Revised 8/24/2018 1 | Page

Veterinary Services Process Streamlining

Animal Import Module (AIM)

On-Line Process for

Land Border Port Importers/Brokers

VSPS website: https://vsapps.aphis.usda.gov/vsps

Pop-up Blockers: Before logging into a Veterinary Services 

Process Streamlining (VSPS) module, turn off/disable your 

web browser’s pop-up blocker function.

Required fields: In VSPS, you must enter information into 

the fields next to text with a red-colored asterisk(*).

Warning!

DO NOT use the browser back button in the VSPS 

application. Doing so will kick you out of the application. 

Instead, use the ‘breadcrumbs’ at the top of the screen: 

For example:

Scope:

This job aid provides instructions for the Importer/Broker to 

use when working in the VSPS Animal Import module. 

The action items reflect the process flow diagram.

Importation Request will sometimes be referred to as “IR”.

For problems with your eAuthentication

username/password:

eAuthentication Helpdesk: 1-800-457-3642 (Option 1)

eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov

For problems with using VSPS contact:

VS.VSPS.U.S.Imports.Help@aphis.usda.gov

Process Flow Preliminary Steps

(One time process)

The process flow diagram below shows the sequence of steps 

that Importers/Brokers perform in the VSPS Animal Import 

Module to create an Importation Request: 1. Go to the eAuthentication website: 

https://www.eauth.usda.gov/ 

2. Click on Create an Account.

3. Click on Register for a Level 1 Account.

4. Create your brief customer profile.

5. Respond to the confirmation e-mail within 7 days to 

activate your account.

Log into the Veterinary Services Process Streamlining (VSPS) 

website: https://vsapps.aphis.usda.gov/vsps using your 

eAuthentication user name and password. If you have problems

logging in, contact the e-Authentication Help Desk.

If there are current notices that apply to you, they are displayed 

now. After reading the notice, click in Confirm Notice

checkbox, and click on Submit.

Enter current information in ALL required fields (at a 

minimum). Click the button to save.

• The information you enter in your user profile will show 

in the Importer area when creating an Importation 

Request.

• If you need to update your information click Personal 

Profile on the left, then click My User Profile.

Click the Request Role link next to the Importer role.

Click the Request button on the Request Role screen.

• The role will be approved by the MCAS helpdesk 

typically within 24 hours during the weekday. 

• No notification will be sent when the role is approved. 

Check the role status by going to Personal Profile, then 

click My Roles.

Helpful Tips Section

Start

Perform Preliminary Steps

(One time process)

Create New Importation 

Request

Attach Documents

Submit to Port

End

Action #4

Action #3

Action #2

Action #1

Other Functions

Find My Existing 

Importations

Appendix A

1. OBTAIN eAuthentication LEVEL 1

2. LOG INTO VSPS SYSTEM

3. VIEW NOTICES

4. COMPLETE YOUR USER PROFILE

5. SELECT A ROLE

Address Book

Appendix B

To start another Importation 

Add Animal Information
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Action #1

Create Importation Request (IR)

Action #2

Add Animal information

Click on Animal Import in the dark blue navigation bar. 

Click on Routine Import > Create New Importation.

Enter data into appropriate fields. See list below for all fields.

Required fields have a red asterisk (*).

*Port of Arrival – The U.S. port at which the animal(s) is 

expected to enter the country.

*Date of Entry – Date the animal(s) enters the U.S.

*Health Certificate Country – Country that issued 

the Health Certificate for the animal(s).

*Port of Embarkation (City and State/Province, Country)

Type the City and State/Province, select the Country from the 

drop down list.

Transit Void After – *Not needed for Feeder Cattle.

Port of Exit – *Not needed for Feeder Cattle. *Customs Entry Number – Enter the customs entry number. 

If not available check the ‘not available’ box.

Permit Numbers – Enter if known. One number per line.

Vehicle Identifiers – Identification numbers for vehicles 

associated with an importation if known or applicable. One 

number per line.

Health Certificate Numbers – Health certificate numbers 

associated with the animals involved with an importation. One number per line.

The following contact information applies to the Importer, 

Broker, Destination, Shipper, & Consignee. Click the icon 

to search for a contact in the Address Book. If the contact 

information is not in your address book, manually enter it into 

the fields. If you will use an address more than once save it to 

your address book by clicking after entering the 

name/address.

Required fields have a red asterisk (*).

Business Name – Name of business associated with the address.

First Name/Last Name – First & last name of the contact.

** Either Business Name or First and Last Name are required.

*Address 1 – Street address for this contact.

Address 2 – Additional address information (Apt#, Bldg#, etc.)

*Postal Code – Postal/zip code for the address.

**When you enter a postal code and click the tab button on the 

keyboard the system will search for the City and State 

associated and automatically enter it if found.

*City/State – Name of city & State associated with this

address.

Note: Select the country first.

Country – Name of country associated with this address.

Phone – Phone number for the contact. 

Note: If you are entering a non-U.S. number, manually 

enter the country code.

