Bringing Your Pet to Greece in 2026: A Complete Guide for EU and Non-EU Arrivals

Every route begins with the same two essentials: a correctly recorded microchip and a valid rabies vaccination.

First, make sure the journey is non-commercial

The standard pet-travel rules apply when:

• The animal is not being sold or transferred to a new owner
• The pet travels under the owner’s responsibility
• The owner travels with the pet, or an authorised person transports it
• No more than five pets are travelling

An authorised person may travel with the pet, but the owner must travel no more than five days before or after the animal and provide the required written authorisation or declaration.

More than five pets can qualify as non-commercial only in limited circumstances, such as participation in an exhibition, competition or sporting event. The animals must be over six months old and documentary evidence of the event must be provided. Otherwise, commercial animal-movement rules apply.

Our take: Do not describe a rescue adoption, sale or permanent transfer as “personal pet travel” simply because someone is accompanying the animal. The legal purpose of the movement matters, not only who is holding the lead at the airport.

The microchip must come before the rabies vaccination

Your dog or cat must be identified with a microchip that complies with the applicable technical standard.

More importantly, the animal must have been microchipped before the rabies vaccination used for travel. The veterinarian should scan the chip and enter the exact microchip number in the passport or health records when administering the vaccine.

A rabies vaccination given before the animal was microchipped will generally not count for EU travel purposes. In that situation, the pet may need to be vaccinated again after identification.

Older, clearly readable tattoos applied before 3 July 2011 may still be accepted in limited cases, but almost every modern traveller will be using a microchip.

Pro tip: Ask the veterinarian to scan the chip at every pre-travel appointment. A single incorrect digit on a certificate can turn a smooth airport arrival into a rather tense introduction to European veterinary bureaucracy.

The rabies vaccination rules

The pet must be at least 12 weeks old when receiving its primary rabies vaccination.

After the first valid rabies vaccination, you must wait at least 21 days before travelling. Day zero is the day of vaccination, so do not book travel based on optimistic counting.

A booster vaccination does not normally trigger another 21-day waiting period if it is administered before the previous vaccination expires. If the previous vaccine has already expired, the new vaccination is treated as a primary vaccination and the waiting period starts again.

Check that the passport or certificate clearly records:

• The microchip number
• The vaccination date
• The date from which the vaccine is valid
• The expiry date
• The vaccine manufacturer and product
• The batch number
• The veterinarian’s signature and official details

Bringing a pet to Greece from another EU country

For an ordinary journey from another EU member state, your pet will generally need:

• A valid EU pet passport
• A compliant microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination
• Completion of the 21-day waiting period after a primary vaccination
• The owner travelling with the pet, or the appropriate authorisation where someone else transports it

A separate EU animal health certificate is not normally required when a valid EU pet passport is being used.

The passport must have been issued and completed by an authorised veterinarian. Older EU pet passport models remain valid under the current transitional arrangements, so the introduction of the 2026 rules does not mean every pet automatically needs a brand-new passport.

The same broad passport-based system also covers Northern Ireland and certain countries or territories with recognised pet-passport arrangements. However, Great Britain is treated differently, as explained below.

Does Greece require tapeworm treatment?

No special Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm treatment is required simply because your destination is Greece.

That treatment is currently required for dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland, generally between 24 and 120 hours before arrival. Greece is not on that list.

Your veterinarian may still recommend normal parasite prevention for health reasons, particularly given the Mediterranean climate, but that is different from a compulsory border-entry treatment.

Can a young puppy or kitten enter Greece?

Greece does not accept the special EU exemption for dogs or cats that are:

• Under 12 weeks old and not vaccinated against rabies
• Between 12 and 16 weeks old but not yet fully protected after vaccination

This means that, in normal circumstances, the earliest an animal can arrive from another EU country is around 15 weeks of age: vaccination at 12 weeks followed by the 21-day waiting period.

Young animals that are not yet fully protected against rabies cannot be brought into the EU from a non-EU country under the pet-travel exemption.

