Pet import requirements for Portugal

Portugal at a glance

The detail

For Portugal, start with this checkpoint: dogs, Cats, and Ferrets: Entry of young dogs and cats is not allowed (with less than 12 weeks old or between 12 and 16 weeks and with rabies vaccination for less than 21 days). Officially known as the Portuguese Republic, Portugal is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Cargo and passenger-pet routings commonly use LIS, FAO, PDL, and OPO.

Import requirements

Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets: Entry of young dogs and cats is not allowed (with less than 12 weeks old or between 12 and 16 weeks and with rabies vaccination for less than 21 days)

Requirements up to 5 pets

IDENTIFIED - Microchip

[View more](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/fora-da-uniao-europeia/entrada-em-portugal/caes-e-gatos/identificacao/)

VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES - Never before twelve weeks of age and in identified animals

[View more](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/fora-da-uniao-europeia/entrada-em-portugal/caes-e-gatos/vacinacao-contra-a-raiva/)

WHEN COMING FROM A COUNTRY WITH RISK OF RABIES

At least 30 days after the date of the first vaccination and at any time in the case of a revaccination have performed a blood draw to check the number of antibodies (sufficient) regarding the disease in approved laboratories.

3 months have passed counting the date of blood collection before moving the animal.

[View more](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/fora-da-uniao-europeia/entrada-em-portugal/caes-e-gatos/titulacao-de-anticorpos/)

WITH HEALTH DOCUMENTATION

Identification document (Veterinary Certificate) stating as applicable the above.

Proof of rabies vaccination (vaccination bulletin or other)

Blood test result bulletin (Rabies antibody titre – if aplic.)

Pets travelling within 5 days before or after their owners is considered a personal pet move, so it is a non-commercial move.

Travelling with their owners/responsible person up to a number of 5 and not in tended for sale or transferred to another owner.

Pets NOT travelling within 5 days after or before their owners will be considered a commercial move.

If a consumer uses a transport company to transport a dog or a cat from point A to B in return for financial gain it is a commercial movement.

If they are transported for breeding regardless of the length of the journey and the number of animals transported.

If the number of animals being transported that are owned by one in dividual exceeds five, then it is considered commercial movement unless all the following conditions are fulfilled:

• the movement of pet animals is for the purpose of participating in competitions 2, exhibitions, or sporting events (or in training for such events);

and

• the owner or the authorized person submits written evidence;

and

• the animals are more than six months old.

If an animal protection association transports dogs between Member States with a view to placing them with third parties for a fee, regardless of whether that activity is for profit or not.

In this casesdogs, cats and ferrets must undergo within 48 hours prior to the time of dispatch a clinical examination carried out by an of ficial veterinarian, who must verify that the animals show no signs of diseases.Animals from Third Countries from which their importation is allowed are subject to the presentation of a Health Certificate in accordance with the model provided for in Chapter 38 of the Regulation of

Execution (EU) 2021/403, issued by an of ficial veterinarian, from which the following stands out:

a) were shipped directly from the establishment of origin to the Union without going through any

another establishment.

(b) have undergone, with negative results, a clinical in spection carried out by a veterinarian

of ficial in the third country, territory or respective area of origin, within 48 hours prior to loading

for dispatch to the Union, for the detection of signs in dicative of the occurrence of diseases, in cluding

relevant listed diseases referred to in Annex I of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 and diseases

emerging.

c) They are identified by means of an electronic identification system (microchip) in accordance with the

ISO 11784 standard and using HDX or FDX-B technology and capable of being read by a device

reading compatible with the ISO 11785 standard or tattoo (this allowed if carried out until 03.07.2011

and proof of that fact is provided). The identification date cannot be later than the date of

vaccination;

d) Have a valid rabies vaccination/revaccination

e) have undergone a rabies antibody titration test from a blood sample

collected by the veterinarian authorized by the competent authority at least 30 days after vaccination

prior to and at least three months before the date of issue of this certificate, and the results

in dicated an antibody titer of 0.5 IU/ml or greater and any subsequent revaccination was

2 – However, animals from Third Countries listed in PART 2 of ANNEX II of the

Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 are not subject to the antibody titration provided for in 1-e).

carried out within the validity period of the previous vaccination.

