Pet Birds (Returning U.S.-Origin) Entering the United States From Countries Other Than Canada or Mexico

You must be able to provide proof that your pet bird previously lived in the U.S. The type of quarantine required will depend on which country your pet bird is coming to the U.S. from.

Only pet birds that previously lived in the U.S. are eligible to be brought back into the U.S. under these guidelines. To be eligible, you must have a health certificate that was issued in the U.S. prior to your bird leaving the U.S. The bird must be clearly identified on the health certificate by name, breed, color, markings, and identification (microchip, leg band, or tattoo). You must provide a copy of this document at application for permit submission. For those owners who may have lost or no longer have the U.S. health certificate, and which may have a U.S. Fish and Wildlife document entitled Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and which was issued in the U.S. prior to exporting, can use the CITES in lieu of the U.S. origin health certificate. If you are unable to provide either of these documents, your pet bird will be classified as non-U.S. origin. It would not be eligible for home quarantine.

After February 19, 2018, in order to qualify as a returning U.S. origin pet bird and be eligible for home quarantine, all birds weighing more than 100 grams* (roughly the size of a clinched fist) must be identified (microchip, leg band or tattoo) prior to leaving the United States and that identification must be on the U.S. origin health certificate.

Pet birds weighing more than 100 grams* that left the United States after February 19, 2018 that do not have this identification, will not qualify as returning U.S. origin birds from HPAI-FREE countries, and must go to a Federal Animal Import Center quarantine facility for a minimum of 30 days, at the owner’s expense.

Birds classified by VS as poultry are not considered pet birds and are not eligible to import using these guidelines (please click here for the requirements).

*Most finches, parakeets, lovebirds, and budgies are under 100 grams, and most African greys, caiques, lories, eclectus, and other parrots are more than 100 grams.

View a list of countries currently affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), 

If your pet bird is traveling to the U.S. from a country/region that the U.S. does not consider to be affected with HPAI, your pet bird must be kept in quarantine for 30 days upon arrival into the U.S., but the quarantine may be done in your home.

If your pet bird is traveling to the U.S. from a country/region that the U.S. considers to be affected with HPAI or from Mexico, your pet bird must go into a 30 day quarantine at a one of the two USDA pet bird quarantine centers. These centers are located in New York and Florida. View more information about federal quarantine.

Please note: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may have additional restrictions related to eligibility, please see STEP 3 for contact information.

Pet birds may only enter the U.S. at certain designated ports.

If your pet bird will be going into a home quarantine:
Your pet bird must fly into the U.S. at a designated port of entry.  The flight should fly directly to the eligible port of entry, without stopping at other U.S. airports.  VS veterinarians are not available at all airport locations.

Once you have identified a port of entry from those listed above, please contact that port using the contact information above, to verify VS staff availability prior to making travel arrangements.

If the airport you want to enter through is not listed above, please contact Air and Sea Port Services Director at VSAL@aphis.usda.gov

If you have a connecting flight to another city, please make sure you will have a minimum of 4 hours between your flights to ensure there is enough time for all activities related to your pet bird’s arrival in the U.S.. The time required may vary by port; you can contact VS personnel at the port to discuss logistics.

If your pet bird must go into a federal quarantine:
You must make arrangements for your pet bird to fly into the U.S. at one of the airports associated with a USDA Animal Import Center. These airports are;

• Jamaica, New York (JFK)
  718-553-3570
  vspsjfk@aphis.usda.gov
• Miami, Florida (MIA)
  305-876-2200
  vspsmia@aphis.usda.gov

Your bird must travel directly to one of these ports of entry without first stopping at any other U.S. port.  Contact VS personnel at the Animal Import Center to make a reservation for your pet bird and to discuss arrangements to transport your pet bird to quarantine upon arrival into the U.S. (view additional information on federal quarantine including Animal Import Center contact details).

You will need to allow plenty of time at the designated port to complete all activities involved in getting your pet bird to federal quarantine. If the designated port is not your final destination and you need to make a connecting flight, please make sure you have a minimum of 4 hours between your flights. The time required may vary by port; you can contact VS personnel at the port to discuss logistics.

In the U.S., The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates birds protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA).  There are extensive U.S. entry and exit requirements for birds regulated under these laws, so it is critical that you contact FWS to discuss their processes and fees if your bird is regulated by them. Visit the FWS Traveling Abroad with Your Pet Bird website to learn more.

You may also contact them directly at 703-358-2104 or 800-358-2104.

All pet birds entering the U.S. at an airport or seaport must have a VS import permit. For all returning U.S. origin pet birds, you will submit the permit application to the VS National Import Export Services (NIES) Staff in Riverdale, Maryland.