A puppy or kitten coming from a non-listed country will usually need to be considerably older because of the additional blood-test and waiting-period requirements.

Bringing a pet from a listed non-EU country

The EU maintains an official list of non-EU countries and territories from which a rabies antibody blood test is not required.

As of July 2026, common examples include:

• United States
• Canada
• Great Britain
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Japan
• United Arab Emirates
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Argentina
• Mexico
• North Macedonia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Montenegro
• Serbia

The list can be amended, so always check the official version rather than relying on an old relocation blog or a screenshot saved three years ago.

For a pet arriving from one of these countries, you will normally need:

• A compliant microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination administered after microchipping
• Completion of the 21-day wait following a primary vaccination
• An EU animal health certificate
• A written declaration confirming the non-commercial nature of the movement
• Entry through an authorised travellers’ point of entry
• The original supporting records requested by the certifying authority

A rabies antibody titration test is not required for animals coming directly from a currently listed country.

Travelling from Great Britain

Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — is a listed non-EU territory, so a rabies blood test is not normally required.

However, an EU pet passport issued to an owner resident in Great Britain is no longer valid for travel from Great Britain to the EU. Most travellers will therefore need an EU animal health certificate completed before departure.

Northern Ireland remains under different arrangements and should not be treated as Great Britain for this purpose.

The EU animal health certificate

For most pets arriving from outside the EU, the key document is the EU animal health certificate.

It must be:

• Completed and issued by an official veterinarian, or
• Completed by an authorised veterinarian and subsequently endorsed by the competent government authority in the departure country

The certificate records the pet’s identification, rabies vaccination, fitness to travel and, where applicable, rabies blood-test information.

It must be accompanied by the owner’s written declaration confirming that the movement is non-commercial. The declaration is not optional paperwork to be improvised at check-in; use the official model provided with the applicable EU certificate.

The certificate is normally valid for 10 days from its issue until the documentary and identity checks at the EU entry point. For a journey by sea, the period is extended by the duration of the sea voyage.

After the entry checks, the certificate can support further movement within the EU for up to six months or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever occurs first.

Important 2026 certificate transition

New EU pet-travel legislation began applying on 22 April 2026, including new certificate models under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705.

There is currently a transitional arrangement: animal health certificates prepared using the previous certificate model remain acceptable if they were issued before 1 October 2026. Travellers departing after that date should make certain the veterinarian is using the new model.

Pro tip: Do not merely ask your local vet for “a health certificate.” Send the clinic the official EU model and ask whether the document must be endorsed by a government veterinary authority. A general fit-to-fly letter and an EU entry certificate are not the same thing.

Bringing a pet from a non-listed country

When the departure country does not appear on the EU’s official no-blood-test list, the pet needs a successful rabies antibody titration test in addition to the microchip, vaccination and health certificate.

As of July 2026, examples of countries not appearing on the current list include Israel, Türkiye, India, mainland China and South Africa. Travellers from these and other non-listed countries should follow the blood-test route unless the authorities confirm that a specific exemption applies.

The sequence matters:

• Microchip the animal
• Administer a valid rabies vaccination
• Wait at least 30 days after the primary vaccination before the blood sample
• Send the sample to an EU-designated laboratory
• Obtain a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml
• Wait at least 90 days before the animal health certificate is issued
• Arrange the official health certificate close to departure

A copy of the designated laboratory’s official report must be attached to the health certificate.

In practical terms, allow at least four months between the primary rabies vaccination and travel preparations involving the final certificate. Do not buy a non-refundable pet ticket before mapping out the exact dates.

Does the rabies blood test expire?

A successful rabies antibody result does not normally need to be repeated, provided every subsequent rabies booster is administered before the previous vaccination expires.

If the vaccination chain is broken, the pet may need a new vaccination, a new blood test and another waiting period.

For pets normally resident in the EU, it is particularly useful to complete and record a successful blood test in the EU pet passport before travelling to a non-listed country. When properly documented before departure and the rabies vaccinations remain continuous, the 90-day waiting period does not apply when the pet returns to the EU.

