Bringing your dog or cat from Brazil to Portugal

The entry of dogs and cats into Portugal from a country outside the European Union is controlled by DGAV (Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária). For people coming from Brazil, the rule that most affects the calendar is the 90-day wait after the rabies antibody test. DGAV warns that failure to meet any rule leads, in the first instance, to the animal being sent back to its origin and, as a last resort, may lead to euthanasia, with all costs borne by the keeper. Each point should therefore be confirmed against the official pages cited at the end, which may be updated.

Who these rules apply to

DGAV calls pets the dogs and cats, up to a number of 5, that are not intended for sale or transfer of ownership and that travel with the owner or with a person authorised by the owner, within 5 days before or after the owner’s journey. If the animal travels alone after those 5 days, or there are more than 5 animals, the commercial rules apply, which DGAV points to on another page. Dogs and cats under 12 weeks, or between 12 and 16 weeks with a rabies vaccination less than 21 days old, are not allowed to enter.

Step by step

1. Identification

The animal must be identified, normally by microchip. The microchip must comply with ISO standards 11784 and 11785. If it does not, the owner or authorised person must bring a reader that allows the identification to be checked. A tattoo is valid only for animals identified before 3 July 2011 and with written proof.

2. Rabies vaccination

According to DGAV, the vaccination is valid if:

• the animal was at least 12 weeks old and already identified;
• the vaccination date is not earlier than the microchip date (the same date is accepted);
• at least 21 days have passed since the first vaccination.

Boosters must meet the conditions of the vaccine used in the country of origin; a booster that does not is treated as a first vaccination. The vaccine’s validity period must be recorded in the identification document that goes with the animal.

3. Antibody test and 90-day wait

DGAV places Brazil among the countries with a rabies risk, that is, not on the list of exempt countries and territories. The European Commission list does not include Brazil. In these cases:

1. the blood sample is taken at least 30 days after vaccination, at an EU-approved laboratory (the 30 days refers to the first vaccination, not to a booster given within the validity of the previous one);
2. the animal may travel only 90 days after the date of the blood sample.

DGAV adds that this wait does not apply to an animal that left the EU with the test already done and a favourable result and then returns.

4. Health certificate

The certificate is issued by official services, not by a clinical vet. In Brazil, the certificate used for this purpose is the CVI, issued by Federal Agricultural Tax Auditors at the Vigiagro units, according to gov.br. The request is made through a free online service; gov.br says the auditor’s review takes up to 48 hours, with no estimate for the other stages. The request includes the vet’s health attestation (atestado de saúde), the vaccination record and documents showing that the destination’s sanitary requirements are met.

Points to bear in mind:

• Only the owner’s name should appear on the certificate, even if the animal travels with another person.
• DGAV also requires proof of identification and vaccination and the antibody test result. It accepts certified copies of the vaccination record and the test result.
• If an authorised person travels, the owner must attach a written authorisation; DGAV provides the template.
• The EU’s Your Europe portal says the certificate is issued at most 10 days before arrival in the EU. That portal still speaks of a three-month wait after the antibody test, whereas DGAV, which refers these requirements to Regulation (EU) 2026/131 (article 14), gives 90 days.
• DGAV mentions a new certificate model in force since 22 April 2026 and a transition period until 31 March 2027 for certificates of the previous model issued before 1 October 2026. Which model Brazil issues should be confirmed with Vigiagro.

If the journey passes through a country with a rabies risk, the animal may not leave the international area of the airport and the owner presents a written declaration, also with a DGAV template.

5. Notice to the point of entry

DGAV checks animals at travellers’ points of entry, such as airports. Contacting the point of entry is compulsory, done by the owner or authorised person and not by the carrier, as early as possible. DGAV gives at least 48 hours before arrival as the reference. The DGAV form is filled in and the documents are sent to the point of entry’s addresses; documents sent to other addresses cannot be reviewed in time. The Lisbon point of entry is closed between 00:00 and 06:00 and the Porto one between 23:00 and 07:00, and the check takes place outside those hours.

6. Check and fee

There is a veterinary examination at the point of entry. DGAV gives 43.17 euros for one animal and 86.34 euros for two or more, subject to updating. Assistance dogs for people with disabilities are exempt. By sea, animals may not land at marinas or leisure ports that are not points of entry.

The flight

Transport conditions, such as crates, weight and the number of animals per flight, are set by each airline. They are not DGAV rules. The airline should be contacted before buying the ticket.

After arrival

SIAC registration

According to DGAV, animals entering Portugal marked in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 are registered in SIAC if they remain in the country for 120 days or more. Registration is done by a veterinarian accredited with SIAC, in the name of the owner shown on the health certificate or passport. The animal receives the Documento de Identificação de Animal de Companhia (DIAC), which should always accompany it.

Dog licence

Dogs registered in SIAC are licensed every year at the parish council (junta de freguesia) of the owner’s area of registration. Except for dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs, the initial SIAC registration is valid as a licence for one year. DGAV says failure to comply may lead to an administrative offence.

Dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs

DGAV gives specific rules for these categories: keeping them requires a licence from the parish council and a training course for keepers; on entry, dogs that accompany the owner for 4 months or more must be registered by the municipal veterinarian. The American Bully is considered potentially dangerous. According to DGAV, potentially dangerous dogs entering for less than 4 months travel on a short lead and muzzled; for stays of 4 months or more, the animal must be sterilised if there is no proof of registration in an officially recognised pedigree book. The first licence is due within 30 days of SIAC registration. To find out whether the animal’s breed is covered, the list is on DGAV’s licensing page.

For other steps of the move, see the Path assistant and the guides on loose ends in Brazil and renting a home.