Can I bring my cat or dog from a country outside the EU to Belgium? What do I need?
In short
Yes. If you are coming from a non-EU country that is not on the list, preparations take at least 4 months. You need a microchip, a rabies vaccination, a rabies blood test and a 3-month wait after the test. An official veterinary health certificate is also required.
Video transcript
You want to bring your cat from a country outside the EU to Belgium. It depends: Yes, but from unlisted countries like Turkey, preparation takes at least 4 months: chip, rabies vaccine, blood test and a 3-month wait after the test. The right way: Do it in order: chip, vaccine, test, wait. Get an official health certificate no more than 10 days before arrival. If you break the rules: At the border: The animal is stopped; Then: Sent back or quarantined; If that's not possible: Animal may be put down.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- The EU divides non-EU countries into 'listed' and 'unlisted' countries. Dogs, cats and ferrets from an unlisted country need an extra blood test; check in advance which group your country falls into.
- The order matters: first the microchip, then the rabies vaccination. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old at the first vaccination.
- At least 30 days after the vaccination, a rabies antibody test (titration) is carried out in an EU-approved laboratory. After the blood sample is taken, you have to wait 3 months.
- In the country of departure, an official vet issues the EU health certificate no more than 10 days before arrival. You can bring no more than 5 animals, and you must enter through a designated point of entry.
- If the vaccination and test were done and recorded in the EU pet passport before the animal left Belgium, you do not need to wait 3 months when you come back from a short holiday abroad.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- An animal that does not meet the requirements is stopped at the border. It can be sent back or put in quarantine; if neither is possible, it may be put down.
Legal basis:Your Europe – Travelling with pets
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence. But the animal is sent back or put in quarantine; if neither is possible, it may be put down.
Legal basis:Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Quarantine and return can be expensive
Legal basis:Gedel. Vo. (EU) 2026/273 (wijz. 2019/2122), art. 11ter
- In Flanders, a dog brought in from abroad must be registered with DogID within 8 days
Legal basis:vlaanderen.be – Identificatie en registratie van honden
- The same rules apply to a stray you have taken in yourself. If an association hands the animal over to you, different (commercial) rules may apply.
Legal basis:Your Europe – Travelling with pets
Why does this rule exist?
Rabies is fatal to humans. It has been eradicated in most of the EU. The blood test and the waiting period stop animals from bringing the disease back in.
Where can you go?
- Regional nature agenciesFlanders: Natuur en Bos · Wallonia: DNF · Brussels: Bruxelles Environnement
- MunicipalityMunicipal forests, animal registration and places for sacrificial slaughter
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 13 / 13 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 13 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
AB, üçüncü ülkeleri listedeki ve listede olmayan ülkeler olarak ayırır (Uygulama Tüzüğü (AB) 2026/636 Ek I–II; eski 577/2013 yerini aldı)
European Commission – Listing of territories and non-EU countries (pet movement) - Found in an official source
Titrasyon testi AB dışı çoğu ülke için gerekli
Your Europe – Travelling with pets (son kontrol 01.09.2026) - Found in an official source
Aşı çipten sonra; ilk aşıda en az 12 haftalık
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
Aşıdan 30 gün sonra test; kan alımından sonra 3 ay bekleme
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
Test AB onaylı laboratuvarda, en az 0,5 IU/ml
Your Europe – Travelling with pets and other animals (non-EU) - Found in an official source
Sağlık sertifikası resmî devlet veterineri tarafından, gelişten en fazla 10 gün önce
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
En fazla 5 hayvan; belirlenmiş giriş noktası
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
AB'den çıkmadan önce aşı+test yapılıp pasaporta yazılırsa 3 ay bekleme yok
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
Uymayan hayvan geri gönderilir, karantinaya alınır veya ötanazi
Your Europe – Vlees, zuivel en dierlijke producten - Found in an official source
Flandre: yurt dışından gelen köpek 8 gün içinde kayıt
vlaanderen.be – Identificatie en registratie van honden - Corrected according to the source
Kurallara uymayan hayvan geri gönderilir, karantinaya alınır veya uyutulur
Your Europe – Travelling with pets - Corrected according to the source
Kurallar sahiplik değişmeyen özel yolculuklar içindir
Your Europe – Travelling with pets - Found in an official source
Uygun olmayan hayvanın karantinası, geri gönderilmesi veya uyutulması masrafı sahibine aittir
Gedel. Vo. (EU) 2026/273 (wijz. 2019/2122), art. 11ter
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?