Bringing a dog or cat into Finland

The short version

• Rabies blood test for some origins
• Tapeworm treatment for some pets
• Designated entry point for some trips

How early to start

The least time the officially fixed waiting periods allow, by where your dog is coming from. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times come on top.

Where your pet is coming from matters

The EU sorts countries into groups. These are the groups exactly as the authority publishes them (EU: countries and territories listed under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 Art. 17(1), checked 2026-10-08).

• Annex II as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1228 (adds Montenegro and Serbia).
• Under the Windsor Framework, 'United Kingdom' in Annex II excludes Northern Ireland; NI applies EU pet rules.
• Ascension Island is listed by the EU as 'AC'; we use the ISO 3166-2 code SH-AC.
• Norway is an EEA member: the EU's own pages list it with the EU countries (tapeworm rule; 'EEA Member' in the young-animals table), not as a non-EU country. Grouped as eu_member so it is never asked for a titer.

Every requirement

For every pet

1. Identification

   Microchip

   Your pet must be identified with a microchip, implanted (or read) no later than the day of its rabies vaccination.

   Details and the official words

   “must be identified by the implantation of a microchip”

   “The date of administration of the vaccine does not precede the date of identification or reading of the microchip.”

2. Vaccination

   Rabies vaccination

   Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated. The vaccination becomes valid 21 days after the primary course is completed; boosters must be given before the previous vaccination expires.

   Details and the official words

   “The pet animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date the vaccine was administered.”

   “The period of validity of the vaccination starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination”

3. Paperwork

   EU animal health certificate

   An official (or authorised) veterinarian completes the EU animal health certificate and the competent authority endorses it. It is valid for entry for 10 days from issue (longer by the length of a sea journey), then for onward EU travel for up to 6 months.

   Details and the official words

   “valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the documentary and identity checks at the travellers' points of entry”

   “remain valid for bringing pet dogs, cats or ferrets into the EU if issued before 1 October 2026”

4. Paperwork

   Non-commercial declaration

   You (or the person you authorise) sign a written declaration that the movement is not commercial. If someone else travels with the pet, you must travel within 5 days before or after it.

   Details and the official words

   “a written declaration completed by the owner or an authorised person”

Depends on your pet or your route

1. Blood test

   Rabies antibody blood test (titer)

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Not listed — rabies antibody titration test needed

   A vet takes a blood sample at least 30 days after the primary vaccination; a designated lab must measure at least 0.5 IU/ml. The health certificate can only be issued 90 days or more after the sample date.

   Details and the official words

   No need to repeat the test if the pet is revaccinated within the validity of the previous vaccination.

   “at least 30 days after the date of the primary vaccination, or within a current valid vaccination series, and not less than 90 days before the date of issue of the animal health certificate”

   “equal to or greater than 0,5 IU/ml”

2. Treatment

   Tapeworm treatment (dogs)

   Applies when: your pet is a dog and you travel to Finland, Ireland or Malta

   Dogs entering Finland, Ireland or Malta must be treated by a vet against Echinococcus multilocularis (praziquantel) between 24 and 120 hours before the scheduled entry, recorded on the certificate.

   Details and the official words

   “within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry”

3. Route

   Enter through a travellers' point of entry

   Applies when: it is not true that the country you travel from is in the group: Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 — no titer test, pet passports accepted, no travellers' point of entry

   Arrive through a travellers' point of entry designated by the EU country, and contact the authority there for the document and identity check.

   Details and the official words

   “must pass through a travellers' point of entry designated by each EU country”

When this route doesn’t work

• Not covered by us yet · The country you travel from is in the group: EU member state (movement within the EU — different rules)

  Travel between EU countries uses the EU pet passport and different rules. We don't cover travel within the EU yet.

• Not covered by us yet · The pet is being sold, adopted or rehomed, or someone else brings the pet (you are not travelling with it), or you bring 6 or more pets

  This counts as a commercial movement into the EU (sale or change of owner, the owner not travelling within 5 days of the pet, or more than 5 pets). Commercial rules are stricter and not covered yet.

Good to know

• Young pets that are not yet fully protected against rabies cannot enter the EU from a non-EU country — in practice your pet must be at least about 15 weeks old (12 weeks at vaccination + 21 days).
• Some EU countries have their own rules on certain dog breeds. Check the destination country's national pet travel page.