Read and check the ‘I affirm’ box and click Create to 

create the IR. (The status of IR is Initial)

The information you entered is now displayed in the 

Importation Request Summary section.

Click the Create Animals button on the Importation Request 

Summary Screen. 

You will need to select the Animal Characteristics.

The below example is for Bovine Feeder Cattle:

Select the following options:

Unit: Live Animal

Group: Bovine

Species: Bovine

Unit of Measure: Number

Purpose of Importation: Feeding

**What you selected will show under the Quick Picks to the 

right the next time you create an importation. You can click 

on the quick pick item for quicker data entry.

Define Animals by clicking the Upload button.

You will see an Upload Animal Information File section.

Browse... 

Click Browse...and navigate to the appropriate Excel file 

template that contains the animal details. Double-click on 

the file. The file path appears in the field.

Click Upload and Create to create the animal group.

The animal details you uploaded are now listed and two 

messages appear. The number of animals you uploaded will 

be listed.

Click Return to get back to the Importation Request 

Summary screen. The animal information you entered is 

now displayed in the Animal Groups section.

Importation Request Fields

Contact Information

Define Animals
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Action #3

Attach Documents

To add attachments

Go to the Form Management section of the Importation Request, click on [New] next to Attachments.

A data entry screen is displayed:

File – Click the Browse... button to find and select the appropriate file to attach to the Importation Request. The path & file name 

display in the field after you select a file.

Name to Use– Type the name of the file, as you want it to appear in VSPS.

 If you leave the area blank, the name will be the name of the file.

Click Create to create the attachment.

Click Return to return to the previous screen, without creating the attachment.

In the Form Management section, you now see your attachment:

[View] Click, to view the attachment.

[Delete]Click, to delete the attachment.

You can add multiple attachments. Click [New] to add another attachment.

Action #4

Submit to Port

Review all information to make sure it’s accurate. Click the Submit button to submit the Importation Request to the Port.

Note: You will have the option to Edit the Importation Request up until the port views the importation request.

When the port views the Importation Request the status will be ‘Under Review’.
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Appendix A

Address Book

Click Business Profile > Address Book

Click Search to see all addresses entered in your address 

book.

To narrow the search, enter a Business Name, First Name 

or Last Name and click Search.

To add a contact to the address book

In the Action drop down box ‘Add Entry to Book’ is 

selected by default and Personal Address Book is 

selected. 

Click Go.

• Enter the required fields marked with a red 

asterisk (*) under contact information, main 

address and phone number.

• Check the ‘I affirm...’ checkbox.

• Click Save & Return.

To edit an existing contact

• Search for a contact in your address book.

• Click Edit next to the contact you want to 

update.

• Update the contact information and check the ‘I 

affirm...’ checkbox.

• Click Save & Return.

Address Book Options:

In the Action drop down box you have the following options:

Add Entry to Book – Add a contact to the address book selected.

 

Copy selected to Book – used to copy addresses to a shared address 

book.

Delete Selected – Search for a contact, check the box next to the 

contact, select the ‘delete selected’ option and click Go.

Export and Import - options are not functional at this time.

Mark as Inactive - You can mark a contact as inactive if you don’t 

want it to show in the search results, but if you want to save it for 

possible future use. 

Mark as Active - You can search for and mark it as active again if 

needed.
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Appendix B

Find My Existing Importations

Click Animal Import > Routine Import > Find Existing Importation.

Click the button without entering any other search criteria to view all importations you have created.

Enter one or more of the following search values and click the button to narrow the results.

Port of Arrival - United States port that the animals (identified on the Importation Request) entered or will enter through.

Search by Name fields – (Importer, Broker, Destination, Shipper, Consignee) – Enter a first or last name separated by a single space. You may 

also enter a partial name and insert an asterisk (*) in place of missing letters.

 

Date of Entry – Starting date of a date range in which the animals reached the port of arrival.

Through – Ending date of a date range in which the animals reached the port of arrival.

Document Number – Number auto-assigned by VSPS to the importation request. If you haven’t submitted the importation request to the port 

yet, this number will start with a T-.

Status – Current status of the Importation Request

Still able to edit the IR

Initial – The importer/broker has created an Importation Request (IR), but has not submitted it to a port.

Submitted to Port – The importer/broker has submitted the IR to a port.

Can no longer edit the IR (view access only)

Under Review – The port is reviewing the IR. 

Approved – The port has approved the IR and is processing it.

Received – The port has received the IR and is processing it.

Closed – The port has completed the IR.

Voided – The IR is nullified.

Species – Species of the animals being imported.

Unit Type – Type of animal import.

Animal ID – Enter an identification number for the animals being imported. In the Select ID Type field, select the type of ID.

Attached Document Type – Type of document that is attached to the IR you area searching for.

Purpose – Purpose of the importation.

Destination State – State (in the United States) to which the animals are being delivered.

The following functions, based on the Importation Request status, are available for the Importation Requests in the search results list.

Example of search results below: