Requirements for importing pets from Ukraine
Here are the rules for refugees traveling with pets from Ukraine to Norway.
Identification
Dogs, cats and ferrets must be microchipped with an approved ID microchip. The animal must be microchipped before being vaccinated against rabies.
Health certificate or pet passport
EU-approved health certificate
Dogs require an EU health certificate (PDF). The certificate must contain this information:
- Your name, as the owner of the animal
- The animal’s microchip number
- Vaccination against rabies
- Treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis (fox tapeworm)
Cats and ferrets also require an EU health certificate (PDF). The certificate must contain this information:
- The name of the owner of the animal
- The animal’s microchip number
- Vaccination against rabies
The certificate must be signed or certified by a veterinarian. The veterinarian must either be employed by the government or perform duties on behalf of the government in the country where the certificate is issued.
The certificate must be accompanied by documents supporting the information in the certificate, such as a vaccination record. These documents must also show the animal’s microchip number.
Normally, to validate the certificate, you must enter an EU/EEA country within 10 days from the date of issuance, but for those arriving by sea, an exception has been made to accommodate the duration of the sea journey. You must have the certificate stamped and signed when entering the EU/EEA for the first time (date of entry).
The certificate is valid for travel between EU/EEA countries for four months from the date of entry.
EU pet passport
As an alternative to the EU health certificate, cats and ferrets can travel with an EU pet passport. For the passport to replace the health certificate, it must be issued by an authorised veterinarian in Norway or another EU/EEA country.
For the rabies vaccine in the EU pet passport to be considered valid, it must always be administered and documented by an authorised veterinarian in an EU/EEA country. Make sure to check that the validity period of the rabies vaccine does not expire while you are travelling.
Rabies vaccination
Dogs, cats and ferrets must have a valid rabies vaccination.
The following requirements must be met for the rabies vaccination to be valid:
- The animal must be at least 12 weeks old before receiving the rabies vaccine.
- The animal must be microchipped with an ID microchip before receiving the rabies vaccine.
- The vaccine must be approved and the veterinarian administering the vaccine must follow the recommendations of the vaccine manufacturer.
- The veterinarian must document the vaccine in the animal’s EU pet passport or EU health certificate.
In addition, the animal must undergo a rabies antibody titration test to demonstrate the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine:
- The rabies antibody titration test must be taken at least 30 days after the last rabies vaccination.
- The rabies antibody titration test must be taken by a veterinarian and analysed at an EU-approved laboratory (Approved rabies serology laboratories (food.ec.europa.eu)). The blood test must show that the animal has an antibody titration against rabies of at least 0.5 IU/ml for the vaccine to be considered valid.
- If the blood test is taken in a country outside the EU/EEA, you must wait at least 90 days (from the day the test was taken) before bringing the animal into Norway or another EU/EEA country. The test result must be documented in the animal’s EU health certificate by an authorised veterinarian.
- If both the vaccine and the blood test are administered and documented in the EU pet passport in Norway (or another EU/EEA country) before leaving the EU/EEA, you can freely travel out of and into the EU/EEA as long as the vaccine is valid. You do not need to wait 90 days from the day of the blood test.
If you ensure that the animal receives regular rabies vaccinations while the previous vaccine is still valid, you can avoid the need for a new blood test for future travel.
If the animal needs to receive a new vaccine while outside the EU/EEA
Sometimes you may need to have the animal revaccinated outside the EU/EEA while travelling. An example could be If you are on a trip and discover that the validity period of the vaccine the animal received in the EU/EEA will soon expire. In such cases, the animal needs an EU health certificate to enter Norway or any other EU/EEA countries. The reason is that veterinarians outside the EU/EEA cannot record rabies vaccines in the EU pet passport.
Fox tapeworm (for dogs only)
The dog must be treated against Echinococcus multilocularis (fox tapeworm) before coming to Norway. The treatment must:
- Be carried out between 24 and 120 hours before the dog arrives in Norway
- Be performed by an authorised veterinarian in the country the dog is travelling from to Norway
- Be conducted using an approved product containing, for example, praziquantel or epsiprantel
- Be documented in the EU pet passport or EU health certificate
Border inspection
You must travel to Norway via Oslo Airport or Storskog (border crossing in Northern Norway).
Follow the red channel in the customs area and present the animal and its documents to the Norwegian Customs Service.
At the border inspection station, the pet will be inspected by a veterinarian employed by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. We recommend that you notify the Norwegian Food Safety Authority at least 48 hours before your arrival to avoid waiting time:
Norwegian Food Safety Authority at Oslo Airport
Phone: (+47) 22 77 79 00
Norwegian Food Safety Authority at Storskog (Kirkenes)
Phone: (+ 47) 95 77 91 21
Costs when the requirements are not fulfilled
Costs associated with transporting the animal to a quarantine station, quarantine stay, necessary veterinary treatment, possible deportation to the sending country or euthanasia must be covered by the owner, or the person responsible for transporting the animal to Norway.