Northern Cyprus Pet Import Requirements

What is a Pet Passport?

We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents that address Northern Cyprus pet import requirements for dogs or cats entering the country. This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for resident pets. Although Cyprus is an EU Member State, Northern Cyprus is not. Your pet’s passport to enter Northern Cyprus will include import permit, proof of microchip, rabies vaccination, titer test, and international export health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the origination country.

Animals Eligible for These Regulations

Unless otherwise stated, the regulations below apply to domestic dogs and cats including service and assistance dogs and cats. These regulations do not include the import of Wolf hybrids, Savannah and Bengal cats, unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree.

Approved Countries for Entry to Northern Cyprus

Northern Cyprus has negotiated health certificates with Türkiye and Great Britain (not including Northern Ireland), so entry should be from either of these countries. Turkish Airlines offers the most options to entering Northern Cyprus by air.

Pets clearing customs in Türkiye and the Great Britain must conform to regulations to enter these countries unless they are flying in and out on the same airline with a short layover.

Related: Pet import requirements for Türkiye

Related: Pet import requirements for Great Britain

Note: Pets cannot move through the Green Zone between Cyprus and Northern Cyprus. Entry to these countries must be through their respective Border Inspection Posts.

Find a Licensed Veterinarian

Before beginning any pet export procedure, make sure your veterinarian is approved by the governing veterinarian authority in your pet’s country of origin. The agency of the government that is responsible for the movement of live animals should either license or employ your veterinarian.

Quarantine for Pets Entering Northern Cyprus

Quarantine will not be imposed on your pet if the following regulations are met. If requirements listed here are not met, your pet will be quarantined, returned to the origin country or euthanized. All expenses will be borne by the importer.

Northern Cyprus Pet Import Requirements

All steps required to conform to Northern Cyprus pet import regulations must be completed in the origination country. Complete steps 1-6 in the order given.

Step 1: Pet Microchip

Having your pet identified with a microchip is important when traveling internationally for several reasons. Firstly, a microchip will tie your pet to its documentation when entering a foreign country. Secondly, if, for any reason, your pet is separated from you during travel, the chances of reuniting with your pet significantly increase if you register your information in a microchip database.

Your pet must be identified with a 15-digit pet microchip which is compliant with International Standards Organization standard 11784 or Annex A of ISO standard 11785 prior to entering Northern Cyprus. All documentation must reflect the microchip number. If your pet’s microchip is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, importers can provide a microchip scanner that will read their pet’s microchip.

Your veterinarian, a veterinary hospital or trained nurse should implant the microchip. Documentation should be provided as to the manufacturer of the microchip and registration instructions.

Step 2: Vaccinations

All cats and dogs must be vaccinated for rabies between 30 days and 12 months prior to entering Northern Cyprus. The administering veterinarian should record vaccination information, sign and stamp one of the following documents depending on veterinary practices in the country of origin:

• a rabies certificate
• a government-issued vaccination booklet or
• an EU Pet Passport

Other Vaccinations

• Dogs: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parvovirus.
• Cats: feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukemia.

Veterinarians must record vaccinations on the international health certificate (step 5) at intervals required by veterinary health procedures of the origination country.

Step 3: Rabies Titer (Serology) Test

A rabies titer test, also known as a rabies antibody test or rabies serology test, is a blood test that measures the level of rabies antibodies in your pet’s blood. The test will assess the effectiveness of a rabies vaccination or determine your pet’s immune response to the rabies virus. When required, a licensed veterinarian will administer the test more than 30 days after the most current rabies vaccination.

A rabies titer test is required for cats and dogs entering Northern Cyprus. Both Turkey and Great Britain will require that the test be administered a minimum of three months prior to import unless transiting IST on Turkish Airlines.

Note that rabies titer test results or veterinary exemption letters are no substitution for proof of rabies vaccination.

Step 4: Parasite Treatments

According to all preventative measures to ensure public health and the safety of your pet, treatments for internal and external parasites should be administered prior to entering Northern Cyprus.

The treatment of pets for internal parasites, especially Echinococcus multilocularis, as well as external parasites (fleas and ticks) should be discussed with your veterinarian who will administer according to disease status of the origination country. These treatments are required to enter either Turkey. Great Britain will require a treatment for internal parasites between one and five days of import.

