Travel from the European Union *
* Including Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, and Vatican
What animals are allowed?
It is possible to travel to Switzerland with a dog. Indeed, dogs are authorized within the framework of a non-commercial trip in a maximum of 5 animals per trip (except if the purpose of the trip is to attend a competition, a show, a sporting event or a training in relationship with this type of event **) under certain conditions that we will explore.
** Attention: Exceptions exist, please contact the authorities, animals must be over six months old.
For full conditions depending on the country of arrival please see this page.
What are the entry requirements?
Traveling to Switzerland with a dog requires fulfilling a few conditions:
- Dogs with severed ears or tails are not allowed.
- The animal must be moved because the owner has to go to Switzerland.
- The displacement must take place maximum five days before or after the arrival of the owner.
- Transportation must be with the owner, or with another person with the owner’s written permission to travel with animals on behalf of the owner.
- The animal is identified via a clearly legible chip or tattoo
- Chip: Complies with ISO 11784 standards, using HDX or FDX-B technology, which can be read with a chip reader conforming to 11785 standards. If this is not possible, the owner must provide a chip reader capable of reading the chip.
- Tattoo: Accepted if done before July 3, 2011
- Identification: Carried out before the rabies vaccines
- The animal has a rabies vaccine.
- The vaccine is carried out by an authorized veterinarian.
- The vaccine is given when the animal is at least 12 weeks old. It is carried in the passport, just like the period of validity (a section is reserved there).
- The vaccine is produced after identification.
- Validity: The vaccine is valid 21 days after the end of the vaccination protocol required by the manufacturer for a primary vaccination. During a revaccination, there is no waiting period if it is carried out during the validity period of the previous one. If the revaccination is not carried out during the period of validity of the previous one, it is considered as primary vaccination.
- The vaccine must be either an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (recommendation of the World Health Organization), or a recombinant vaccine expressing the immunizing rabies virus glycoprotein in a living viral vector. If administered in an EU country, the vaccine must have received marketing authorization.
What documents are required?
Here are the documents necessary to travel to Switzerland with your dog:
- A declaration from the owner or an authorized person, attesting that the transport is not for commercial purposes.
- If the pet is not traveling with the owner, the person traveling with the pet must have written permission to travel with the pet.
- The veterinary certificate must be at least in English or official Swiss languages.
- Animal passport issued by an authorized veterinarian.
- It gives details about: identification, description of the animal, ownership, details of the veterinarian who issued it, information on rabies vaccine, and echinococcal treatment
- It is in line with the model: Part 1 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013
- If an animal cannot meet all the entry criteria, it is possible to make an exception request (authorization request 07/23). Exceptions are however only granted in specific cases (eg vaccination impossible due to medical contraindication).
Specifications for young animals up to 12 weeks:
- Import without a rabies vaccine is possible if a certificate is filled in by the new owner that they have been detained since birth without having contact with wild animals. The certificate is not necessary if the animal is accompanied by its mother on which it still depends. Puppies up to 8 weeks old can only be imported if accompanied by their mother.
Specifications for animals 12-16 weeks of age:
- The animal must be vaccinated against rabies. The waiting period of 21 days between vaccination and entry into Switzerland is not compulsory if the animals are accompanied by a certificate completed by the (new) owner attesting that they have been kept since birth without having contact with wild animals.
Specifications for animals from 16 weeks:
- The animal must be vaccinated against rabies. Entry is permitted no earlier than 21 days after vaccination. In the event of a recall made before the expiry of the period of validity of the vaccination coverage, the waiting period is not compulsory.
Travel from a third country or another territory
What animals are allowed?
It is possible to travel to Switzerland with a dog. In fact, dogs are authorized as part of a non-commercial trip in a maximum of 5 animals per trip (except if the purpose of the trip is to attend a competition, a show, a sporting event or a training in relationship with this type of event *) under certain conditions that we will explore.
* Attention: Exceptions exist, please contact the authorities, animals must be over six months old.
For full conditions depending on the country of arrival please see this page.
What are the entry requirements?
Traveling to Switzerland with a dog requires fulfilling a few conditions:
- The animal must be moved because the owner has to go to Switzerland.
- The displacement must take place maximum five days before or after the arrival of the owner.
- Transportation must be with the owner, or with another person with the owner’s written permission to travel with animals on behalf of the owner.
- The animal is identified via a clearly legible chip or tattoo
- Chip: Complies with ISO 11784 standards, using HDX or FDX-B technology, which can be read with a chip reader conforming to 11785 standards. If this is not possible, the owner must provide a chip reader capable of reading the chip.
