FEI Passports and FEI Recognition Cards function the same but are slightly different documents:

• FEI Passports consist of one purple booklet that is issued for the horse and then completed by the veterinarian at the time of issuance.
• FEI Recognition Cards consist of a purple folder and FEI booklet that is upgraded and paired with the horse’s original approved national passport (often referred to as the breed passport).

The FEI Recognition Card is the preferred document of the FEI, and horses with breed passports (national passports from another country or USEF National Passports) should be issued an FEI Recognition Card instead of an FEI Passport.

Horses that compete in FEI competitions must have an official identification document for competition. We offer three types of documents:

1. USEF National Passports – USEF National Passports are valid for lower-level competitions within the United States. Review the Passport Guide - Levels for USEF National Passport for eligible levels.
2. FEI Passports - FEI Passports are valid for any level of FEI competition both within the United States and Internationally. FEI Passports expire every four years and need to be revalidated.
3. FEI Recognition Cards – FEI Recognition Cards are valid for any level of FEI competition both within the United States and Internationally. FEI Recognition Cards expire every four years and need to be revalidated. 

Read the Passport Guide: How to Apply for a Passport for helpful information and requirements.

At this time, the online Passport Service Application is only available for New FEI Passports, New USEF National Passports, Passport Revalidations at this time.

A Passport Service Application can be downloaded from the USEF website and can be submitted via mail, fax, or through our secure document upload link: https://members.usef.org/document-upload

Please allow six weeks from start to finish for the passport to be validated and ready for competition. Processing time will vary based on time of year and volume.

Expedited Passport Service guarantees a 3 business day turnaround providing all necessary documentation has been provided at the time of submission. Passport services that involve either a foreign National Federation or FEI approval are available for the expedited service but keep in mind that timing will depend on the responsiveness of the foreign NF and/or the FEI. The $300 expedited fee is non-refundable even when requirements are not met, so please review all requirements carefully before requesting this service. Please mark “Expedited” at the top of the Passport Service Form for rush processing.

• Expedited passports will be mailed out with UPS overnight shipping. These packages are insured for the value of the passports in them.

We can send back the passports with either UPS or USPS, depending on what you select on the application.

• Expedited passports will be mailed out with UPS overnight shipping. These packages are insured for the value of the passports in them.
• Passports that are not expedited will be mailed out with USPS Two Day Priority shipping. Please note, these packages are not insured.
• You may request UPS shipping on passports that are not expedited by checking this option on the Passport Service Application. The cost of this is $50.
• If you need us to ship the passport internationally, you will need to check off and pay for the $75 UPS International Shipping fee on the application. 
• If you would like your passport to be mailed back to you with a different service, please include a prepaid return envelope with the passport and application when sending the passport into our office.

Review the Passport Guide: How to Read a Passport.

Please email any questions, concerns, vaccination pages for review, etc. to our monitored email at [email protected]. A Passport representative will respond to you as quickly as possible.

For primary series administered prior to January 1, 2024:

An initial Primary Course of two vaccinations must be given; the second vaccination must be administered within 21-92 days of the first vaccination. 

The first booster must be administered within 7 calendar months following the date of administration of the second vaccination of the Primary Course.

Any Horse receiving a new Primary Course as of 1 January 2024 must be vaccinated as follows:

• V1 (initial vaccination);
• V2 (second vaccination) must be administered 21-60 days after V1;
• and V3 (first booster) must be administered within 6 months and 21 days of V2.

Subsequent Booster vaccinations must be administered at a maximum of 12 month intervals, however, Horses competing in Events must have received a booster within 6 months +21 days (and not within 7 days) before arrival at the Event.

Horses may compete 7 days after receiving the second vaccination of the primary series.

Passports will NOT be approved until both vaccines of the primary series have been administered and recorded correctly.