Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection 

Service

Veterinary Services 

Strategy and Policy 

Live Animal Imports

4700 River Road

Unit 39

Riverdale, MD 20737

(301) 851-3000

August 13, 2020

Revised August 22, 2022

Equine Import Requirements for Horses Residing in Multiple European

Union (EU) Member States During the 60 Days Prior to Export to the United

States

This notice outlines the required import documentation for EU origin horses 

residing in multiple EU member states during the 60 days prior to export to the 

United States. Original documentation that accompanies imported horses must 

represent and attest to the residency period for all 60 days prior to export. 

The following requirements are fully enforced at all United States ports of entry:

1. An official health certificate must be issued by the last EU member state the 

horse resides in immediately prior to export. This certificate must be signed

and endorsed by the official salaried veterinarian of the exporting country 

government.

a. If the official veterinarian is also the examining veterinarian, only one 

signature is required. 

2. When EU origin horses reside in multiple EU member states during the 60

days prior to export, health certificates from these countries can be signed by 

the licensed, examining veterinarian. Only the health certificate from the 

exporting country must be signed and endorsed by the official veterinarian of 

the exporting country. 

3. If travel between EU member states extends more than 24 hours, additional 

transit documentation is required to cover dates not represented on the health 

certificate or supplemental documents.

Additionally, fillable health certificates for each EU member country are available 

for immediate use on our website: USDA APHIS VS Equine Import and Export.

An original health certificate with wet ink endorsement from the issuing authority 

must still accompany each equine presented for entry to the United States. USDA 

encourages importers to verify that all U.S. import requirements are met prior to 

export. Import requirements can also be found on our website. 

The attached addendum provides the required health certifications for horses 

qualifying for entry as outlined in 9 CFR 93.301(e) and may be used for each 

country the horse(s) resides in during the 60 day period prior to export. This 

addendum does not apply to EU origin horses qualifying for entry with special 

provisions as outlined in 9 CFR 93.301(d) and 9 CFR 93.301(f). An endorsed 

official health certificate is still required from the immediate exporting country.

For more information, questions please visit the USDA APHIS VS Live Animal 

Imports website or contact Live Animal Imports at (301) 851-3300, option 2, or 

email LAIE@usda.gov. 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
Supplemental Document for the Importation of Horses to the United 

States that resided in multiple EU Member States

I. Identification of Animal

Name Breed Sex Age Color Microchip

II. Country Resided In: 

III. Address of Premises: 

IV. Dates of Residence (mm/dd/yyyy):

V. Animal Health Attestations:

I, the undersigned, certify that the horse described above meets the following:

a. The horse has been residing in the country specified above for (number) days.

b. The horse described was inspected on the premises listed above on (mm/dd/ 

yyyy) and found to be free of contagious diseases and, insofar as can be determined, not 

exposed to communicable or contagious diseases immediately preceding exportation, during 

the indicated period of residency; 

c. The horse has not been vaccinated with a live, attenuated or inactivated vaccine during the 

period of residency, if within 14 days preceding exportation to the United States. 

d. That, insofar as I can determine, African horse sickness, dourine, glanders, surra, epizootic 

lymphangitis, ulcerative lymphangitis, equine piroplasmosis, equine infectious anemia 

(EIA), contagious equine metritis (CEM), vesicular stomatitis, or Venezuelan equine 

encephalomyelitis has not occurred on the residing premises during the period of residency, 

nor have these diseases occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period of time;

e. The horse was examined and found to be free of ectoparasites.

f. For horses less than 731 days of age, has never been used for breeding, either live or artificial.

VI. For mares and stallions over 731 days of age or under 731 days of age which

have been used for breeding (AND have been tested for CEM in the above resided country):

For intact males over 731 days of age, and intact males less than 731 days of age which have 

been used for breeding: 

i. On (date and time), specimens (4) were collected from the 

mucosal surface of the prepuce, the urethral sinus, the distal urethra and the fossa 

glandis (including the diverticulum of the fossa glandis). The date of sampling is within 

30 days of export but not less than 21 days following treatment if treated for CEM. 

For intact females over 731 days of age, and intact females less than 731 days of age, which have 

been used for breeding: 

i. On (date and time), specimens (3) were collected from the 

mucosal surface of the clitoral fossa, clitoral sinuses, and if the mare is not pregnant, the 

distal cervix or endometrium. The date of sampling is within 30 days of export but not 

less than 21 days following treatment if treated for CEM. 
All specimens were received and plated within 48 hours of collection by a laboratory 

approved by the national veterinary service of the region of export to perform bacteriological 

tests for CEM.

Name of Laboratory Used:

Collection Date and Time:

Result: Date:

The horse described on the health certificate must not have been used for natural breeding, for 

the collection of semen for artificial insemination in the case of stallions, or for artificial 

insemination in the case of mares, from the time the specimens were collected through the date 

of export. 

Either:

The horse has never cultured positive for the CEM organism.

OR

The horse cultured positive on (date), and was treated for CEM in a 

manner approved by the national veterinary service of the region of export using 

(describe protocol). The 

horse was cultured again at least 21 days after the treatment was completed, and cultured 

negative on (date).

Examining Veterinarian

Clinic/FEI stamp Printed Name Signature Date

An original wet ink signature is required by the Examining Veterinarian.