Bringing a pet to Cyprus: the order of steps, the long wait, and the banned breeds

The order of steps is not optional. Microchip first — an ISO-standard chip must identify the animal before anything else, and a rabies shot given before the chip does not count. Then the rabies vaccination. Then, for some countries only, a rabies antibody blood test.

From inside the EU it is simple: your pet travels on an EU pet passport issued by an authorised vet — no health certificate and no blood test for movement between member states, and Cyprus is one. Keep the rabies vaccination valid and there is little more to it.

From a non-EU country not on the EU's «listed» roster, the blood test applies, and this is where the timeline gets long:

When the sample is taken

At least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.

The wait before travel

Then roughly three months before the animal may move (the EU regulation phrases it as the sample being taken not less than 90 days before the health certificate is issued). The wait does not apply if the titre test was done in the EU before the animal left.

Required result

A rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml.

Plan backwards from your move date, especially on the blood-test route. The full sequence, listed-country detail and airline rules are in the pets guide.