Bringing a dog or a cat to Cyprus when you move
Checked: no change to the rule has been established since the check
In short
- Who it applies to
- Anyone bringing a dog, a cat or a ferret to Cyprus. Citizenship is irrelevant; what matters is where you are coming from: an EU country, a country on the Annex II list, or anywhere else.
- What it costs
- Entry itself costs nothing when everything is in order. You pay a vet for the microchip, the vaccination and the paperwork, and on entry from a third country there is an inspection fee. Where the requirements are not met, inspection and quarantine fees are payable, plus VAT.
- How long it takes
- What you wait for is not a decision but immunity: the vaccination may be given no earlier than 12 weeks, it takes effect after 21 days, and an animal younger than 105 days will not be let in. Where a titration test is required, the whole path stretches to about four months.
- Where to apply
- Entry is only through designated points: airports, ports and marinas. Arrival from a third country must be notified to the district veterinary office of that entry point at least 48 hours in advance, with the date, the time and the flight number or ship name.
- If your case differs
- If it is not a dog, a cat or a ferret, you need an import permit obtained in advance. More than five animals counts as a commercial movement unless you are going to a show or a competition. A dog of a dangerous breed or a hybrid cat will not be admitted at all.
Deadlines and conditions
| Condition | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| the rabies vaccination is given to an animal at least 12 weeks old | Reg. (EU) 576/2013, Annex III, point 2(b). |
| immunity is treated as established 21 days after the course is completed | Reg. (EU) 576/2013, Annex III, point 2(e) — the day of vaccination counts as day 0. |
| an animal younger than 105 days will not be admitted to Cyprus | The arithmetic of the two rows above (84 days plus 21 days), as the Veterinary Services of Cyprus set it out. |
| arrival from a third country must be notified at least 48 hours in advance | Veterinary Services of Cyprus, section “Notification of arrival” — for arrival from a third country. |
| no more than 5 animals per accompanying person | Reg. (EU) 576/2013, art. 5(1); the exception is art. 5(2): shows, competitions, training, written confirmation, animals older than six months. |
| a tattoo counts only if it was applied before 3 July 2011 | Reg. (EU) 576/2013, art. 17(1) — a tattoo is accepted as a means of identification only if it was applied before this date. |
| the health certificate is valid for 10 days from issue | Veterinary Services of Cyprus, the definition of “Health Certificate”; for sea transport it is extended by the duration of the voyage. |
| quarantine may not last longer than 6 months | Veterinary Services of Cyprus, section “Actions taken when a pet animal does not fulfil the provisions”. |
Your case
If you are travelling from an EU country
You need an EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination, and a microchip. No titration test. If there are more than five animals, within 48 hours before dispatch a vet must examine each of them and record the examination in Section X of each passport.
If you are travelling from a third country listed in Annex II to Reg. 577/2013
Microchip, vaccination and a health certificate — or that country's passport if it has adopted the EU model. No titration test. Arrival is notified to the district veterinary office 48 hours in advance.
If the country of departure is not on the Annex II list — since 16 September 2024 this includes Russia and Belarus
A rabies antibody titration test is added: blood is taken at least 30 days after the vaccination and no later than 3 months before the movement, the result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml, and the laboratory must be on the EU list. Details are on the separate titration-test page.
What the relief does not cover
- return to the country of departure at the owner's expense
- quarantine for as long as it takes to meet the requirements, but no longer than six months
- euthanasia without compensation where neither return nor quarantine is possible
- inspection and quarantine fees plus VAT are payable by the owner in any case
The EU rule allows an exemption for puppies; Cyprus does not apply it
What Cyprus prohibits regardless of the country of departure:
- entry of an animal not vaccinated against rabies — with no exceptions
- entry of an animal younger than 105 days
- Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro dogs and crosses in which those traits prevail
- cats not of the species Felis silvestris catus — Savannah, Bengal, Caracat and their hybrids
- entry through any point that is not a designated one
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, consolidated version in force from 26 March 2024eur-lex.europa.euThe rule itself: Article 5 — no more than five animals; Articles 6 and 10 — conditions for entry from the EU and from third countries; Article 17 — identification; Annex III — vaccination (12 weeks, 21 days); Annex IV — titration test (30 days, 3 months, 0.5 IU/ml).
- Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013eur-lex.europa.euThe passport and health certificate models and, decisive for choosing your case, Annex II — the list of countries from which no titration test is required.
- Veterinary Services of Cyprus, “Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals”www.moa.gov.cyHow it is applied in Cyprus: designated points of entry, 48 hours' notice, an unqualified ban on unvaccinated animals, prohibited breeds and hybrid cats, and what is done with an animal whose papers fall short.