Any updates from recent applicants?

I don't believe you need the APHIS Form 7001.

I should re-phrase this. I believe it depends on the airline you are using for your pet. You should check with them in advance if this is a form they specifically require. The UK does NOT require, that's what I was referring to earlier. Hope this helps!

All approved airlines use this form for entry into the UK via their shipping route. It's a requirement on the U.S. Side, but you are correct not on the UK side. The UK need the Annex IV form.




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I wish our vet was competent enough to do the form for us...I've never encountered one who had even done a UK dog before.


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All approved airlines use this form for entry into the UK via their shipping route. It's a requirement on the U.S. Side, but you are correct not on the UK side. The UK need the Annex IV form.




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Which airline are you using out of curiosity? I am using United, and I have spoken with someone from the APHIS office in NY (this is where mine will be endorsed) and they said to check beforehand as its not always required. And it does not need to be endorsed by the APHIS vet, but they will do it free of charge when you send in your Annex IV form should you want to have it endorsed.

I am curious about this now because I don't want to get to the airport and have any issues!!

Maybe United doesn't in that case? We're on BA. World cargo. United couldn't fit his crate.


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Maybe United doesn't in that case? We're on BA. World cargo.


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Ah okay. I have also spoken with another fellow visa applicant. She was also flying United and told me step by step everything I needed to do to get my cats safely to the UK without any issues. She never once mentioned that form. But just to be sure, I will be contacting United this evening to double check.

Best of luck to you!

Likewise! My aphis office sent it to me with the other paperwork so good you're checking! Let us know what you find! This is my second time flying the dog.


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I'm also going to say for ....ILUVABRIT....everyone  hates you right now...we've all been waiting for a long time and still nothing...glad you've got it sorted though... Not bitter!!


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I just got an email from Sheffield regarding the return mailing:

Further to our recent e-mail confirming the receipt of the above application, we have been unable to locate an international courier account number with the documents submitted.  Unfortunately, The DHL account number provided is invalid.

We are unable to despatch your documents unless an international courier customer account number is supplied.

We are pleased to announce a new service allowing US customers to purchase courier services through our commercial partner.  Further information on this service can be found at http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html

In order to purchase a return courier service through VFS please visit their website, http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/  and select the shopping cart where you will find the option to purchase the required courier service. Once you have completed this transaction please email your Airway Bill to us at VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk including the words “Courier Account Number” together with your VAF number, which can be found above, in the subject heading.

You are free to choose your own courier service but please be aware that we are no longer able to accept FedEx as one of the International couriers to return documents to the USA or Canada.  If you have supplied, or were intending to supply FedEx account details, you will unfortunately have to provide an account with a different courier.  This information is reflected on our website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

We can inform you that a courier account can be created free of charge online, or in most cases over the phone and is used as a payment method instead of using a credit card number (which we cannot use by itself unfortunately).  If the international courier account number can be provided, there should be no further issues in despatching the documents once the application is completed.

We would therefore be grateful if you would send our office an account number or airway bill to be used as soon as possible, quoting our above reference in the reply. Please send your response to the following e-mail address: VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

To help our staff monitoring incoming emails to the Visa Section, please include the VAF number above, and the words "Courier Account Number".  This will speed up the linking of information to your application and help reduce delays.

Please note that your passport must be returned to you in the USA.

Kind regards,

Sheffield Visa Section, UK


I have to admit, the mailing part was the thing I found the most difficult to find info on. I was initially going to only include my UPS account number but when I got to the UPS store to mail the packet, the manager said that he strongly advised giving anyone my account number. So we created a prepaid return envelope in the store (the same cost as the initial application sent to the UK) and included the label and envelope in the application packet. We actually used DHL because they were cheaper than UPS (the store was a joint UPS / DHL store).

I did write on my cover letter, "Please use the prepaid envelope for return of my documents" but perhaps Sheffield cannot use it for some reason. I'm going to call DHL to set up an account this morning and email the info to Sheffield.

I know that the government is trying to get more people to use VFS for everything but they were the most expensive in terms of courier price. If I had the choice again I would probably use them just for ease of use.

Having said all this, that means that someone is looking at my application which is great! Just thought this info might be useful!

UK job offer: 27/07/15
Applied online: 28/07/15
Biometrics: 03/08/15
Sending application (PRIORITY): 04/08/15
App received in Sheffield: 07/08/15
Acknowledgement email: 12/08/15
Email asking for DHL account: 17/08/15
UK citizen flying out 01/09/15...

Business days since applying online - 14
Business days since app arrived in Sheffield - 6
Business days since app was acknowledged - 3

Oh my! How frustrating!


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I did write on my cover letter, "Please use the prepaid envelope for return of my documents" but perhaps Sheffield cannot use it for some reason. I'm going to call DHL to set up an account this morning and email the info to Sheffield.

You cannot pre-pay the return shipping back from Sheffield because it's international shipping and there's no way to know the shipping costs or package weight before they mail it back. It either has to be done by Sheffield when they are ready to mail it back to you, or you need to use the VFS Global return shipping which is a special fixed-price, pre-paid service.

What you need to do is go to the DHL website, create an online account and then email your online account number to Sheffield.. no need to call or go to the store at all.

UKVI in Sheffield will then charge the cost of your shipping to your online account when they return your documents.

Or you can do the same with UPS - create an online account and give Sheffield your online account number so they can charge the shipping to your account.

Edited to add: I would also see if you can get a refund from DHL for the return shipping because they shouldn't have sold it to you in the first place.

You cannot pre-pay the return shipping back from Sheffield because it's international shipping and there's no way to know the shipping costs or package weight before they mail it back. It either has to be done by Sheffield when they are ready to mail it back to you, or you need to use the VFS Global return shipping which is a special fixed-price, pre-paid service.

I thought I was being clever...I included a list of documents that I needed to be returned to me. That didn't include the banks statements etc which weigh a ton. The UPS guy said that after a certain weight, it's all pretty much the same when you are sending documents. Lesson learned.

What you need to do is go to the DHL website, create an online account and then email your online account number to Sheffield.. no need to call or go to the store at all.

I don't think DHL lets you sign up online anymore. You have to sign up to show an interest and then a sales person will call you back. I will see if I can get a refund for that today too :-)

Dog is ready to fly...they did endorse the APHIS Form 7001 in case people were wondering for dogs


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You cannot pre-pay the return shipping back from Sheffield because it's international shipping and there's no way to know the shipping costs or package weight before they mail it back. It either has to be done by Sheffield when they are ready to mail it back to you, or you need to use the VFS Global return shipping which is a special fixed-price, pre-paid service.

I ended up just using VFS. DHL seem like they will take forever to get back to me! *fingers crossed*

I also managed to get my original return postage refunded by DHL...now hoping that Sheffield doesn't mail the DHL envelope with a UPS label on it...

Dog is ready for take off!


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