Pet Transport from the United States to Ireland

Ireland applies EU pet travel rules for non-commercial movements of cats and dogs. The EU maintains a list of third countries whose pet health standards are considered equivalent to EU standards. The USA is on this list. Pets from listed countries benefit from a simplified entry process: no titre test, no quarantine, and no import permit requirement for personal pets. The main requirements are a compliant ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination with at least 21 days elapsed since initial vaccination, and a health certificate in the EU approved format endorsed by USDA APHIS. Source: DAFM, gov.ie/dafm.

This is meaningfully different from entering Great Britain, where tapeworm treatment and different documentation requirements apply. Ireland is the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, and the entry rules are EU rules, not UK rules. If you are moving to the Republic of Ireland, you do not need tapeworm treatment. If your move is to Northern Ireland (part of the UK), different rules apply and you should check with DAERA rather than DAFM.

On arrival at Dublin Airport, your pet goes through the DAFM border inspection post. Inspectors check the microchip number against the health certificate, confirm the vaccination record, and verify that the certificate carries the USDA APHIS endorsement. This inspection is the final gate in the process. Having all originals with you in the cabin, not in checked luggage, is essential.

The EU listed third country health certificate for pets coming from the USA must follow the specific format accepted by DAFM and EU border inspection posts. This is not a standard vet health certificate. The certificate must be completed by an APHIS-accredited veterinarian (a USDA-accredited vet, not just any vet), and after the examination and signing, it must be endorsed by USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. Source: APHIS, aphis.usda.gov.

To get the USDA endorsement, you submit the signed certificate to your nearest USDA APHIS Veterinary Services district office. Processing times vary. Many people use a USDA-approved expediter service to speed up the endorsement step, particularly when the travel date is close. The certificate must be issued within ten days of travel, which means the vet examination and the USDA endorsement both need to happen within that ten-day window. Plan this carefully.

If your vet is not APHIS-accredited, find one who is. The USDA maintains a searchable database of accredited vets on the APHIS website. Many border inspection post refusals on this route come down to a certificate that is either in the wrong format, missing the USDA endorsement, or prepared by a vet without APHIS accreditation. All three are avoidable with the right preparation.

Aer Lingus serves Dublin directly from Boston, New York JFK, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. These are the most direct routing options and avoid the complexity of a European connection. All pets travel as manifest cargo on transatlantic routes; there are no cabin pet options. Book cargo space separately from your passenger ticket, directly with Aer Lingus Cargo or through an IATA-accredited cargo agent.

Delta, American, and United also operate cargo services on their transatlantic routes and can be an option if Aer Lingus cargo capacity is full or if you are flying from a city not served directly by Aer Lingus. If your pet connects through a European gateway, check that the transit country’s documentation requirements are met for airside transit cargo.

The microchip compatibility issue mentioned above is worth addressing before booking cargo space. When you submit the USDA health certificate for APHIS endorsement, the microchip number is recorded on the certificate. If the chip scanned at Dublin Airport does not match the certificate, the inspection will flag it. Have the chip read by your vet at the health certificate appointment and confirm the number matches what appears in all your records before the certificate is submitted for endorsement.