Balkans
Turkey
Entering "Turkey": what you need
Entering Turkey requires a microchip, a rabies vaccination AND an antibody titer test — contrary to a common belief, the titer is required regardless of the country of origin, including from the EU. The veterinary certificate is issued no more than 2 days before travel, and a passenger may bring in at most 2 animals.
Vaccinations
A rabies vaccination is mandatory and must be given after microchipping, with the animal at least 3 months old. Only an inactivated vaccine (at least one antigenic unit per dose) or a recombinant one is accepted — modified-live vaccines are not. A booster given after the previous vaccine's validity lapsed counts as a primary vaccination, which restarts the titer clock.
Rabies titer test
Required from every country of origin. Blood is drawn no earlier than 30 days after the vaccination, and entry is allowed no earlier than 3 months (90 days) after the draw; the threshold is at least 0.5 IU/ml, at an EU-approved laboratory. The ORIGINAL result must be presented at the border. The test isn't repeated if vaccinations have been kept up without a lapse, and for Turkish-origin pets returning home the 3-month wait doesn't apply.
Documents
A veterinary certificate on the Turkish regulation's model, issued by the origin country's competent authority no more than 2 days before departure, plus a pet passport and the original titer-test report — one set per animal. The microchip must meet ISO 11784 (HDX or FDX-B) and be readable by an ISO 11785-compatible scanner; if it doesn't, the owner must supply their own reader. A clearly legible tattoo is also accepted.
Entry notes
At most 2 animals per passenger. Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crossbreeds are banned (some official Turkish MFA lists additionally name the Staffordshire Terrier — check your breed in advance). Animals that don't meet the requirements are returned to the country of departure, quarantined or euthanised, at the owner's expense. Unvaccinated puppies and kittens under 3 months are admitted only case by case, judged on the origin country's rabies situation. Passengers merely transiting without entering don't have to meet these conditions.
Sources: T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı — ветеринарные погранветпункты (VSKN Trabzon, VSKN аэропорт Стамбула); МИД Турции, консульские информационные записки. Текст самого регламента (Resmî Gazete 28133) с этой сессии не открылся — детали взяты с официальных страниц ведомств (verified Aug 2026)
Official source ↗Official source 2 ↗
Verified: August 28, 2026
This information is for reference only and does not replace advice from an embassy, veterinary authority or airline. Rules change — always verify with official sources before you travel. Never give your pet a sedative or sleep medication before a flight without a veterinarian's prescription — pressure changes at altitude can make it fatal.
Hani Walk — walk tracking, a digital pet passport and vaccination reminders, always at hand in the app.