3 – Dogs and cats from Malaysia (Peninsula) and cats from Australia are still subject to

to protective measures laid down in Decision 2006/146/EC

Dogs and Cats from Malaysia:

• Imports of dogs and cats from Malaysia (Peninsula) are prohibited.
• By way of derogation from paragraph 1 dogs and cats may be imported under the following conditions:

(a) the animals have had no contact with pigs during at least the past 60 days prior to export,

(b) the animals have not been resident on holdings where during the past 60 days cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed,

(c) the animals have been subjected with negative result to an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in a laboratory approved for testing for antibody against the Nipah disease viruses by the competent veterinary authorities on a sample of blood taken within 10 days of export.

• The prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 shall not apply to dogs and cats in transit, provided they remain within the perimeter of an in ternational airport.

Cats from Australia:

• Imports of cats from Australia are prohibited.
• By way of derogation from paragraph 1, cats may be imported under the condition that the animals have not been resident on holdings where during the past 60 days cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed.

• 3. The prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 shall not apply to cats in transit, provided they remain within the perimeter of an in ternational airport

From countries not rabies free:

When animals come from a country at risk of rabies it is necessary to ensure that there is no risk of spreading the disease meaning that:

• At least 30 days after the date of vaccination* against rabies and if the animals are already identified, must be carried out a blood draw to check the number of antibodies (equal to or higher than 0,5 IU/ml) in approved laboratories by the EU;

*This vaccination is understood as the first vaccine, and the waiting period of at least 30 days is not applicable in a revaccination carried out within the validity period of the previous vaccination

• The movement of animals can only be carried out 3 months after the date of blood collection.

However, this 3-month period does not apply to the return of an animal that has left the community space already with this analysis carried out with a favorable result, provided that the conditions mentioned above are met.

List of countries that do not need to carry out this test – list of countries without risk of rabies) part 2 of Annex II of Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 (*)

Dogs and Cats from Canada

[Rules of Official Canadian Authorities on rabies vaccination of dogs and cats in that country](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/entrada-em-portugal/)

A rabies vaccine administered in Canada for the first time or as a result of microchip placement, failure to meet the previous vaccination deadline or loss of proof of vaccination history, is considered by of ficial Canadian authorities to be valid for only one year.

Therefore, in applicable situations, Canadian clinicians must be asked to carry out the vaccination in accordance with these rules, otherwise, if the vaccination endorsed in the animal's documentation has a longer term, the respective of ficial health certificate will not be issued in Canada without animals have to be vaccinated again against rabies and wait 21 days before being able to travel to the European Union.

Identification and microchip

Microchip conforming to ISO 11784 and using HDX or FDX-B technology and capable of being read by an ISO 11785 compliant reader device otherwise the owner of the animal must have means that allow it to be read

or:

through clearly legible tattoo (option valid for animals identified before 07.03.2011 and provided that written proof of this fact is presented)

Rabies and vaccinations

The rabies vaccination date must not precede the microchip in troduction date.

However, it is acceptable that the rabies vaccination is performed on the same date on which the animal is identified.

At least 21 days have elapsed since the completion of the vaccination protocol required by the manufacturer for the first vaccine given to the animal no earlier than 12 weeks of age (primary vaccination).

and or:

Revaccination (reinforcement/booster) has been carried out, fulfilling the conditions required for the use of the chosen vaccine in the country of origin. Any revaccination that does not comply with the established is considered a primary vaccination.

The validity period of the vaccine administered by an authorized or of ficial veterinarian is in dicated on the identification document (health certificate) that accompanies each animal.

3-year vaccinations are accepted

Rabies vaccination only.

Tests and treatments

Rabies Serology – Rabies Antibody Test

Dogs, cats, and ferrets:

When the animals come from a country at risk of rabies it is necessary to ensure that there is no risk of spreading the disease by meaning that:

• At least 30 days after the date of vaccination* against rabies and if the animals are already identified, must be carried out a blood draw to check the number of antibodies (equal to or greater higher than 0,5 IU/ml) in approved laboratories by the EU;

*This vaccination is understood as the first vaccine, and the waiting period of at least 30 days is not applicable in a revaccination carried out within the validity period of the previous vaccination

• The movement of animals can only be carried out 3 months after the date of blood collection.

However, this 3-month period does not apply to the return of an animal that has left the community space already with this analysis carried out with a favorable result, provided that the conditions mentioned above are met.

