Travelling to Iceland with your pet

First of all you must apply for an import permit from Iceland's veterinary authority (MAST), ideally at least 30 days before arrival. Applicants without an Icelandic ID number use the English form on the MAST website and send it signed to petimport@mast.is.

• You need the breed, country of export, microchip number, and the importer's details and address.
• The minimum fee is ISK 39,633 and covers processing and checks; late or incomplete documents are billed extra by the hour.
• The permit is valid for one year.

The animal must have lived in a category 1 country (including Italy and most of the EU) since birth or for at least the last 6 months.

The animal must have an ISO-compliant microchip. The vet must read it and record its number at every visit, sample or treatment carried out for the import, and the number must appear on every laboratory report.

A missing or unreadable microchip, or one whose number differs from the documents, is one of the most common reasons for rejection on arrival in Iceland. Before you start preparing, ask your vet to check that the chip works.

Even from Italy you need:

• a valid rabies vaccination, kept up to date with boosters as the manufacturer instructs;
• a rabies antibody titre test on a sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination (vaccination day is day zero), in an EU-approved laboratory, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml.

The test stays valid as long as boosters are up to date: if the vaccine lapses, it must be redone. From category 1 countries there is no minimum wait after the test, but the report can take 2–3 weeks: start early.

The dog must be validly vaccinated against:

• leptospirosis;
• canine distemper;
• infectious canine hepatitis;
• canine parvovirus;
• canine parainfluenza.

A complete primary course is required, kept up to date with boosters as the manufacturer instructs, and the last vaccination must be given at least 14 days before import. Mistakes in leptospirosis timing (two-dose primary course) are among the most common reasons for rejection: MAST publishes a dedicated guide.

The cat must be validly vaccinated against:

• feline panleukopenia;
• feline rhinotracheitis;
• calicivirus.

A complete primary course is required, kept up to date with boosters as the manufacturer instructs, and the last vaccination must be given at least 14 days before import. All vaccinations must be entered on the C1 certificate with date, vaccine name and batch. If your cat's boosters have lapsed, restart the course in good time.

Within the 30 days before import the dog must have:

• a blood test for Brucella canis (IFAT, RSAT or TAT), with a negative result;
• for intact dogs only, a Leishmania test (PCR or ELISA), negative: if positive, the dog can enter only after surgical neutering;
• for Angiostrongylus vasorum, either a negative test (blood or faeces) in the 30 days before, or a preventive treatment with imidacloprid and moxidectin 5–10 days before arrival.

Reports must be in English, with laboratory name, sampling date and microchip number. Results take 1–3 weeks.

Within the 30 days before import the cat must have a blood sample tested for:

• feline leukaemia (FeLV), by PCR, ELISA or IFA;
• feline immunodeficiency (FIV), by ELISA or Western blot.

Both results must be negative. In-clinic rapid tests based on accredited methods are also accepted: in that case the vet records the kit on the C1 certificate and signs a statement with date, microchip number and result. Laboratory reports must be in English.

Between 28 and 21 days before import the vet must treat the animal against internal and external parasites:

• for external parasites, products registered against lice, fleas and ticks;
• for internal parasites, products registered against roundworms and tapeworms.

Product name, active ingredient and date go on the certificate. MAST publishes guides with suitable products for dogs and cats: check them with your vet, as a product that does not cover all required parasites is a frequent reason for rejection. It is convenient to take the blood samples at the same visit.

Between 10 and 5 days before arrival the vet must:

• give the second treatment against internal and external parasites, on the same criteria as the first;
• examine the animal and confirm it shows no signs of contagious disease or external parasites;
• complete the MAST certificate of health and origin: form D1 for dogs, C1 for cats from category 1 countries. Only these forms are valid and every field must be filled in.

Email the scanned signed certificate with all lab reports to petimport@mast.is at least 5 days before arrival: if it arrives later, the import may be rejected. MAST works on weekdays only.

Animals can arrive in Iceland only by air, at Keflavík Airport: arrival by ferry is not allowed. They can travel in the cabin (if the airline agrees), as checked baggage or as cargo; animals in the cabin must be handed over on arrival to the service provider approved by MAST.

On arrival the animal stays in quarantine for at least 14 days at one of the two approved stations (Reykjanesbær or Mósel). You must book a place in advance: stations take animals only in three-day windows about every three weeks, so choose your arrival date around these and the deadlines for tests and treatments. Quarantine costs are paid by you.

There is no minimum age set by law, but between the rabies vaccine, the titre test, other vaccinations and tests, MAST says a puppy or kitten can meet all requirements at the earliest at around 4.5 months of age.

Animals that are pregnant or lactating are not admitted, nor injured or recently operated animals needing care, unless MAST grants special permission. Intact dogs must not have mated in the 60 days before import. Use MAST's online planner to schedule your vet visits.

Iceland bans the import of these dog breeds and their crosses up to the fifth generation:

• Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog;
• Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Dogo Argentino;
• Cane Corso, Presa Canario, Boerboel;
• other breeds MAST considers a risk or similar in origin, build or temperament.

Wolf-dog hybrids up to the tenth generation are also banned. If in doubt, contact MAST before starting the process. Rabbits, rodents, birds and ornamental fish follow different rules, to be checked case by case with MAST.