You must apply for a VS import permit approximately 30 days prior to departure. You need to know your route of travel and specify a travel date before applying. The route of travel should include a flight that travels directly to a designated port of entry within the U.S. without stopping at other U.S. airports.  If you cannot obtain a direct flight to a designated port of entry, you will need to discuss this with the NIES Riverdale Staff.  You also need to provide a copy of your U.S. health certificate issued before your pet bird left the U.S. with your application. For pet birds that left the U.S. after February 19, 2018, and weigh more than 100 grams* (roughly the size of a clinched fist), the U.S. health certificate must include the microchip, leg band, or tattoo information in order for the pet bird to be consider of U.S. origin and be eligible for home quarantine. 

The import permit is valid for 30 days from your specified travel date. If your travel plans change and your pet bird will be arriving in the U.S. more than 30 days after the travel date specified on the import permit, you will have to apply for an amended permit or a new permit. Permits can only be amended (for an additional fee) before they expire. Once your permit expires, you will need to submit a new import permit application.

Fees for VS import permits::
9CFR 130.4 “initial permit” – this fee is charged per application so if you have more than one pet bird but they are all traveling with you at the same time, then all of the birds should all be listed on the application and one permit can cover them all.

9CFR 130.4  “amended permit” – this fee is charged ONLY if you need to amend a permit that has already been issued (for example if your travel route or port of entry changes).

Applying for an import permit is done by completing and submitting an Application for Import or Intransit Permit, called the VS Form 17-129. The VS Form 17-129 can be completed and submitted via e-mail, standard mail, or fax OR completed and submitted electronically on-line via the eFile system. Please allow 7-10 business days from the time your import permit application is received for it to be issued.

• Manual submission of the VS Form 17-129 to NIES Riverdale Staff via e-mail, standard mail, or fax
  • Complete the fillable VS 17-129 (General Instructions)
  • Submit via one of the following methods:
    • E-mail: VS.Live.Animals.Import.Permits@usda.gov
    • Fax: 301-734-4704
    • Mail:
      USDA-APHIS-VS-NIES
      4700 River Road, Unit 40
      Riverdale, MD 20737
• Electronic submission of the VS Form 17-129 via the eFile System
  • Online Instructions for the VS 17-129 form in eFile

Permits can be emailed or mailed to the importer via U.S. Postal Service. You should indicate how you would like to receive your permit when you submit the permit application. If you have not received your permit at least 72 hours ahead of scheduled travel, call the office where you submitted the application and ask about the status. Note: If receiving the permit by email, use a color printer to print your document, as you must have one with a blue signature. All home quarantine related fees will be charged at the time of application.  A total of $650.0 will be charged for the following services: processing the import application, inspection fees at the port of entry, lab submission fees and home visit with sample collection during the home quarantine.

SUGGESTED TIME FRAME: within 30 days of arrival (airlines may require shorter time frame)

All pet birds entering the U.S. from any country other than Canada are required to have a health certificate issued within 30 days of travel by a veterinarian in the country your bird is leaving. The health certificate must be stamped by an official government veterinarian of the country.

Either the model health certificate provided HERE (203.76 KB) may be used, or a health certificate issued by the country of export (with English translation) that meets the following guidelines is also acceptable: 

• The health certificate is issued or endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the national government within the agency responsible for animal health in the foreign (exporting) country of origin.
• It is dated within 30 days of the date the bird leaves the foreign country.
• It is in English or contains a complete written English translation within the document.
• It clearly identifies the bird, and the identification matches the import permit.
• The animal is exported in accordance with the laws of the exporting country. NOTE: some countries require the VS import permit before they will issue a health certificate.
• The import health requirements defined by VS are met.
  • The health certificate must contain the following statements:
    • The bird is being exported in accordance with the laws of that country.
    • The bird was not vaccinated against any H5 or H7 subtype of avian influenza.
    • CHOOSE EITHER OPTION A OR B BELOW:

A. The bird was not vaccinated against Newcastle disease.
OR
B. The bird has been vaccinated against Newcastle disease (avian paramyxovirus) at least 21 days prior to export, using vaccines that do not contain any velogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus.

• The bird has been examined by the veterinarian issuing the health certificate and shows no evidence of any communicable diseases of poultry.
• The shipment will not transit through any region where APHIS considers highly pathogenic avian influenza to exist. (Only applies to pet birds originating in a country free from HPAI.)
• The birds were placed in new or appropriately sanitized packing materials at the premise from which the export process began. 

If your pet bird is traveling to U.S. from a country/region that the U.S. considers to have HPAI:

Either the model health certificate provided HERE (163.81 KB) may be used, or a health certificate issued by the country of export (with English translation) that meets the statements that are listed on the model health certificate.

