Pet Transport from India to Italy

The regulatory requirements for India to Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands are identical. All three are EU member states, India is not on the EU’s listed countries, and the FAVN titre test with 90-day wait applies uniformly. There is no EU country that offers a lighter pathway for Indian-origin pets.

The differences between these three destinations are practical rather than regulatory. Italy and Portugal have no national breed bans; the Netherlands prohibits Pit Bull Terriers. Italy has two main international airports receiving pets from India (FCO and MXP), which gives slightly more routing flexibility. Portugal’s main gateway is Lisbon (LIS), served by TAP and Air India connections.

For owners who have flexibility on their European destination, the choice between Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands often comes down to airline access from their Indian city of origin and the ease of onward travel to their final home. All three destinations have equally accommodating EU customs processes for compliant pets.

Italy applies EU Regulation 576/2013 for the import of pets from third countries. India, not being on the EU’s approved list, requires the non-listed country pathway: microchip, rabies vaccination, FAVN titre test, 90-day wait, and official health certificate.

The health certificate is issued by your DAHD-authorised vet in India. It must cover the microchip number, vaccination dates, titre test reference and result, owner details, and a health declaration. At the Italian port of entry (typically FCO for Rome or MXP for Milan), the Ministero della Salute border inspection team will verify all of this information.

Italian customs and border veterinary staff are experienced in processing Indian-origin pets, particularly at Rome Fiumicino which handles significant traffic from South Asia. That said, inspections are thorough. Documents must be original, not photocopies, and all dates must be consistent across every piece of paperwork. A small discrepancy between the microchip number on the health certificate and on the titre test report, for example, will cause delays.

One point specific to Italy: if you are moving to a region other than Rome or Milan, your pet will be cleared at the port of entry and then can travel domestically. There is no second inspection at the final Italian destination.

ITA Airways (Italy’s current national carrier) operates direct services from Mumbai (BOM) and Delhi (DEL) to Rome Fiumicino (FCO). This is the most direct route for most India-based owners and the one most familiar to Italian customs teams who handle the incoming flights. Small pets may travel in the cabin on eligible ITA routes; larger dogs go as cargo.

Air India covers Delhi to both FCO and MXP (Milan Malpensa), which is useful if your destination is northern Italy. Air India Cargo handles live animal bookings separately from the passenger desk; contact them directly or through your agent.

Lufthansa via Frankfurt (FRA) is a useful option if direct flights are full or if your Indian departure city is not covered by ITA or Air India direct services. The FRA transit for live animals is well-managed, but adds journey time and requires the crate to meet transit standards at FRA as well as origin and destination standards.

Budget USD 900-2,200 for cargo from India to Italy, USD 200-400 for the FAVN titre test, and INR 2,000-5,000 for the health certificate. A professional agent is strongly recommended on this route, particularly for coordinating the titre test timing, the 90-day calendar, and Italian border inspection requirements. Agent fees run USD 500-1,200.