Where can the pet enter Greece?

Pets arriving from most non-EU countries must enter through a designated travellers’ point of entry, where the competent authority can carry out document and identity checks.

At the point of entry, the owner must contact the relevant authority and present the pet and its original documentation. Not every regional airport, island port or small land crossing is necessarily equipped to conduct these checks.

Before booking, confirm:

• That your chosen Greek airport, port or land crossing is an authorised pet entry point
• When the veterinary or customs authority is available
• Whether advance notification or an appointment is expected
• Where you should report on arrival
• Whether the microchip scanner available can read your pet’s chip

If your flight connects through another EU country, confirm where the animal’s EU entry check will take place. Do not automatically assume it will happen at the final destination in Greece.

Travelling by air

Immigration rules and airline rules are separate. A pet can be legally eligible to enter Greece while still being refused by the airline because the carrier is wrong, the pet reservation was not confirmed or the flight has reached its animal limit.

Before paying for your own ticket, confirm:

• Whether the airline accepts the animal on that specific flight
• Whether the pet can travel in the cabin, as checked baggage or only as cargo
• The combined pet-and-carrier weight limit
• The carrier’s exact external dimensions
• Breed restrictions, especially for snub-nosed dogs and cats
• Seasonal or temperature restrictions
• Check-in time and document requirements
• Rules for transit airports and connecting airlines

Airlines may limit the number of animals carried on each flight. IATA also advises travellers to use an appropriately sized carrier that allows the animal to stand, turn and lie naturally, and to acclimatise the pet to the carrier well before departure.

Sedation is generally discouraged for air travel because it can affect balance, breathing and the animal’s ability to respond normally during transport. Medication should only be used for a genuine medical reason under veterinary direction, and the details may need to be recorded on the health certificate.

Travelling by ferry

Greek ferry companies have their own booking arrangements for pets, including designated deck areas, kennels and pet-friendly cabins on some vessels.

Declare the pet when booking and check:

• Whether the animal needs its own zero-cost or paid ticket
• Whether a pet-friendly cabin must be reserved
• Where the pet may remain during the crossing
• Whether a muzzle is required for dogs in shared areas
• Which health or identification documents must be presented
• Whether the kennel size is suitable for your animal

Availability can be limited during the summer, particularly for pet-friendly cabins.

Entering Greece by car

Driving from another EU country does not remove the need for a passport, microchip and valid rabies vaccination.

When driving from a non-EU country, make sure your chosen land border is an authorised travellers’ point of entry. You must also comply with the pet-transit rules of every country crossed along the route, even when you do not plan to stay overnight.

Keep the original documents inside the car rather than buried beneath seventeen boxes marked “kitchen, probably.”

What happens if the documents are wrong?

The authorities can refuse entry, return the animal to its country of departure or place it in isolation or quarantine at the owner’s expense. Serious non-compliance can have severe consequences.

The most common avoidable problems are:

• The rabies vaccination was given before microchipping
• The 21-day wait was calculated incorrectly
• A rabies booster expired before the next dose
• The blood sample was taken too early
• The 90-day period was not completed
• The laboratory was not EU-designated
• The wrong health-certificate model was used
• The certificate was signed but not officially endorsed
• The microchip number differs between documents
• Photocopies were brought instead of original documents
• The pet arrived at a non-designated entry point
• The airline accepted the booking but a transit country did not

Check every page yourself. Veterinarians are human, government stamps occasionally wander off, and airport staff are not known for accepting “but I’m sure that’s what the website said” as a substitute for a valid certificate.

Bringing birds to Greece

Birds do not follow the dog and cat rules.

For non-commercial entry from a non-EU country, the current EU regime generally limits a movement to five pet birds and can require:

• Permanent individual identification
• An official animal health certificate
• An owner’s non-commercial declaration
• Measures relating to avian influenza, which may involve isolation, testing, vaccination or approved quarantine
• Entry through the appropriate authorised control point

The precise route depends on the bird species and country of origin. Certain low-risk countries or territories benefit from specific derogations.

