Pet Transport Brazil to Portugal: 2026 Guide

Portugal applies EU third-country import rules, and Brazil is classified as a non-listed third country. This means the full titre test route is required: there is no simplified option available for Brazilian pets entering the EU.

Your pet needs a valid ISO microchip (implanted before the first rabies vaccination), a rabies vaccination, and then an FAVN titre test. The blood draw must happen at least 30 days after the vaccination. The sample must go to an EU-approved laboratory. Once the result comes back satisfactory (0.5 IU/ml or above), the 90-day wait begins. Count this from the blood draw date, not from the result date.

The MAPA health certificate is the final document. Your MAPA-authorised vet completes it within 10 days of travel, and it must be endorsed by MAPA (Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply) before your pet departs. The certificate is in EU Annex IV format for non-listed countries, and Portuguese customs will check it on arrival in Lisbon.

If all documents are in order and the 90-day wait is properly confirmed, your pet will be released at Lisbon airport without any quarantine period. Portugal has no national breed ban, though some municipalities have local regulations on certain dog types.

TAP Air Portugal operates a direct GRU-LIS (São Paulo Guarulhos to Lisbon) service and is one of the most straightforward options for this route. The direct flight means your pet does not have to transit through a third hub, reducing overall travel time and handling events. TAP Cargo accepts dogs and cats as live animals in the hold, and the Lisbon cargo team has experience processing Brazilian pet imports.

That said, TAP does have restrictions on brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds. If you have a French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Persian cat, or similar breed, confirm eligibility with TAP Cargo before booking. Some flat-faced breeds face outright refusal; others are accepted with additional conditions.

LATAM Airlines also operates GRU-Europe routes with cargo connections to Lisbon. Lufthansa Cargo via Frankfurt is another option for larger pets in reinforced crates. All of these airlines require IATA-approved crates, advance booking (minimum four to six weeks), and the full documentation package.

Your pet travels as manifest cargo in the pressurised hold, not in the passenger cabin. The flight from GRU to LIS is approximately 10-11 hours. Ensure your crate is correctly sized: IATA requires that your pet can stand at full height, turn around, and lie down naturally.

Costs vary by pet size, but here is a realistic range for this route. Cargo from GRU to LIS runs USD 1,200-2,800. Add the FAVN titre test (USD 80-150), MAPA certificate and endorsement (USD 100-250), vet appointment costs for all the preparation steps (USD 200-500), and the IATA crate (USD 100-400). Total spend for a small to medium dog or cat typically falls between USD 2,000 and USD 4,000. Larger dogs in bigger crates push toward USD 4,500 or beyond.

One cost that people sometimes overlook is the time cost. The 20 to 24 week preparation window means this process needs to be running in parallel with all your other relocation planning. Starting late is the most common cause of problems. If you book your flights before the 90-day wait is complete, you may have to pay change fees to push the travel date back.

Booking a pet transport specialist to manage the process typically adds USD 300-700 in agency fees, but most families find this worthwhile given the complexity of coordinating MAPA endorsements, laboratory submissions, and airline cargo bookings simultaneously.