List of countries that do not need to carry out this test – list of countries without risk of rabies) part 2 of Annex II of Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 (*)

Dogs and cats from Malaysia (peninsula), and cats from Australia are subject to additional special conditions. refer to Decision 2006/146/EC

Dogs and Cats from Malaysia (peninsula):

(a) the animals have had no contact with pigs during at least

the past 60 days prior to export,

(b) the animals have not been resident on holdings where during the past 60 days cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed,

(c) the animals have been subjected with negative result to an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in a laboratory approved for testing for antibody against the Nipah disease viruses by the competent veterinary authorities on a sample of blood taken within 10 days of export.

Cats from Australia

Cats may be imported under the condition that the animals have not been resident on holdings where during the past 60 days cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed.

N/A

Health certificate and permits

The health certificate model is obtained on the of ficial services (not in a veterinary clinic).

The vast majority of of ficial authorities in countries outside the European Union have their own models. Consult them for this purpose.

For countries whose of ficial authorities do not have their own model (very few at the moment) DGAV (Direção Geral de Agricultura e Veterinária) may provide them.

The European Pet Passport can be used from countries outside the EU only for pets that before leaving the EU already met the health conditions required by the countries they are returning from, and the refore, when they left, were accompanied by passports with this in formation written in them.

In other words, a passport issued in the EU before the animal left for a country outside the EU, in which the sanitary conditions for return (e.g. rabies identification/vaccination/revaccination/rabies antibody test) were recorded, is valid on return in place of the health certificate.

If there are changes in these health conditions that modify the in formation in the passport, a health certificate is required for re-entry.

Only import authorization from our Official Veterinary Authorities for certain specimens.

IMPORT

THE MODEL CERTIFICATE IS OBTAINED FROM OFFICIAL SERVICES (not from a clinical veterinarian) THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES IN COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION HAVE THEIR OWN MODELS. CONSULT THE SAME FOR THE EFFECT.

For countries whose of ficial authorities do not have their own model (to date very few) we provide here the model in question.

[EXPORT (FOR ALL SPECIES)](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/saida-de-portugal/)

Health certificate model

Statement of responsibility – stay in Portugal for less than 4 months with breeds considered potentially dangerous and their crosses.

Stay notification – stay in Portugal for more than 4 months

Export Health Certificate for some specific Third Countries:

PETS (Non-Commercial movements)

BIRDS

RABBITS

RODENTS

REPTILES

FISH

Quarantine

One isolation during 30 daysbefore the trip at the place of departure in a country listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (Part I of Annex V, XIV or XIX).

Or

One quarantine30 daysafter entering the Member State of destination, in facilities approved in accordance with article 14 of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035. In Portugal, this quarantine can only be carried out at the Jardim Zoológico e de Aclimação em Portugal, SA, Telephone: 21 723 29 33; Fax: 21 723 29 55. All costs arising the refrom are borne by the owner or someone else on their behalf.

OrIn the last 6 months and at least 60 days before travel, were vaccinated and, when applicable, revaccinated, in accordance with the manufacturers' in structions, with an authorized vaccine against H5 and H7 avian in fluenza.

Or

One isolation, under supervision of a veterinarian authorized by the of ficial authority of the country of origin or by an of ficial veterinarian, for at least14 daysbefore the trip and subjected to a detection test antigen or genome avian in fluenza H5 and H7, as established in the chapter on avian in fluenza of the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, carried out in a sample taken not earlier than the seventh day of isolation.

For Pet Birds:

One isolation during 30 days before the trip at the place of departure in a country listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (Part I of Annex V, XIV or XIX).

Or

One quarantine 30 days after entering the Member State of destination, in facilities approved in accordance with article 14 of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035. In Portugal, this quarantine can only be carried out at the Jardim Zoológico e de Aclimação em Portugal, SA,

All costs arising the refrom are borne by the owner or someone else on their behalf.

OrIn the last 6 months and at least 60 days before travel, were vaccinated and, when applicable, revaccinated, in accordance with the manufacturers' in structions, with an authorized vaccine against H5 and H7 avian in fluenza.

