Azores - Pets

Arriving in the Azores with Pets On Board

Portugal requires that pet owners contact the authorities at least 48 hours prior to arrival and provide written notice of arrival. The form is available on the DGAV website. This notification will help organize the port of entry procedures and avoid delays.

All pets on board should be declared on arrival at each harbor in the Azores and kept on board until papers have been presented to the authorities.

The Azores comes under the EU Pets Travel Scheme (PETS) and pets must have a Pet Passport, be micro-chipped and have a current Health Certificate and Rabies Vaccination Certificate issued by an authorised Veterinarian.

Arriving from within the EU:

See the latest rules if coming from within the EU on the DGAV website.

Arriving from outside the EU:

If coming from a non-EU country, pets must also be micro-chipped and have a current Health Certificate and Rabies Vaccination Certificate issued by an authorised Veterinarian. Upon arrival pet owners must prioritize an appointment with a local Vet to see the animal and be given an EU Pet Passport valid in all EU Member states.

See the latest rules if coming from outside the EU on the DGAV website.

Last updated:  April 2025

Feedback from a US boat entering the Azores in Horta (May 2023):
"We entered the EU via Horta, Portugal from the US. There were no issues at immigration or customs, they didn’t even look at my stack of medical records. I took all of the current medical records and both dogs to a vet in Horta and got Pet Passports. We continued through the Azores, Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco, Greece, Italy, and Montenegro with no issues or fees whatsoever. EU is very pet friendly, especially Italy. We are just loving that aspect of cruising here."