Because bird-import conditions are significantly more complex and can be influenced by avian-influenza restrictions, obtain written confirmation from the Greek veterinary authority and the departure country’s competent authority before booking.

Rabbits, rodents, reptiles, fish and other pets

The harmonised passport system described above is specifically designed for dogs and cats. Rabbits, rodents, reptiles, ornamental fish and other species can be subject to separate Greek national health conditions.

You may need:

• A species-specific veterinary certificate
• Proof of origin
• An import or movement authorisation
• CITES documents for protected species
• Transport approval from the carrier
• Advance inspection arrangements

Do not assume that an ordinary veterinary booklet or a dog-and-cat health certificate covers an exotic animal. Ask the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food for requirements applying to the exact species, scientific name, country of origin and entry point.

CITES-protected animals

Some parrots, tortoises, reptiles and other exotic species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, commonly known as CITES.

Veterinary permission and CITES permission are separate issues. An animal may be healthy enough to enter but still require export and import documentation because of its protected status.

Start this process early. CITES documentation is not something to discover at the airport while your tortoise looks on disapprovingly.

What to do after arriving in Greece

For a holiday or short visit, keep the passport or health certificate available throughout the stay.

When relocating permanently, arrange an appointment with a Greek veterinarian soon after arrival. The vet can:

• Scan and confirm the microchip
• Review the foreign vaccination record
• Update local contact information
• Advise on Mediterranean parasites and preventive care
• Record or update the animal in Greece’s National Pet Registry, known as the Εθνικό Μητρώο Ζώων Συντροφιάς, or EMZS

Greek law requires dogs and cats kept in Greece to be microchipped, recorded and maintained with up-to-date information in the EMZS. Registration and veterinary-record updates are handled through the Greek veterinary system.

If your stay is permanent, ask the Greek vet exactly which local obligations apply to you as the registered owner. These obligations are separate from the paperwork used to cross the border.

Your final document checklist

For a pet arriving from another EU country:

• Original EU pet passport
• Microchip correctly recorded
• Valid rabies vaccination
• Completed 21-day wait, where applicable
• Owner authorisation if someone else transports the pet
• Airline or ferry confirmation

For a pet arriving from a listed non-EU country:

• Microchip record
• Valid rabies vaccination
• Completed 21-day wait
• Official EU animal health certificate
• Competent-authority endorsement where required
• Owner’s non-commercial declaration
• Original supporting vaccination records
• Confirmed authorised entry point
• Airline or ferry confirmation

For a pet arriving from a non-listed country:

• Everything required for a listed country
• Rabies antibody test from an EU-designated laboratory
• Result of at least 0.5 IU/ml
• Laboratory report attached to the certificate
• Completion of the required 90-day period
• Carefully checked vaccination continuity

Carry originals and keep digital copies in cloud storage and on your phone. Digital copies are excellent backups, but they do not necessarily replace original certificates at the border.

A sensible preparation timeline

For an EU or listed-country journey:

• Several months before travel: check the microchip, vaccination and carrier rules
• At least 21 days before travel: complete any required primary rabies-vaccination waiting period
• Before buying tickets: confirm the airline and entry point
• Within the certificate window: arrange the official health certificate if arriving from outside the EU
• Shortly before departure: recheck every date, number, stamp and signature

For a non-listed-country journey:

• At least four to five months before travel: begin the microchip, vaccination and blood-test process
• At least 30 days after vaccination: take the blood sample
• After the required 90-day period: arrange the official certificate
• Before departure: confirm the designated EU entry point and airline acceptance

The bottom line

Bringing a dog or cat from another EU country is normally straightforward: microchip, valid rabies vaccination and EU pet passport.

From a listed non-EU country, add the official EU animal health certificate and owner’s declaration.

From a non-listed country, add a successful rabies antibody test and a substantial waiting period.

The secret is not finding a clever shortcut. It is completing each step in the correct order, using the correct certificate and leaving enough time for something small and bureaucratic to go slightly sideways.