Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, lies at the intersection between Asia, Europe and Africa. With a pleasant climate and many job opportunities, expats from all over the world consider Cyprus as a desirable destination to relocate to.
Moving abroad can be daunting, especially when do so with pets.
If you are planning to move to Cyprus with pets, we recommend you check out the guide below.
Every dog/cat that wishes to enter Cyprus, must be individually identified with an electronic microchip. The microchip must comply with the ISO standards 11784 & 11785.
If the microchip doesn’t comply with these standards, the owner or the person responsible, must provide the means necessary for reading the pet’s microchip.
Tattoos are acceptable if they are clearly readable and only if the tattoo was applied before July 3, 2011.
All dogs and cats entering Cyprus must be vaccinated against rabies. Unvaccinated pet animals are prohibited from entering Cyprus.
The rabies vaccine should be given after the implantation of the microchip.
In order to get vaccinated, the dog/cat should be at least 12 weeks old.
The rabies vaccine is valid from the establishment of protective immunity, which is at least 21 days from the day the vaccine was given. The vaccine remains valid until the date indicated by the manufacturer of the vaccine.
Boosters must be given before the previous rabies vaccine expires.
A rabies antibody titration test must be done in a laboratory approved by the EU, an OIE approved lab. Your pet won’t need to pass a rabies blood test if you are coming from an EU country or a listed country (such as: the UK, the United States, Australia, Canada, Russia and more).
The blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination was given and at least 3 months before entering Cyprus.
In other words, pets can’t enter Cyprus before the blood test is at least 3 months old.
The test result should state that the neutralizing antibody titer is equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml.
Pets entering Cyprus must be accompanied by an official veterinary health certificate. The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue, the date it was signed by a private vet.
The health certificate enables the authorities to clearly identify the pet animal and its health status. This document enables the authorities to check that the regulations have been met.
If you are bringing pets to Cyprus by sea, the health certificate’s validity is extended by an additional period corresponding to the duration of the journey by sea.
The following breeds and crosses can’t be imported into Cyprus:
If you have a “dangerous” dog, we recommend you read the following article: Flying A Dangerous Dog
Bringing pets to Cyprus can be done in 3 ways: in cabin, as excess baggage and as manifested cargo.
The owner or the person responsible for the pet, must notify the veterinary office at the point of entry at least 48 hours prior to the pet’s arrival.
Upon arrival, pets will be inspected by a veterinary officer or by a customs officer on duty.
There is no mandatory quarantine in Cyprus.
If the import requirements can’t be met, pet owners may ask the authorities for a special permit to bring their pet into Cyprus before completing the process.
In some cases, such a request will be approved by the authorities.
Here are some frequently asked questions about importing a pet into Cyprus:
Question #1: Can I bring my dog to Cyprus?
If you obey the import requirements, you should be able to bring your dog into Cyprus. If you need assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Question #2: I have a puppy that is 2 months old. Can I bring him?
Pets entering Cyprus must be at least 105 days old, regardless their country of origin.
How did we reach this number? As stated, pets must be vaccinated against rabies once they are at least 12 weeks (84 days) old. After receiving the vaccine, you must wait at least 21 days before you enter with your pets into Cyprus.
Question #3: Is an import permit required for bringing a pet into Cyprus?
Dogs, cats and ferrets imported into Cyprus don’t need an import permit. On the other hand, other animals (such as rabbits) will require an import permit.
Question #4: I need to get into Northern Cyprus. Are there different requirements?
The requirements stated on this page aren’t related to the pet import requirements of Northern Cyprus.
Question #5: I have a Pitbull mix. Can you assist me?
Unfortunately, no. Pitbulls aren’t allowed to be imported into Cyprus.
Emigrating to a new country with pets is not an easy decision.
While considering a move to Cyprus with your pets, it’s hard to find updated information online. This is why this page was created – to guide pet owners through the process and to help make their pet relocation to Cyprus as smooth as possible.
At Pets2Fly, our team of experts can assist you in everything related to your pet’s travel. As an IPATA member, bringing pets to Cyprus is our specialty.
If you need to travel with your pet to Cyprus, feel free to contact us for assistance.
We would love to hear from you!
