International flights with a service dog: airline rules and country rules

Which rules apply on an international flight?

Think of it as two layers.

• The airline layer. The DOT rule covers US airlines everywhere and foreign airlines "only with respect to flights you operate that begin or end at a U.S. airport" (14 CFR 382.7(b)). On those flights the airline may require the DOT service animal form, and the relief form for a segment of 8 hours or more. The rule bars other paperwork, except what "a Federal agency, a U.S. territory, or a foreign jurisdiction" requires.
• The country layer. The destination decides who and what may enter. USDA APHIS puts it plainly: "Your destination country sets the entry requirements for pets, which can change at any time. You must verify the country requirements every time you plan to travel with your pet." And: "Neither your accredited veterinarian nor USDA APHIS can waive the requirements of another country." No APHIS page describes a service dog exemption.

On flights that do not touch the US, the foreign airline's home rules apply instead, and several ask for proof of training that US flights never require.

International flight service dog paperwork: a checklist

1. The destination's entry rules, read on its government site and on APHIS's page for that country.
2. A USDA-accredited veterinarian, contacted "as soon as you decide to travel", for the health certificate and any tests. APHIS endorses export certificates, including through its online system, VEHCS.
3. Microchip first, then rabies. Both the UK and the EU require the chip before the vaccine, and so does the CDC for dogs coming back.
4. The DOT form for the airline, plus the relief form if a segment runs 8 hours or more.
5. The airline's own international steps (for example, United asks you to call its accessibility desk and carry printed forms for international, Hawaii and Guam trips).
6. Pre-approval at the destination airport where required, such as the UK's Animal Reception Centres.
7. Training evidence if any leg is on a foreign airline outside the US.
8. A CDC Dog Import Form, submitted before you fly home.

What US airlines say about international service dog travel

• United (Archive capture of 2026-08-30): "Some international destinations require your service dog to be trained by a recognized accredited organization." It requires a health and vaccination certificate on all international flights "including flights to Canada and Mexico", rabies at least 28 days before travel, and a dog at least 6 months old on international flights. See United's policy.
• American (Archive capture of 2026-08-22): London Heathrow needs Animal Reception Centre approval "at least 7 days before your flight", and "The HARC charges a fee (£410) for animals that do not meet the criteria for assistance animals." Edinburgh wants "an ID card or valid certificate from the organization that trained or supplied the animal." India needs a No Objection Certificate at least 7 days ahead, Japan contact "no less than 40 days before your arrival", and Auckland and Hong Kong take dogs only, no ESAs. See American's policy.
• Delta: "Some countries prohibit the entry or transit of animals. Visit the local government's consulate."
• Southwest: "Trained service dogs are not accepted for travel to/from Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)."
• Alaska and Hawaiian: contact the destination consulate "at least 4 weeks prior", and for some international routes expect training by an ADI or IGDF member or an equivalent program, "with documentation available upon request".

Foreign airlines on non-US routes often go further. Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France all ask for a trainer-issued ID card or certificate on some routes, and Lufthansa says "Teach-yourself and online training sites are also not recognised."

Can psychiatric service dogs fly internationally?

On a flight to or from the US, yes, exactly like any other service dog: the DOT rule treats psychiatric service dogs the same way and does not allow a mental health letter to be required. Lufthansa names them outright, accepting "a psychiatric assistance dog" on its flights.

The harder part is the destination and any non-US leg. The UK says "Dogs that only provide emotional support are not usually considered recognised assistance dogs", and airlines that ask for proof of training from an organization can make things hard for an owner-trained dog. Air Canada, for example, says that where no provincial certification exists, dogs not trained by a service dog organization or specialist "are not currently accepted for domestic or international travel" on its non-US flights. It accepts government certifications from Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and runs an evaluation program with K-9 Country Inn for owner-trained dogs in Ontario and Quebec. Plan the route around the strictest leg. More on psychiatric service dogs in our psychiatric service dog guide.

Flying to the UK with a service dog

Great Britain's pet rules "also apply if you're travelling with your guide or assistance dog" (GOV.UK, updated 2026-09-15). For a dog flying from the US: a microchip before the rabies vaccine, a vaccine given at 12 weeks or older, entry "at least 21 full days after the first vaccination", tapeworm treatment between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival, and a Great Britain pet health certificate signed by an official vet, with entry within 10 days. The US is a listed country, so no blood test. A dog that does not comply can be quarantined "for up to 4 months".

Assistance dogs may "travel on more routes than people with pets" and fly in the cabin, but only on airline and airport pairs registered with the UK government. That list (updated 2026-09-25) includes American (Gatwick, Manchester), Delta (Edinburgh, Gatwick, Manchester), United (Glasgow, Heathrow), JetBlue (Gatwick, Heathrow) and Alaska (Heathrow). You also need pre-approval from the arrival airport's Animal Reception Centre; British Airways says at least 72 hours ahead, and American says at least 7 days for Heathrow.

Flying to the EU with a service dog

The EU changed its pet travel law on April 22, 2026. Under the new rules the EU animal health certificate must be issued "not more than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU" and is then "valid for travel between EU countries for 6 months from this date or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever lapses first" (Your Europe, last checked 2026-09-01). The rabies vaccine must follow the microchip, be given at 12 weeks or older, and becomes valid 21 days after the first dose. The US is a listed country, so no rabies blood test. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before entry. Old-model certificates are accepted only if issued before October 1, 2026.

There is no assistance dog exemption from these health rules. EU passenger rights cover "Carriage of recognised assistance dogs in the cabin, subject to national regulations", which is why European airlines ask for proof of training from a recognized organization on flights that do not touch the US.

Mexico and the screwworm certificate

New in 2026: from August 3, 2026, airlines flying to Mexico ask for a New World Screwworm inspection certificate issued no more than 5 days before travel. United says it "applies to service dogs and those traveling as in-cabin pets", and Southwest checks it at check-in. APHIS also requires a screwworm certificate for dogs entering the US from Mexico. Alaska and Hawaiian go further and say travel with service dogs to Mexico and Costa Rica "is not recommended" for now.

Coming home: the CDC dog import rules

Every dog entering the US, service dogs included, must meet 42 CFR 71.51: "at least six (6) months old", a microchip "implanted prior to arrival" (a rabies vaccine given before the chip is invalid), and a CDC Dog Import Form submitted before arrival. The CDC says it plainly: "Service dogs must meet the same requirements as all other dogs entering the United States."

• From a low-risk country (Canada, Mexico, the UK and the EU are not on the high-risk list): the CDC Dog Import Form is the only document. It is free, and the receipt is valid for 6 months.
• A US-vaccinated dog returning from a high-risk country (the list includes Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, India, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Vietnam): the import form receipt and "the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form", completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before you leave. "USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after July 31, 2025, will not be accepted for re-entry."
• A dog vaccinated abroad, from a high-risk country: a rabies titer from a CDC-approved lab and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, with a 28-day quarantine if there is no valid titer.

The CDC offers service dog handlers some practical help (faster handling at the animal care facility, a seaport option, and someone else may fill in the form for you), but no exemption. Emotional support animals and dogs in training get none of it, because the CDC does not count them as service animals.

Common questions

Sources

1. 14 CFR 382.7, which carriers the rule covers
2. USDA APHIS, taking a pet from the US to another country
3. 42 CFR 71.51, dog importation (eCFR)
4. CDC, dog importation FAQ
5. CDC, US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries
6. GOV.UK, bringing your pet to Great Britain
7. GOV.UK, assistance dogs
8. Your Europe, travelling with pets

General information, not legal advice. Policies and laws change; follow the sources. Last checked September 25, 2026.