Or

One isolation, under supervision of a veterinarian authorized by the of ficial authority of the country of origin or by an of ficial veterinarian, for at least 14 days before the trip and subjected to a detection test antigen or genome avian in fluenza H5 and H7, as established in the chapter on avian in fluenza of the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, carried out in a sample taken not earlier than the seventh day of isolation.

Restrictions and banned breeds

[Dogs of Breeds Considered Potentially Dangerous](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/fora-da-uniao-europeia/entrada-em-portugal/caes-de-racas-consideradas-potencialmente-perigosas/)

The following breeds, entering in Portugal from countries outside the European Union, considered potentially dangerous and their crosses:

I) Brazilian queued dog.

II) Argentine Great Dane.

III) Pit bull terrier.

IV) Rottweiller.

V) American Staffordshire terrier.

VI) Staffordshire bull terrier.

VII) Tosa inu

Is recommended that they be sterilized/neutered before entering Portugal.

If they are not spayed / neutered it is permitted, however Travelers' Entry Points veterinary control of the animals concerned, signed by the owners of the

animals one of the following documents:

STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY - Stay in Portugal for less than 4 months

STAY NOTIFICATION - Stay in Portugal for more than 4 months

The only exception is dogs of the breeds mentioned above whose registration is in cluded in an of ficially recognized book of origins (LOP and others), in which case the holders of these animals must present proof (written proof) at the Entry Points.

Customs, agents, and airports

Customs broker not required but highly recommended

Destination agent not required but highly recommended

• Humberto Delgado Airport, Lisbon, Portugal (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT),(in formally Lisbon Airport and previously Portela Airport)
• Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, Porto, Portugal (IATA: *OPO*, ICAO: LPPR)

3.

Pets flying to Azores or Madeira from NON-EU countries first entry needs to be done in one of the above airports for veterinary in spection.

Airports listed on this destination file: LIS, FAO, PDL, OPO.

If pet enters in the cabin or excess baggage, go to customs office (close to baggage claim area) for clearance procedures. If pet enters as cargo, hire agent will take care of all procedures.

Best Airports to enter with pets- Lisbon and Oporto. Faro Airport does not accept AVI.

Lisbon customs rules for non-commercial:

• E-ticket is not accepted, owner will need to provide a boarding pass from origin to destination (even if there are multiple flights, we will need all boarding passes)

-Owner needs to arrive within 5 days BEFORE or SAME DAY as the pet. If arrives AFTER the pet we will need to pay taxes and duties but if it is within the 5 days after, when the owner arrives, they can go to the customs office and ask for a refund showing them their boarding pass

Porto customs accepts E-ticket and the owner can arrive within 5 days after or before the pet.

Export notes

In most cases it in volves documentation/certificates to be issued in Portugal.

Depending on the species, and the destination country the requirements to export are different please see with the approved country contacts what are the requirements to enter in that country.

[Access what is required from a health point of view depending on the species and destination](https://www.dgav.pt/vaiviajar/conteudo/animais-de-companhia/transito-in ternacional/fora-da-uniao-europeia/saida-de-portugal/),

There are no European rules defined for the non-commercial movement between Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU) of pet animals other than dogs, cats and ferrets, so each MS may define the rules to be applied to the movement of these animals.

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

The entry live animals classified as CITES, needs a CITES Permit License.

For others animals (not dog, cats, ferrets and birds):

Be aware that you can only enter Portugal with these animals if:

A PERMISSION IS OBTAINED FROM DGAV

Contact our Services

Tel.: +351 213239500

Fax: +351 213239694

secretariadoDIM@dgav.pt

WITH SPECIFIC HEALTH DOCUMENTATION

Animal Welfare Regulations

Same for Portugal mainland and Islands

Official contacts

Contact the originating country's department of animal health to determine if import health requirements are on file for the destination country.

If not, contact the originating country's Agricultural Officer at the Embassy or Consulate in the destination country. They should be able to provide the import health requirements in the language of the originating country.

Alternatively, go to the source in the destination country and contact the country's Department of Animal Health.

-

DGAV *-* Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary

Campo Grande, 50

1700-093 Lisboa

Portugal

Phone: +351 213 239 500

Fax: +351 213 463 518

General E-mail: dirgeral@dgav.pt

Animal Health E-mail: secdspa@dgav.pt

Import Questions E-mail: secretariadoDIM@dgav.pt

Point of Entry Contacts

Website

Disclaimer

Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2026-06-02.

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