Moving to Cyprus with Pets

You can only bring pets into the Republic of Cyprus at these places:

• The international airports of Larnaca and Paphos
• The ports of Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos

You cannot bring pets in through any other point of entry.

Some species are covered by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). For these species, you may only use the airports of Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Larnaca and Limassol.

Table of Contents

• Moving with Pets
• Dogs, Cats and Ferrets
• Other Species
• Further Information
• Contact

Dogs, Cats and Ferrets

1. General Requirements

Each animal must be easy to identify. An animal usually counts as identifiable if it has one of these:

• a tattoo you can read clearly, or
• a microchip.

The microchip should meet ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A of ISO Standard 11785. If it does not, you (or the person looking after the animal) must make sure the chip can be read at the inspection. Tattoos were only accepted until 3 July 2011. Since that date, only the microchip is accepted as proof of identity.

You should normally have the microchip put in before the rabies vaccination, and you should be able to show this.

2. Rabies Vaccination

The animal must be at least three months old to be vaccinated. The first vaccination certificate must be issued at least 21 days before entry. Booster vaccinations are valid from the day they are given, as long as they fall within the time set by the vaccine maker. If the first vaccination was never certified, a booster counts as a first vaccination.

3. Age

Because of the rules above, every pet brought into the Republic of Cyprus must be at least 111 days old. You cannot bring in younger animals.

4. Banned Breeds

These dog breeds cannot be brought in:

• American Pitbull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier
• Japanese Tosa or Tosa Inu
• Dogo Argentino or Argentinian Mastiff
• Fila Brasileiro or Brazilian Mastiff

5. Documents You Need

You must show these documents for each animal:

• A vaccination passport that shows a valid rabies vaccination
• Documents that show the animal is coming into Cyprus from another EU Member State

6. Inspection on Arrival

When you arrive, a veterinary officer or the customs officer on duty will check every animal and its documents.

7. What Happens If an Animal Does Not Meet the Rules

If an animal does not meet the rules, it may be:

• sent back to its country of origin
• placed in quarantine until it meets the health rules, for no more than six months
• put down, with no payment to the owner, if it cannot be sent back or kept apart.

The owner or responsible person must also pay for the inspection and for any quarantine fees, plus VAT.

Further Information

European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection: Pet travel information

Cyprus Veterinary Services: Official website