Taking Pet Cats and Dogs from Sri Lanka to France

Your pet cat, dog or ferret may enter France travelling from Sri Lanka, if it has:-

1. Been microchipped 

The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination, and must be readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.  If the microchip cannot be read when you enter or return to France, your pet could be put into quarantine or refused entry.  You may carry your own hand-held scanner if the microchip is not readable by a device compatible with ISO standard 11785.

2. A valid rabies vaccination and successful rabies serological test (blood test)

Rabies vaccination

(i) The vaccination must be given after the microchip is inserted.

(ii) The pet must be at least 12 weeks old before the vaccination is given, and it must be given by a vet authorized by the government authorities of your country.

Rabies serological test (blood test)

(i) You must wait at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination has been given before the blood test is carried out.  Otherwise your pet will fail the compliance check.

(ii) Your vet must send the blood sample to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory.  The laboratory may be located either in an EU Member State or another country.  A list of approved laboratories can be accessed on https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/approved-labs_en.

(iii) The result of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).

(iv) The animal must wait three (03) months from the date of the blood draw, if a satisfactory result has been obtained, before it can travel to the EU, including France. 

(v) The original blood test certificate from the lab, or a copy received from the lab, must travel with the animal as part of its health certificate and be presented when the compliance check is being carried out.

The 3-month wait period does not apply if:

• the blood sample was taken by a vet in an EU Member State or in France
• the satisfactory result is entered into the passport or EU health certificate beforethe animal left the EU / UK and
• there was no break in rabies vaccinations after the blood test was carried out.

This is particularly relevant to, for example, a European pet who is to travel to an unlisted country (Sri Lanka) and the owner wishes to re-enter the EU with their pet without having to wait 3 months before coming back to the EU.

A rabies vaccination with a 1 or 3-year validity period is acceptable for entry into France. 

A valid blood test will remain valid for the life of the animal only if there is no break in rabies vaccination cover after the blood test is performed.

If there has been a break in rabies vaccine coverage, the next vaccination will be considered a primary vaccination and the blood test must be repeated at least 30 days after the vaccination, and then the 3-month waiting period following a successful blood test will apply.

3. Is accompanied by a valid EU pet passport, or EU health certificate

France accepts pet passports from all EU countries, and from the following European countries/territories: Andorra; Gibraltar; Greenland and the Faroe Islands; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Monaco; Norway; San Marino; Switzerland; Vatican City State.

A valid passport is a passport issued by an EU country or territory listed above, which certifies that the rabies vaccine given is valid, and only an EU vet may complete this section of the passport.

Vets in countries outside of the EU may not complete, sign or stamp the section on rabies vaccination or the rabies serological test in the passport. If they were to do so, this would make the EU pet passport invalid for travel.

If your pet dog, cat or ferret does not have a pet passport, issued by one of the countries or territories listed above (point 3), it must be accompanied by a EU health certificate (also known as EU Annex IV / Non Commercial Health Certificate), before entering an EU country, including France.

An EU health certificate must be:

• completed by us (Pet Express as we will be the handling agent), AND
• signed and endorsed by the Official Government Veterinarianof Sri Lanka, within 10 days of pets arrival into France,
• immediately upon arriving into France, signed and endorsed by the EU country which performed the compliance checks.

4. Tapeworm treatment for dogs

France requires the Tapeworm treatment for dogs. Cats do not require any Tapeworm treatments.

5. Other vaccinations

Apart from the rabies vaccination; pet dogs are required to have the DHLP vaccine (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus) given not more than 12 months and not less than 30 days at the time of travel.

Pet Cats require the combined Feline Vaccine i.e. PCH / TriCat (panleukopenia, calicivirus and herpesvirus infection) given not more than 12 months and not less than 30 days at the time of travel.

6. Pets must enter through designated approved Airports (BIPs) and must undergo compliance checks on arrival.

7. Travel Method

Pets can fly to France as either “Excess Baggage” or as “Manifested Air Freight Cargo”.

8. Owner’s Travel Requirements

Your pet must arrive in France no more than 5 days before or after you, or you’ll have to follow different rules.