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

December 4, 2019

Revised December 1, 2022

Equine Import Requirements for U.S. Returning Horses 

This notice provides the required import documentation for U.S. origin mares and stallions

returning to the United States after residing in countries which APHIS recognizes as 

affected with Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) for a maximum of 60 days in accordance 

with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 93.301(g). The list of APHIS-recognized CEM 

countries can be found here: USDA APHIS | Animal Health Status of Regions. 

Required Import Documentation

i. Copy, original, or certified true copyof the U.S. export health certificate.

a. Proof of date of arrival in the CEM affected region must be shown by stamp OR

other documentation (i.e., trace paper, airway bill, import permit).

ii. Original U.S. import permit issued prior to the horse(s) leaving the United States.

a. Mustsubmit permit application at least 7 business days prior to departure from 

the United States.

b. Permit application should include itinerary. Changes to the issued import permit 

must be requested and completed prior to return to the United States. 

iii. Original health certificates from each CEM-affected country visited. 

a. Each health certificate must include the additional CEM attestations as outlined 

in section VI of the attached supplemental health certificate.

i. The attached supplemental health certificate may be issued by each

CEM-affected country visited if it is not the final country of residence 

exporting to the United States. 

ii. An official health certificate (not the supplemental) must be issued by 

the final country of residence exporting to the United States.

b. Each supplemental health certificate must be endorsed by an official full-time 

salaried Competent Authority of Animal Health of each issuing country, except 

that: 

i. When residing in and moving between EU Member States, each 

supplemental health certificate may be endorsed by an examining 

veterinarian (i.e., licensed or FEI official) only. 

iv. If in continuous transit between/in CEM-affected countries:

a. If in transit for 24 hours or more, additional transit documentation is required to 

cover dates not represented on the health certificates, such as:

i. Original or certified true copies of intrastate/trace papers including dates 

of travel from one CEM affected country to the next or, 

ii. Original travel certification on letterhead from an examiningveterinarian 

(i.e. licensed or FEI official veterinarian) including dates of travel and 

CEM attestations as outlined in section VI of the attached supplemental 

health certificate. This is only accepted if the issuing veterinarian travels

with horses during the time indicated. 

b. If in transit for 36 hours or more in any one country, a health certificate in 

accordance with section iii. is required. 
v. The health certificates must collectively represent the entire time from the date of 

export from the United States until the horse(s) return(s).

vi. All required documentation must be presented at the port of entry. 

If required documentation is not presented at time of arrival or if U.S. horses have resided 

more than 60 days in a CEM affected region prior to return, CEM testing and quarantine 

will be required at a state approved facility. USDA encourages importers to verify that all 

U.S. import requirements are met prior to export. 

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

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

email LAIE@usda.gov.
 

Supplemental Health Certificate for the Temporary Export of U.S. Origin Horses from the 

United States to multiple CEM-Affected Regions in the 60 days Preceding Return to the United 

States and Requiring a Three-Day Quarantine

I. Identification of Animal

Name Breed Sex Age Color Microchip

II. Country Visited: 

III. Address of Premises of Temporary Residence : 

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

V. Animal Health Attestations: 

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

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.

VI. Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) attestations for intact mares and stallions: 

a. Insofar as I can determine, since residing in ( temporary country of residence), the 

horse:

• has been held separate and apart from all other horses except for the time it was actually 

participating in an event or was being exercised by its trainer;

• has not been on any premises where horses were held or used for breeding purposes;

• has not been bred nor had other sexual contact or genital examination while residing in the 

above country;

• has been transported onlyin cleaned and disinfected vehicles and was not accompanied by 

any other horse of a different health status.

Examining Veterinarian

Clinic/FEIstamp1 Printed Name1 Signature1 Date

Competent Authority of Animal Health

Official Stamp1 Printed Name1 Signature1 Date 1 Original wet-ink signatures are required.