Additionally, you should carefully review your VS import permit to make sure there are no other requirements or certification statements listed. If you see requirements on your import permit that are different from what is listed above, please check with the office that issued your permit to be sure you understand all the requirements.

Note: It is important to check with the veterinary authorities of the country you are leaving to make sure they don’t have additional export requirements (some countries require testing for birds to leave the country, even though it isn’t required by the U.S. when entering). The veterinarian issuing the health certificate should be your contact for any local government requirements.

You will need to discuss with your airline carrier any specific requirements they have related to your pet bird travel.

Airlines may have different requirements for when the health certificate must be issued. They may also require that the pet birds travel as cargo, which can impact where your inspection occurs on arrival. The airline can also provide information on their requirements for carriers/cages, feed/water, and documentation.

You must contact the VS port veterinarian at least 72 hours prior to arrival to schedule an inspection on arrival.

Your VS import permit will list contact information for the first port of arrival. You should call or email the port as soon as possible to make arrangements for when you arrive. The port veterinarian can provide you more information about the specific process at that airport and what you should expect on arrival. Make sure to tell the veterinarian whether your bird is traveling in the cabin with you, as accompanied baggage, or as unaccompanied cargo, since that will alter where the port personnel will meet you. The port personnel will review your import permit and discuss any additional requirements that might be listed, and can discuss fees and payment options.

Based on your earlier contact with FWS (STEP 3), you should know whether your pet bird is subject to any additional FWS requirements. You will need to coordinate with port FWS personnel to arrange for any inspection or document review that might be needed.

For more information on FWS requirements, please visit their website at: http://www.fws.gov/permits/ and review the fact sheet at: http://www.fws.gov/le/pdf/travelpetbird.pdf.

You may also contact them directly at 703-358-2104 or 800-358-2104.

Make sure to send all the required documentation with your pet bird.

You will need to have the following items:

• The original health certificate issued in the country your bird is leaving
• The original VS import permit
• Original CITES documents (if your pet bird is regulated by FWS)
  • Contact FWS with any questions about CITES documents.

All documentation should accompany the pet bird during travel.

You will need to clear your pet bird with CBP when you arrive in the U.S. 

The CBP OneTM mobile application is available at select U.S. ports of entry to expedite your pet bird’s CBP agriculture inspection. You may request an inspection, upload required documentation, and view the status and details of your inspection prior to arrival.
 

If your bird is flying with you and is not manifested as cargo (i.e. you do not have an airway bill), you will need to declare your bird to CBP when you clear customs. Typically you will then be directed to a secondary CBP agriculture inspection, which is most likely where the VS port veterinarian (and FWS inspector if required) will examine your bird and all of the paperwork.

If your bird is flying as cargo, you will have to talk to the airline cargo company to find out where your bird will be transported to after landing, where to obtain your documentation, and what the procedures are for clearing your bird through customs. If you are on the same flight, you may have to travel to the cargo facility warehouse to meet the port veterinarian (and FWS inspector if required) after you clear customs and passport control. You may need to take your bird’s paperwork to another location to clear your bird through customs. If you have already arrived in the U.S. on an earlier flight, you will need to make arrangements for the time and place of inspection.

For all returning U.S. origin pet birds, when you arrive in the United States, the VS port personnel will examine your bird, confirm its identification (microchip, leg band or tattoo, if present), and review your official documents. If you chose to use a microchip that is not ISO compliant, you must provide a handheld reader capable of reading the microchip implanted in the bird, at the intended port of entry. If there are any discrepancies in the paperwork or identification, or if the bird does not appear healthy, the VS port veterinarian will discuss options with you at that time.

If your pet bird is going into a home quarantine, the VS port veterinarian will collect samples from your bird at the port of entry to test for avian influenza and Newcastle disease.

If your pet bird is going into federal quarantine at an Animal Import Center (AIC), the first samples for avian influenza and Newcastle disease testing are collected at the AIC.

Home Quarantine:
For pet birds that are eligible for a home quarantine, a VS veterinarian will visit your home to collect the second set of samples from your bird to again test for avian influenza and Newcastle disease.  You should be prepared to restrain your bird for the inspection and for sample collection. If your bird bites, you may want to bring a towel or glove for protection. The VS veterinarian will use a small swab to collect a sample from your bird’s cloaca (vent), and you will have to hold your bird for this procedure. 