The administering veterinarian can record these treatments on the health certificate or issue you a record of treatment.

Step 5: Health Certificate

All countries worldwide require an original health certificate (sometimes known as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) for live animals entering their country. Northern Cyprus is no exception to this requirement.

• owner’s information
• origination and destination details
• details of your pet
• vaccinations and treatments
• veterinary attestations regarding symptoms of contagious diseases at the time of export.

A licensed veterinarian in your country must complete the veterinary health certificate for Northern Cyprus shortly prior to travel.

After issuance, this certificate must be endorsed by the government agency responsible for the import and export of animals in the country of origin.

Step 6: Import Permit

Pet dogs and cats entering Northern Cyprus from the United Kingdom will need an import permit. This requirement does not apply for pets entering the country from Turkey.

Other Information

Importing Puppies and Kittens to Northern Cyprus

Puppies and kittens should not be vaccinated for rabies prior to three months of age. They can be microchipped at 8 weeks of age, but must not be vaccinated until after three months of age and wait for 30 days before having the titer test.

Related: More information on transporting a puppy.

Breeds Banned for Import to Northern Cyprus

The following breeds are prohibited from entry to Northern Cyprus: Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull, Japanese Tosa or Tosa Inu, Dogo Argentino or Argentinian Mastiff, Fila Brasileiro or Brazilian Mastiff.

Flying Your Pet to Northern Cyprus

Flights to Northern Cyprus should be direct or transit through a rabies-controlled country or another EU Member State if possible*. *Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.

Entering Northern Cyprus by Air

Pets entering Northern Cyprus must do so by air at the Ercan International Airport. Dogs and cats that do not meet entrance requirements will be subject to 3 months of quarantine at a place and conditions determined by the Director of the Veterinary Office at the expense of the owner.

Related: Is your pet’s crate IATA-compliant?

Flights should be direct if the duration of the flight does not violate animal welfare laws. Layovers should be short and not involve a change in airline companies. If your pet’s itinerary involves a layover in the European Union, then additional requirements will apply.

Importers will need to provide advance notice to veterinary officials at the airport so they will be available to inspect your pet and its passport documentation upon landing. This is especially important if your pet will be arriving outside of normal business hours.

Whenever your pet travels to a foreign country like Northern Cyprus, it is always advisable to carry some form of identification indicating ownership of your pet.

All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the entry airport.
A government veterinarian will provide further examination if your dog or cat is not in apparent good health when entering Northern Cyprus. All costs associated with further inspections or treatments will be borne by the importer.

Note: Pets cannot enter Cyprus via land over the Green Zone.

Importing Other Pet Animals to Northern Cyprus

Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents and rabbits are not subject to requirements of rabies vaccination but may have to meet other requirements and should have a health certificate to e Anter Northern Cyprus. Pet owners are strongly advised to seek further information from the relevant authority of their country and/or that of the country of destination.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits the trade of some species of animals, including pets. This is crucial if you have a pet that isn’t a dog or cat, and it’s crucial if it’s a turtle or a parrot. If this is the case, importers will have to submit additional permit applications. The agency that issues these permits is responsible for the protection of wildlife in your country.

Over 180 countries participate in and enforce CITES regulations.

Related: Search the CITES database or Search the Species+ database

Related: Read more about CITES

Have Questions About Importing Your Pet to Northern Cyprus?

Have a question about importing a pet to Northern Cyprus? Post it below and we will respond. You can also reach out by posting to our Blog, X (Twitter), Facebook, or Email or follow our activities on Instagram and TikTok.

Please note that the accuracy of comments made below by users other than Pet Travel have not been verified. We do not endorse any person or company that may offer transport services through posts to this webpage.

Current Information

To the best of our ability, we ensure that recommendations given on PetTravel.com reflect the current regulations. We cannot predict how a given country may enforce these regulations. Noncompliance may result in the need to make arrangements to put your pet into quarantine at your expense, return your pet to the country of origin, or euthanize your pet. To avoid these consequences, we suggest that you minimize the disruptions that may occur by following Northern Cyprus pet import requirements.