preflightpet Smoother trips. Happier pets.

Bringing a Dog from the USA to Greece: Requirements & Timeline

Standard EU dates with one Greek particular: pets may only enter through authorized points — pick your arrival airport before you book.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-07-24

Planning for a cat instead? See the cat version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

Greece follows the EU baseline: ISO microchip before the rabies vaccination, vaccination at 12 weeks or older, the 21-day wait, and a USDA-endorsed EU health certificate with arrival within 10 days. No titer test from the US, no tapeworm treatment, no quarantine when compliant, and pets under ~15 weeks are refused.

The thing to get right is your arrival point: pet entry is prohibited where no authorized border post operates. From the US that means Athens International or Thessaloniki in practice — several island airports and ports (Heraklion, Rhodes, Corfu among them) are also authorized, but confirm your specific island arrival with the Greek authorities before booking, as the official list is dated.

Minimum lead time: about 0.7 months (21 days). Greece is achievable in under a month; the 21-day post-vaccination wait is the floor. The Greek particular is geography: enter via an authorized point — Athens and Thessaloniki are the safe choices from the US.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. ISO microchip implanted
    ISO 11784/11785 microchip, implanted and scanned BEFORE the rabies vaccination — a shot given before the chip does not count and must be redone.
    Official source ↗
  2. Rabies vaccination (then a 21-day wait)
    Given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or older, after the microchip; a primary vaccination requires a 21-day wait before entry (shot day = day 0). No titer test from the US, and no tapeworm treatment for Greece. Greece refuses animals under ~15 weeks — no young-animal exception.
    Official source ↗
  3. EU health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
    A USDA-accredited vet completes the EU non-commercial certificate (via VEHCS); USDA APHIS endorses it. Arrive in the EU within 10 days of endorsement, entering Greece via an authorized point for the documentary and identity checks. After entry it covers onward EU travel for 6 months or until the rabies vaccination expires.
    Official source ↗

Island-hopping with a pet

If your trip continues to the islands, enter Greece at Athens or Thessaloniki first and travel domestically after the checks — that avoids betting your arrival on a smaller port's authorization status. Once inside, the certificate covers onward EU travel for 6 months or until the rabies vaccination expires.

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

FAQ

How long does it take to bring a dog from the US to Greece?
About 3–4 weeks from a standing start: microchip and rabies vaccination, the 21-day wait, then the USDA-endorsed EU certificate within 10 days of arrival.
Can I fly my pet straight to a Greek island?
Only via an authorized entry point. Several island airports and ports are on the list (Heraklion, Rhodes, Corfu among them), but the safest plan from the US is entering at Athens or Thessaloniki and continuing domestically — confirm island arrivals with the Greek authorities first.
Does my dog need a titer test or tapeworm treatment for Greece?
Neither — the US is an EU-listed country, and tapeworm treatment only applies to Ireland, Finland, Malta, Northern Ireland and Norway.
Is it different for cats?
Cats follow the identical chip → vaccine → 21-day wait → certificate chain. Use the cat toggle in the planner.

Other dog routes

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.