You will sign the “Agreement of Pet Bird Owner” VS Form 17-8 (77.88 KB) after the initial inspection and sample collection upon arrival. You are asked to affirm the following:

• The bird(s) will be maintained in your personal possession, separate and apart from all other birds and poultry for a minimum of 30 days, until released by VS.
• If you must move the bird(s), you will contact the official listed on the VS Form 17-8 BEFORE movement.
• The bird(s) will be available for inspection by VS during the quarantine, at times specified by VS.
• You will notify the official listed on the VS Form 17-8 if any signs of disease are noted, or the bird(s) dies during quarantine.
• If either of the two (2) samples are positive for  either avian influenza or Newcastle disease, the bird(s) will be euthanized by VS.

The VS port veterinarian will keep the original health certificate issued by the foreign government veterinarian, and will provide you a copy of the VS Form17-8.

Fees for home quarantine:
9CFR 130.10 “User fees for pet birds (a)(2) Which have been out of the U.S. for more than 60 days” – this fee is charged per “lot” or shipment, so if you have more than one pet bird, but they are all going to the same home location for quarantine, you are only charged this fee once. This fee covers the initial inspection and first sample collection at the first port of entry (as long as it is during normal port business hours – see overtime charges below), and the travel time and second inspection and sample collection at your home (7-14 days after entry).   

NOTE: Although the regulations reference a fee for birds which have been out of the United States 60 days or less, this code is not used and the higher fee always applies. 

Fees for testing:
9CFR 130.15 “Virus isolation” – this fee is charged per “lot” and samples from up to 5 pet birds may be combined. This fee is charged twice;– once for the initial cloacal swab test upon arrival, and again for the second set of samples collected during quarantine. Fees are charged directly by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) after the samples are received, therefore you must provide a separate form of payment that is sent directly to NVSL (check, money order, credit card, or APHIS user fee account are acceptable).

Overtime charges:
9CFR 97.1 “Overtime work at laboratories, border ports, ocean ports, and airports” – see the first chart. If your flight arrives before or after normal port duty hours (these will vary from port to port, but are typically 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM), additional overtime fees will apply. These fees will vary depending on the port location and the specific time of service.  You will need to contact the specific port of arrival to get a cost estimate.

Federal Quarantine:
For pet birds that are ineligible for a home quarantine, those birds must complete a 30-day federal quarantine at an Animal Import Center (AIC).

You are required to provide a notice of arrival to VS port personnel at least 72 hours prior to arriving at the U.S. port. Once your bird arrives, it must clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) customs checkpoint. If the CBP port personnel examining your bird notice a health concern, or there is a problem with your paperwork, CBP will notify the VS port veterinarian who will discuss U.S. entry options with you at that time. Otherwise, once the bird clears U.S. customs entry, the VS port personnel will meet your bird at the port location discussed during your notice of arrival. 
 

If your pet bird is required to undergo post-arrival quarantine at an AIC, VS port personnel will oversee the transport of your bird to the AIC to start quarantine. You should discuss arrangements for transport, which vary by port of entry, with the AIC staff prior to arrival in the United States. Importers cannot visit pets while the birds are in quarantine.
 

Fees for federal quarantine:
9CFR 130.10 “User fees for pet birds (b)” – daily user fees vary depending on the number of birds in an isolate (as determined by the APHIS personnel at the AIC). Fees include standard care, feed, and handling per day during the quarantine period.

Compliance assistance charges:
9CFR 130.4 “import compliance assistance – simple or complicated” – this fee may be charged once per lot. You may be required to pay an import compliance assistance fee if there are any discrepancies in your paperwork.

Note: Non-compliance could result in refusal entry of your pet bird into the United States. 

All pet birds are required to have two sets of samples collected and tested for avian influenza and Newcastle disease. The first sample is collected on arrival, and the second set approximately 7-14 days later.

Home Quarantine:
Someone from VS will contact you after the start of home quarantine (based on the contact information provided on the form VS 17-8 that you signed when you arrived with your bird). They will make arrangements to travel to your home to inspect your bird and collect a second set of samples for testing. 

Federal Quarantine:
VS personnel at the federal quarantine facility will collect samples from your bird. You will be responsible for paying the laboratory testing fee.

All pet birds are eligible for release from quarantine 30 days after arrival, assuming the birds are healthy and both sets of samples collected by VS tested negative. Your bird is not officially released from quarantine until you are notified by VS.

Home Quarantine: VS personnel will contact you at least 30 days after the start of home quarantine. They will confirm that they received two sets of negative test results, and will verify that your bird is still healthy. At that time, they will let you know if your bird is released from quarantine. You must comply with the home quarantine requirements until VS notifies you that your bird is released.

Federal Quarantine: Once your bird has been in quarantine for 30 days, and has had two sets of negative test results, it can be released from quarantine. You will need to make arrangements with the quarantine facility to pick up your bird after the 30 days are up. These arrangements should be made prior to the end of the quarantine to avoid extra charges.