- Tattoo: Accepted if done before July 3, 2011
- Identification: Carried out before the rabies vaccines
- The animal has a rabies vaccine.
- The vaccine is carried out by an authorized veterinarian.
- The vaccine is given when the animal is at least 12 weeks old. It is carried in the passport or the vertical of health, just like the period of validity (a section is reserved there).
- The vaccine is produced after identification.
- Validity: The vaccine is valid 21 days after the end of the vaccination protocol required by the manufacturer for a primary vaccination. During a revaccination, there is no waiting period if it is carried out during the validity period of the previous one. If the revaccination is not carried out during the period of validity of the previous one, it is considered as primary vaccination.
- The vaccine must be either an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (recommendation of the World Health Organization), or a recombinant vaccine expressing the immunizing rabies virus glycoprotein in a living viral vector.
- Rabies antibody test performed **
- The test is performed on a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the date of vaccination and at least three months before entering Switzerland.
- This is done by an authorized veterinarian.
- Collection is reported in the veterinary certificate or passport (appropriate section)
- Performed in an approved laboratory
- The test must measure a level of neutralizing antibodies against the rabies virus in the serum equal to or higher than 0.5 IU / ml and using a method prescribed in the relevant part of the chapter on rabies in the Manual of tests for World Organization for Animal Health terrestrial animal diagnostics and vaccines.
- The dog must be accompanied by an original report or a certified copy of the report from the approved laboratory on the results of the anti-rabies antibody test.
- It is not necessary to repeat the test after a satisfactory result provided that the pet is revaccinated during the period of validity of the previous vaccination.
- Three-month period: not applicable if it is the re-importation of an animal whose pet passport attests the antibody titration carried out with a positive result before the animal leaves the import territory or the territory of an EU member state, Iceland or Norway.
- The animal must be presented to customs, in case of need for a thorough inspection, it will be done during opening hours, if the owner does not arrive within these hours, he will have to pay a fee of guard for the animal. (red exit)
- In case of arrival by air, from third countries by air without a complete border veterinary control in an EU member country, Iceland or Norway (direct air) must be done by the airport from Zurich, Geneva or Basel (national airports).
** Except for animals coming from third countries or territories listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 for which the test is not required. Except for animals coming from EEA countries or third countries or territories listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 which pass through unlisted third countries or territories (the owner or authorized person must provide information signed saying that, during this transit, the domestic animal the animals had no contact with animals susceptible to rabies and remain safe in a means of transport or in the perimeter of an international airport, model available on site) for whom testing is not required.
What documents are required?
Here are the documents necessary to travel to Switzerland with your dog:
- A declaration from the owner or an authorized person, attesting that the transport is not for commercial purposes.
- If the pet is not traveling with the owner, the person traveling with the pet must have written permission to travel with the pet.
- The veterinary certificate must be at least in English or one of the official Swiss languages.
- Completed by an authorized veterinarian
- Validated by the competent authority by means of a visa
- Import by direct air: Valid until the day it is checked at a national airport, but ten days at most from the date of establishment.
- Identification document issued by an authorized veterinarian.
- It gives details about: identification, description of the animal, ownership, details of the veterinarian who issued it, information on rabies vaccine, and echinococcal treatment
- It is in accordance with the model: Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013
- Passport: Complies with model Annex III, part 1, of Regulation (EU) No 577/2013
- Passport to a country of the European Union before December 29, 2014: Complies with the decision model 2003/803 / EC.
Specification for rabies
States and territories enjoying an epizootic situation favorable to rabies:
Azores and Madeira, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion, Gibraltar, Greenland, Andorra, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican City, Antigua -and-Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, British Virgin Islands, Chile, Curacao, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hong Kong , Jamaica, Japan, Cayman Islands, Canada, Malaysia, Mauritius, Macedonia, Mexico, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Russia, Saba, Singapore, Saint-Eustache, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sint-Maarten, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, United Arab Emirates, United States (including Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and American Samoa), Wallis and Futuna Islands
States and territories where urban rabies cannot be excluded
All other states and territories are considered to be places where urban rabies cannot be excluded.
Specific conditions for these states:
- Veterinary cerficate must certify:
- valid rabies vaccination
- antibody assay for rabies performed in an approved laboratory
- The veterinary certificate is not necessary if the valid rabies vaccination and the titration of antibodies are mentioned in the animal passport or specially attested.
- Authorization of the FSVO: required for import by direct air from these states and territories. The request must be sent at least 21 days before the arrival of the animal, you must also attach the necessary documents to verify compliance with the import provisions.
