Pet Transport Brazil to Greece: MAPA CVI, FAVN Test and EU Entry
20-24 weeks
Typical preparation
None
No quarantine required
Moderate
Route complexity
✓ Managed
Full door-to-door service
Regulations verified
Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities.
How we source our data →
Overview
Brazil is an unlisted third country for EU pet travel, so the FAVN titre test and 90-day wait are required for entry into Greece. On the Brazil side, your pet needs a CVI (Certificado Veterinário Internacional) endorsed by MAPA at Guarulhos or Galeão before departure. Lisbon is the natural hub connecting Brazil to Athens. Allow five to six months from starting the process.
Step by step
The Brazil to Greece process
1
Before rabies vaccination.
Implant ISO microchip
Responsible: Vet
2
After microchip. Allow 21 days before titre test.
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Vet
3
Blood draw at least 21 days after vaccination. EU-approved laboratory.
FAVN titre test
Responsible: EU-approved laboratory
4
From confirmed blood draw date.
90-day waiting period
Responsible: Owner to track
5
During 90-day wait. CVI endorsed by MAPA no more than 10 days before departure.
Book cargo and arrange MAPA CVI endorsement
Responsible: Vet and MAPA
6
Within 10 days before arrival in Greece.
EU Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
Responsible: Authorised vet
7
On travel day.
MAPA inspection at GRU or GIG on departure
Responsible: MAPA, airline cargo
Checklist
Greece: entry requirements
Requirement
Detail
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785, 15-digit non-encrypted. Before rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. After microchip. At least 21 days before the titre test blood draw.
Rabies titre test
Required. FAVN rabies antibody titre test at an EU-approved laboratory. Minimum 0.5 IU/ml. Brazil is an unlisted third country under EU Regulation 2016/429. 90-day waiting period from blood draw date.
Quarantine
None. No quarantine on arrival in Greece for compliant pets.
Import permit
Not required.
Health certificate
EU Animal Health Certificate (AHC), issued within 10 days before arrival in Greece.
Leaving Brazil
Export requirements
Requirement
Detail
Export permit
No separate export permit for dogs and cats. The MAPA-endorsed CVI serves as the export health document. MAPA inspection occurs at the point of departure (Guarulhos/GRU or Galeão/GIG).
Health certificate
CVI (Certificado Veterinário Internacional) issued by an accredited vet and endorsed by MAPA (Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento). Valid 10 days from issue.
Costs
What this route typically costs
1
FAVN titre test at EU-approved laboratory: BRL 400 to BRL 900 (approximately £60 to £140)
2
MAPA CVI endorsement fee
3
Rabies and core vaccinations: BRL 200 to BRL 600
4
IATA-compliant travel crate: BRL 500 to BRL 2,500
5
Cargo airline fees (GRU or GIG to ATH): BRL 3,000 to BRL 10,000
6
Pet transport agent fee in Brazil: BRL 2,000 to BRL 5,000
7
EU Animal Health Certificate: BRL 300 to BRL 800
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ Brazil is unlisted for EU pet travel. FAVN titre test and 90-day wait are mandatory.
⚠ The MAPA CVI must be endorsed by MAPA (not just signed by a vet). Allow time for MAPA endorsement after the vet signs.
⚠ The CVI is valid for 10 days from the date of MAPA endorsement. Time the endorsement to fall within 10 days of arrival in Greece.
⚠ Lisbon (TAP) is often the most straightforward hub for Brazil-to-Greece cargo logistics, with direct GRU-LIS and LIS-ATH options.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
TAP Air Portugal Cargo
São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Athens (ATH) via Lisbon (LIS). TAP is the natural carrier on the Lisbon hub for Brazil-to-Greece connections. TAP Cargo accepts pets.
Cargo Only
Lufthansa Cargo
GRU to ATH via Frankfurt (FRA). Lufthansa Cargo accepts pets.
Cargo Only
Turkish Airlines Cargo
GRU via Istanbul (IST) to ATH. Turkish Airlines Cargo accepts pets.
Cargo Only
LATAM Cargo
GRU to European hub for connecting cargo to ATH. LATAM Cargo accepts pets on international routes.
Cargo Only
The MAPA CVI: what it is and how it works
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) requires that all pets leaving the country have a CVI, the International Veterinary Certificate, signed by an accredited vet and then endorsed by MAPA. The endorsement is what makes the document official for international travel.
The CVI is valid for 10 days from the date of MAPA endorsement, not the date the vet signs it. This means you need to time the MAPA step to fall within 10 days of your pet’s arrival in Greece. Coordinate the endorsement date with your flight booking and the EU AHC issuance date.
Routing via Lisbon: the logical hub
TAP Air Portugal operates direct flights between São Paulo Guarulhos and Lisbon, and Lisbon has direct connections to Athens. TAP Cargo accepts pets on international routes, making the GRU-LIS-ATH corridor a straightforward logistics chain.
Alternatives via Frankfurt (Lufthansa) or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) add a connecting stop but are also well-established for live animal cargo. The choice often comes down to crate size limits and transit times, both of which vary by carrier. For a large dog, confirm available space on the specific departure early.
FAQ
Common questions
No quarantine on arrival, provided all EU requirements are met. Brazil is an unlisted third country, so the safeguard is the FAVN titre test (0.5 IU/ml or above) and the 90-day wait before travel. If all that is in order, along with the EU AHC issued within 10 days before arrival, no quarantine applies in Greece.
MAPA operates inspection desks at the main international airports handling live animal cargo. For most international departures, this is São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro Galeão (GIG). The MAPA inspector checks the CVI and endorsement, inspects the animal, and clears the cargo. Arrive early at the cargo terminal to allow time for this process.
The European Commission’s Food Safety website publishes the current list of designated laboratories for rabies antibody titration. Laboratories in the USA and parts of Europe are commonly used for samples from South America. Your vet or cargo agent can advise on which EU-approved laboratory is currently recommended for Brazilian samples, and how to ship the blood sample correctly to preserve integrity.
No. The journey involves at least one stop and a long international flight. Pets travel as manifest cargo in IATA-compliant crates, not in the passenger cabin. Confirm the crate size requirements with your chosen carrier and ensure the crate is correctly constructed, ventilated, and labelled before departure.