Bringing a dog or cat from the US to Portugal

Moving a dog or cat from the United States to Portugal is mostly a matter of order and timing. The rules come from European Union law, Portugal's veterinary authority (the Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, or DGAV) applies them at the border, and the US Department of Agriculture endorses the paperwork before you fly. Get the sequence right and the process is predictable. Get it wrong and the DGAV says the first response is sending the animal back to where it came from, at the owner's cost.

This guide covers the non-commercial route: you are moving your own pets, not selling them or handing them to a new owner.

Who counts as a pet traveler

The DGAV defines non-commercial pet dogs and cats as up to 5 animals that are not for sale or change of ownership, traveling with the owner or with a person the owner authorizes, within 5 days before or after the owner's own trip. If your pet travels on its own outside that 5-day window, or you bring more than 5, commercial rules apply instead, and those are stricter.

If someone else will fly with your pet inside the 5-day window, the owner has to provide a written authorization attached to the health certificate. The DGAV publishes a model declaration for this. Only the owner's name goes on the health certificate itself, even if an authorized person travels with the animal.

The four conditions, in the order you meet them

The DGAV lists four conditions for dogs and cats arriving from outside the EU. The European Commission's page on pet movement from non-EU countries sets out the same rules under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131.

### 1. Microchip first

The pet must be identified, normally by a microchip that meets ISO 11784 and 11785. The DGAV is strict about the order: the rabies vaccination date can never be earlier than the microchip date. Vaccination on the same day as the microchip is accepted. A tattoo is only accepted for animals identified before 3 July 2011, with written proof.

If your pet has a chip that does not meet the ISO standard, ask your vet about it before anything else, because the rest of the paperwork depends on the chip number.

### 2. Rabies vaccine at 12 weeks or older

The rabies vaccine has to be given when the animal is at least 12 weeks old and already microchipped. For a first vaccination, at least 21 days must pass before the vaccine counts as valid for travel. Boosters must follow the conditions of the vaccine used. The DGAV warns that a booster given outside those conditions is treated as a new primary vaccination, which restarts the 21-day wait.

The DGAV also does not allow young dogs and cats from outside the EU to enter: under 12 weeks, or between 12 and 16 weeks with a rabies vaccine less than 21 days old.

### 3. Rabies antibody test, only from rabies-risk countries

A blood test for rabies antibodies is required only when the pet comes from a country with rabies risk that is not on the EU's list. The DGAV gives examples of such countries, including the African continent and Ukraine. The United States is not one of the examples given, and the USDA APHIS page for Portugal is the place to confirm what applies to a pet leaving the US.

Where the test does apply, the European Commission sets the details: blood drawn at least 30 days after the primary vaccination, tested in an EU-designated laboratory, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and the animal can move only 90 days after the sample date. If your route passes through a rabies-risk country, the DGAV says the animal must stay in the airport's international zone there and you need a written declaration.

### 4. Official health certificate

The health certificate comes from official services, not from a private vet clinic alone. The DGAV notes that most non-EU countries have their own model. For the United States, the USDA APHIS page for Portugal explains the process: a USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the certificate, can issue it electronically through VEHCS, and USDA endorses it. The APHIS page notes that an electronic signature is accepted but an original ink endorsement is required.

APHIS also states that new EU health certificates apply from 1 October 2026 for non-commercial dogs, cats, ferrets and birds, because of changes in EU law (EU 2026/131 and EU 2026/848). Certificates already in process on the old model could be endorsed until 30 September 2026. Ask your vet to use the current form.

Along with the certificate, the DGAV asks for proof of identification, proof of rabies vaccination, and the antibody test result where one applies. Certified copies of the vaccination proof and test result are accepted.

Telling Portugal you are coming

APHIS states that Portugal requires pet owners to contact the authorities at least 48 hours before arrival with written notice. The DGAV runs checks at designated Travellers' Points of Entry, such as airports, and asks owners to send their documents to the right point of entry ahead of time. It warns that documents sent to other addresses cannot be reviewed in time.

There is a fee for the veterinary check at the point of entry, set by DGAV order and subject to updates. Assistance dogs for people with disabilities are exempt from that payment.

Pets cannot enter at marinas or recreational ports that are not points of entry. If you arrive by boat, the animal stays on board until you go to a proper point of entry.

What the airline wants is separate

APHIS reminds owners that airlines have their own rules for pets in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo. These are separate from Portugal's import conditions. Check crate size, weight limits and temperature restrictions with your airline before you book.

If you need a crate that meets airline rules, search for airline-approved pet carriers and compare the dimensions with your airline's limits.

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After you arrive: rabies vaccination is the law

Portugal declares itself free of rabies, with the last native case recorded in 1960, according to the DGAV. Even so, Portaria 264/2013 makes a valid rabies vaccination mandatory for all dogs aged 3 months or older nationwide. For cats and other species, it is voluntary.

Dogs can be vaccinated through the official annual campaign run by municipal vets, or by any vet you choose. The DGAV lists campaign fees, including €10.00 for a dog's rabies vaccination at any date and €2.50 for SIAC registration (the national pet database). Your town hall (Câmara Municipal) publishes the campaign schedule.

The EU pet passport and living in Portugal

Once you are resident, the EU pet passport becomes relevant. The DGAV explains that it can only be issued to owners whose usual and main residence is in the EU. People who live mainly outside the EU and stay in Portugal only seasonally do not qualify.

The DGAV also explains a nuance for return trips. An EU passport can be used to come back from a non-EU country only for animals that already met the conditions of that country before leaving the EU. If anything changed, a new health certificate is needed to re-enter.

Taking a dog back to the United States

Dog imports into the US are controlled by the CDC. The CDC says the rules depend on where your dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the 6 months before entering the US. Its Dog Importation Navigator tells you which set of requirements applies. A dog that is not vaccinated against rabies and has been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months will not be allowed in. You also have to meet USDA rules and those of your US destination state.

Check the CDC's list of high-risk countries before any trip home, especially if your dog has traveled through other countries while living in Portugal.

A workable timeline

1. Confirm the microchip meets ISO 11784/11785, or implant one.
2. Vaccinate against rabies on or after the chip date, with the pet at least 12 weeks old.
3. Wait at least 21 days after a first vaccination.
4. Book a USDA-accredited vet for the EU health certificate and USDA endorsement, close to your travel date.
5. Send written notice to the Portuguese point of entry at least 48 hours before arrival.
6. Check your airline's pet rules and crate size.
7. After arrival, keep the dog's rabies vaccination current and register with SIAC.

Common questions

Does my dog need a rabies blood test to enter Portugal from the US? The antibody test is required for pets coming from rabies-risk countries that are not on the EU list. The DGAV's examples include the African continent and Ukraine, not the US. Confirm the current requirement for a pet leaving the US on the USDA APHIS page for Portugal.

Can my regular vet sign the health certificate? A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes it, and USDA must endorse it. The DGAV says the certificate is issued by official services, and APHIS requires an original ink endorsement.

How many pets can I bring? Up to 5 dogs or cats under the non-commercial rules, traveling with the owner or an authorized person within 5 days of the owner's trip. Above that, commercial rules apply.

Is rabies vaccination required once I live in Portugal? Yes for dogs. Portaria 264/2013 requires a valid rabies vaccination for all dogs aged 3 months or older. For cats it is voluntary.

Can I get an EU pet passport once I live in Portugal? The DGAV says the EU passport is issued only to owners whose usual and main residence is in the EU, so it becomes available after you are resident, not while you live mainly in the US.