International pet transport to Iceland is a lengthy process and sometimes can take several months to fulfil all the pet import criteria. The country is known for its stringent pet import regulations, and only if all the conditions are fulfilled will your pet be allowed to enter the country.

Pet vaccinations are an essential component of international pet travel; all countries worldwide insist that pets be vaccinated against rabies and other animal diseases before travelling. If you plan to travel to Iceland with your pet, here’s the vaccination schedule for international pet transport to Iceland.

Know your country category

Iceland has two country categories for pet import based on the rabies status of the country. Pets travelling from these countries must be fully vaccinated, and all vaccination details must be recorded in the pet passport or veterinary health certificate with the microchip number. The country categories are:

• Category 1 – Rabies-free countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
• Category 2 – Low incidence or well-controlled rabies such as Canada, Greenland, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Turkey, and the United States of America.  

Pets must reside in these countries for at least six months before travelling to Iceland. Pets travelling from non-approved countries must either travel via an approved country or apply to Iceland’s food and veterinary authority to approve the country your pet is flying from.

Vaccination schedule for dogs travelling to Iceland

Pet dogs flying to Iceland from Category 1 and 2 countries must be vaccinated against rabies before travelling. They also need a rabies titre test (RNATT) at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The sample must be drawn by a competent authority and sent to an EU-approved laboratory for testing. A minimum antibody level of 0.5 IU/ml is necessary for your pet to travel to Iceland.

Dogs travelling from Category 2 countries have a mandatory waiting period of 90 days from the date of sampling before they can travel to Iceland.

Other mandatory vaccines for dogs moving to Iceland are:

• Leptospirosis
• Canine distemper
• Infectious canine hepatitis
• Canine parvovirus
• Canine parainfluenza
• Canine influenza (Dogs travelling from Canada, Singapore and United States only)

Vaccination schedule for cats travelling to Iceland

Pet cats relocating to Iceland from Category 1 and 2 countries, like pet dogs, also need to be vaccinated against rabies before travelling. The rabies vaccine must be approved and administered according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After a minimum of 30 days of immunisation, blood must be drawn for a rabies titre test (RNATT) and sent to an EU-approved lab for analysis. The rabies titre test measures the efficacy of the rabies vaccine by measuring the antibody response in the pet. Iceland requires a minimum antibody level of 0.5 IU/ml for your pet to get permission to travel to Iceland.

Cats flying from Category 2 countries can travel after a waiting period of 90 days after the rabies titre test.

Other mandatory cat vaccinations:

• Feline panleukopenia
• Feline rhinotracheitis
• Calicivirus

International pet transport to Iceland

Bringing a pet dog or cat to Iceland is complicated and time-consuming. If the pet import conditions are not met satisfactorily, your pet may be in for extended quarantine, or worse, returned to the country of origin. An experienced pet travel partner can help make the pet relocation process safe and stress-free.

If you plan to move to Iceland with your pet, contact Petraveller for more information on pet import regulations and a free pet travel quote.