Before booking, confirm current requirements with the Thai DLD, your airline and the origin-country authority.
Source check details
GOV.UK’s certificate 2917 page was checked on 14 October 2026. Thailand’s DLD import steps were checked on 7 October 2026 against the DLD’s manuals. The other Thai import claims were rechecked on 5 August 2026 against Thai consular/DLD guidance updated 2 February 2026. This is an orientation: rules can change without notice. Before booking or travel, confirm every requirement with Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development (DLD), your airline and your origin-country authority.
Start with the exact origin and arrival route
This page does not claim one worldwide certificate model or endorsement chain. Ask the origin-country competent authority and responsible Thai AQS to identify the form, examiner, endorser, original-versus-electronic rule and validity window for the actual species and itinerary. The country guides provide worked examples only where current authority evidence is recorded.
Make a document control sheet
Before the appointment, ask the issuing vet to check one list against the actual itinerary. Keep the authority reply alongside the form so the endorser or agent can see which instructions you followed.
| Record | What to write down |
|---|---|
| Form and version | Exact official title, download date and issuing authority. |
| Animal identity | Name, species and identifier as recorded by the examining vet; flag disagreements before signing. |
| Who does what | Examining vet, government endorser and person collecting the final original. |
| Date rule | Event that starts validity, last acceptable use date and endorsement appointment. |
| Travel copy | Where the required original travels and who holds a backup. |
If a flight changes, send the revised itinerary to the document issuer and arrival authority. A scan helps recover information; it does not replace an original when the route requires one.
Worked example: a pet from the USA
For dogs, cats and rabbits travelling from the USA, the Thai consulate’s guide uses an Official Health Certificate (OHC) completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by APHIS/USDA. It says only the original OHC with the USDA stamp is accepted and gives a 10-day validity from USDA endorsement. Those facts are USA-specific. Thai consulate guide, pets from the USA.
Worked example: a pet from Great Britain
From England, Scotland or Wales, the certificate is export health certificate 2917, “Export cats and dogs to Thailand”. You apply through the government’s online export service, and an official vet signs it. Read the certificate’s guidance notes for its timing. GOV.UK certificate 2917, checked 14 October 2026; see also our UK to Thailand guide.
The permit and certificate order is route-dependent
The Thai consulate’s guide for pets from the USA offers two paths. Its pre-travel email path receives the DLD import permit before the accredited veterinarian issues the OHC. An accompanied traveller may instead apply for the permit at AQS on arrival only with the original endorsed OHC and other required records ready; some airlines may still require the Thai permit before boarding. Other origins must obtain their own written sequence. Thai consulate guide, pets from the USA.
Common mistakes
- Generic vet letter — use the exact certificate the origin authority and AQS identify.
- Copied validity window — the USA source’s 10-day OHC rule is not a worldwide default.
- Electronic-only USA record — the guide for pets from the USA requires the original USDA-stamped OHC.
- Identifier discrepancy — check the microchip identifier against the required route records before endorsement.
What comes next
Confirm the written sequence with the DLD import-permit guide and obtain the operating carrier’s documentary rule under airline pet policies. The vaccinations are covered in our rabies & titer guide.
After the AQS inspection — reaching Pattaya
For pets from the USA, the Thai consulate’s guide says the importer presents the animal and original documents for AQS inspection, and that Forms R-6 and R-7 are issued there. The DLD allows itself up to 1 working day 6 hours to issue the R.7 (DLD import licence manual), so do not plan on same-day release. Thai consulate guide, pets from the USA. After the AQS releases the animal, use a road vehicle that explicitly accepts the animal and crate.
Your R.1/1 goes to the animal quarantine station at the airport you land at, and the import licence (R.7) is issued there (DLD import approval manual). The DLD’s list of stations names none at U-Tapao (DLD AQS map); the Chonburi station covers its district (DLD station areas), so confirm in writing before you book a U-Tapao arrival.
Settling in Pattaya
Confirm pet-friendly housing, save a local veterinary contact and discuss heat and parasite prevention with a veterinarian. Keep every stamped AQS record. For a later UK or EU journey, check the destination’s titer rules. Australia instead requires an approved-country pathway under the standard non-approved-origin route. DAFF FAQ.
Official sources
Official sources to verify against: Thai consular/DLD pet-import guide (updated 2 February 2026; its detailed instruction covers only dogs, cats and rabbits from the USA); DLD import application form R1/1 (via the guide or DLD Animal Quarantine stations); Suvarnabhumi AQS import: qsap_bkk_import@dld.go.th.
Frequently asked
Can my normal vet do the health certificate?
Ask the origin-country competent authority who may examine the animal, complete the exact form and endorse it. For pets from the USA, a USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the OHC and APHIS/USDA endorses it; this page does not transfer that chain to another country.
What if my travel date moves?
Recheck the certificate’s actual validity and any permit or carrier dates with the issuing and arrival authorities. The US health certificate (OHC) is valid for 10 days from USDA endorsement, so a delay can require a new document; another route can differ.
How long does government endorsement take?
No universal processing time is stated here. Obtain the current service estimate from the competent authority that will endorse the exact route document, then leave contingency before the document-validity window closes.
Does Thailand accept a copy of the health certificate?
The Thai consulate’s guide for pets from the USA requires the original USDA-endorsed OHC and says electronic copies are not valid. Ask the responsible AQS what original or electronic format applies to another origin; do not generalise the USA rule.
Which country page shows a worked example?
See our UK import guide for EHC 2917 and APHA endorsement as a full worked example.
Which airport is better for Pattaya — BKK or U-Tapao?
Plan for Suvarnabhumi unless the DLD confirms U-Tapao in writing. Your R.1/1 goes to the station at your arrival airport and the import licence (R.7) is issued there (DLD import approval manual). The DLD’s list of stations names none at U-Tapao (DLD station map); the Chonburi station covers its district (DLD station areas), so ask that station in writing before you book. From Suvarnabhumi, Pattaya is a road transfer.
What should I do after reaching Pattaya?
Confirm housing, save a local vet, keep every AQS document and ask a veterinarian about heat and parasite prevention for the individual animal.
Will I need a titer test later?
That depends on the next destination. UK and EU routes can require a titer and wait. Australia’s standard route from a non-approved origin requires an approved country first; do not assume a test performed in Thailand qualifies.