Portugal Pet Import Requirements: How to bring a pet to Portugal 2026

1) The animal must be microchipped before (or on the same day) the last rabies vaccination
2) The pet must be vaccinated against rabies (this vaccine is administered no earlier than at 12 weeks), if the primary vaccination/vaccination is not administered on time, a 21-day quarantine is required
3) An international veterinary certificate must be issued no more than 120 hours before departure.
4) Portugal does not require treatment for external and internal parasites upon entry
5) Rabies virus antibody titers are not required when traveling from the territory of “green” countries.
List of “red countries” for rabies

If you are transiting through “red” countries (for example, Georgia, Türkiye), titers are also not required, but a declaration of no contact with other animals may be required.

When entering Portugal after 16.09.2024 from a country on the “red list” for rabies, titers valid for 3 months from the date of blood collection will be required.
Rules for passing the analysis for tension of immunity to rabies virus (titras):
The analysis can be taken no earlier than a month after the last vaccination against rabies
The result of the analysis should be at least 0.5 IU/ml.
You can enter the EU only after 3 months from the date of blood sampling
When passing the analysis in the territory of the EU, an aging of 3 months is not required
Subject to vaccination deadlines, the analysis is not necessary to update the analysis, it operates all the life of the pet for the EU countries.
Compliance with vaccination deadlines: each next vaccination must be a day before the expiration of the previous

Everything you need to know about vaccinating your pet before traveling abroad

If you are coming from outside the EU (even if you are transiting through the EU), you must notify the airport/port at least 48 hours before your arrival/entry into Portugal

Notification form

Contacts of entry points into Portugal

Veterinary control in Portugal is subject to a fee (if you are traveling in transit through other EU countries, you usually do not need to pay), the cost is ±40 euros per animal and ±80 euros for 2-5 animals. It is mandatory to pass veterinary control; at the exit from the airport there is an employee who checks the document issued by the veterinary control.

Import of cats of “wild” breeds (Bengal, etc.) into Portugal is only possible with the provision of a pedigree.
Import of dogs of “potentially dangerous breeds” into Portugal is officially permitted: but you will need to fill out an additional document at the veterinary control.

The following breeds are considered potentially dangerous:
1) Fila Brasileiro
2) Dogo Argentino
3) Pit Bull Terrier
4) Rottweiler
5) American Staffordshire Terrier
6) Staffordshire Bull Terrier
7) Tosa Inu
8) American Bully

After entering Portugal:
For cats and dogs of non-dangerous breeds, it is necessary to register the pet’s chip in the SIAC system if your pet will be in the country for more than 120 days. This can be done at the nearest veterinary clinic. In the event of the owner moving, disappearance or death of the pet, it is necessary to make changes to the registration.

FOR CATS:
Registration in SIAC is enough and nothing else needs to be done

FOR DOGS:
Within one year of registering with SIAC, you must appear at the Junta de Freguesia to obtain a further license for the dog and pay the tax (this license will need to be renewed every year)

The documents required are the dog’s passport with current vaccinations, confirmation of registration with SIAC and confirmation of your place of residence at your address.
FOR DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOGS:
A dangerous dog is one for which at least 1 of the following points is met:
1) the dog has bitten/attacked a person
2) the dog has seriously injured or killed another animal that is not on the owner’s property
3) the owner of the animal has reported the pet’s aggressive behavior
4) there is an investigation regarding the aggressiveness and danger of this animal

For potentially dangerous and dangerous dogs, the rules are the same and are as follows:
1) Within 10 days of arrival, you must register the dog in the SIAC system
2) No more than 30 days after registration in SIAC, you must appear at the Junta de Freguesia to obtain a license for the dog.

List of documents required to obtain a license:

• Passport of the animal with effective vaccination
• Confirmation of registration in SIAC
• Specify the term of your responsibility
• Certificate of the Inviolability of the owner of the animal
• Document confirming civil liability insurance
• Evidence of sterilization (if applicable)

Proof of training for dangerous and potentially hazardous breeds
To keep these dogs, it is mandatory to undergo a course of training in the content of dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs. Representation of registration in a training organization promoted by GNR or PSP allows you to obtain a temporary license for 3 months.

If you do not comply with the rules of the above (for all species of animals), you may face a very impressive fine.

List of countries with requirements for titer testing

Entry points for travelers with pets in European countries

Health certificate:
Certificado sanitário veterinário. Issued by a veterinarian. You must come in person with the animal, with the animal’s passport (it must contain a chip, vaccinations) and with the passport with which you will travel. If necessary, you can do antiparasitic treatment and put a stamp on the examination by the veterinarian.

Certificate for departure:
Not issued separately. It is necessary to certify the health certificate issued by the veterinary clinic at the Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária (DGAV) department.

The certificate is valid for 10 days for departure outside the country, then the certificate is valid until the end of the route, unless otherwise stated. That is, you need to get the certificate 10 days or less before the start of the trip.

Rabies titers are needed for departure to a country with a red rabies status and returning back to the EU, as well as to Israel, Turkey without returning.

Accredited laboratory for rabies titers

Requirements for leaving Portugal for different countries

Regulations for air transportation of pets

List of countries with requirements for titer testing