the 3rd step), the rabies titer test may be invalid and a new one will be required.
- Starwood can provide verbal/written guidance on this process, but we are NOT completing this process on your behalf.
- The client or vet must provide Starwood a copy of these 3 endorsed documents
- NOTE: THE VET MUST COMPLETE ONE IDENTITY DECLARATION PER PET
Part 1
Take your pet to a USDA-accredited veterinarian and have them complete the first identity declaration form.
The veterinarian must:
- Scan the pet's microchip to ensure it is readable & consistent with their records
- Take multiple color photos of the pet AND the microchip scanner with the microchip number visible.
- Complete the declaration within VEHCS
- **See detailed instructions here
- Upload the photos of the pet + microchip scanner into VEHCS
- **See detailed instructions here
- Submit the identity declaration and photo(s) to USDA for endorsement.
You or the vet must pay the $101 fee to the USDA for the endorsement of the identity declaration.
After the accredited veterinarian submits the identity declaration and photos in VEHCS, the USDA will review and endorse the form. If there are any issues with what has been submitted, it is the vet's responsibility to provide the USDA with what is needed quickly in order for them to complete the endorsement.
The accredited veterinarian must provide the endorsed certificate number to you (the pet owner/exporter) and we recommend they also provide it to us at Starwood.
Examples of acceptable photos:
Part 2
After you have completed part 1 and the vet has submitted the first identity declaration, take your pet to a DIFFERENT USDA-accredited veterinarian at a DIFFERENT veterinary clinic and have them complete a second identity declaration.
The USDA-Accredited Vet must:
- Scan the pet's microchip to ensure it is readable & consistent with their records
- Take multiple color photos of the pet AND the microchip scanner with the microchip number visible.
- Complete the declaration within VEHCS
- **See detailed instructions here
- Upload the photos of the pet + microchip scanner into VEHCS
- **See detailed instructions here
- Submit the identity declaration and photo(s) to USDA for endorsement.
You or the vet must pay the $101 fee to the USDA for the endorsement of the identity declaration.
After the accredited veterinarian submits the identity declaration and photos in VEHCS, the USDA will review and endorse the form. If there are any issues with what has been submitted, it is the vet's responsibility to provide the USDA with what is needed quickly in order for them to complete the endorsement.
The accredited veterinarian must provide the second endorsed certificate number to you (the pet owner/exporter) and we recommend they also provide it to us at Starwood.
NOTE: The blood draw for the rabies neutralizing antibody titer test (RNATT) cannot be completed until after the date of the second microchip scanning (however, it can be done on the same day).
- While Australia allows the rabies titer test to be done after the second microchip scan - if the identity declaration documents are not approved/endorsed, the rabies titer test will be invalid and a new one will be required.
Examples of acceptable photos:
Part 3
Part 3 must be endorsed within 3 months of the date of the first microchip scanning.
After BOTH identity declarations have been completed and endorsed, then one of the above accredited veterinarians must logon to VEHCS to submit a request for completion of the USDA identity declaration.
You, the pet owner, must provide the veterinarian with both of the VEHCS endorsed certificate numbers from the two identity declarations that were previously completed.
You or the vet must pay the $101 fee to the USDA for the endorsement of the USDA identity declaration.
- **See detailed instructions for the vet here
Once the request is submitted, the USDA will complete their OWN identity declaration, based on the previous information provided. The USDA will upload the endorsed USDA identity declaration in VEHCS for the vet to print and will also email it directly to Australia.
Once the USDA identity declaration certificate is marked "Completed" in VEHCS, you may then proceed to the next step in Australia’s step-by-step guide for dogs or cats.
You must email us (Starwood) a copy of the final endorsed USDA identity declaration as this must travel with your pet to Australia.
Once the identity verification process is complete, the Starwood team will provide you with further instructions for the remaining treatments required for pet travel to Australia.
More information with these instructions can be found on the USDA website:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-us-australia