Pet Bird Travel

Bringing birds to the UK: Guidelines for bird travel

To travel with your bird into the UK, you need to follow these procedures:

• You will need a Pet Bird Import Licence.
  
• You will also need an EC veterinary health certificate. This should be completed and endorsed by the relative authorities in the originating country (Annex II & owner’s declaration included). Please see further down the page to see examples of the endorsement stamps.
• If the bird is covered by CITES, you will need CITES import & export permits. Apply through Animal Health Bristol for the UK import permit. You must obtain the CITES export permit from the authorities in the originating country. Please visit the CITES website for more information.
  
• In order for us to clear the pet through customs we will need to complete the ‘Importers Instruction to JCS Livestock’ & ‘Owners Declaration to HM Revenue & Customs’ forms.
• We need all copies of all of the above two working days prior to the import. Please let us know the flight details as soon as possible.
• We will need original copies of all of the documents (including all 3 pages of each CITES permit) in order to clear the bird(s) through customs.  Customs clearance for birds can take up to 4 - 5 hours after the flight lands.  You must collect your pets within around 5 hours of their arrival at the (HARC) Animal Reception Centre or (ACC) Animal Air Care (if they travel with British Airways) to avoid boarding charges.
• Clearance charges are not prepaid at the airport of origin but paid on collection from Heathrow. Please contact our pet shipping service for further details on charges.

Our bird transport team is happy to help if you have any questions regarding the above. Bird travel can be a stressful process, so let us help to make it as stress-free as possible!

Learn: How to Import Pet Birds to the UK