PH
Philippines
✈️
PT
Portugal

Pet Transport from Philippines to Portugal

22-28 weeks
Typical preparation
None
No quarantine required
High
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

Portugal is an EU member state and applies EU Regulation 576/2013 in full. The Philippines is a non-listed country under those regulations, which means the rabies titre test and 3-month waiting period are mandatory before your pet can enter.

There are no direct Manila to Lisbon flights. Every routing involves at least one transfer – Frankfurt, Dubai, Doha, or Amsterdam are the main hub options. Good logistics planning is as important as the regulatory preparation on this route.

Allow at least 22 weeks from starting your pet’s preparation to travel day.

Step by step

The Philippines to Portugal process

1
First step. Before any vaccinations.
Implant ISO microchip (if not already done)

Responsible: Your veterinarian

2
After microchip. Record batch number, date, and expiry.
Rabies vaccination (primary)

Responsible: Your veterinarian

3
Blood drawn at least 30 days after last rabies vaccination. Allow 2-4 weeks for results.
Rabies FAVN titre test at EU-approved laboratory

Responsible: Your veterinarian + EU-approved laboratory

4
Starts from blood draw date. Cannot be shortened.
3-month mandatory waiting period

Responsible: N/A: waiting period

5
Once 3-month wait ends and travel date is confirmed.
Book cargo space on MNL-LIS routing

Responsible: You or your pet transport agent

6
Within 10 days of travel. BAI endorsement required.
Obtain EU Annex IV health certificate

Responsible: Official veterinarian + BAI

7
Cargo: 3-4 hours before departure. DGAV check on arrival at LIS.
Travel day: cargo check-in MNL, DGAV inspection at LIS BCP on arrival

Responsible: You + airline cargo + DGAV inspector

Checklist

Portugal: entry requirements

RequirementDetail
MicrochipRequired (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted before the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccinationRequired. Minimum age 12 weeks at time of vaccination. Must be administered after microchipping.
Rabies titre testRequired. Philippines is a non-listed country under EU Regulation 576/2013. Rabies FAVN antibody titre test: minimum 0.5 IU/ml at an EU-approved laboratory. Blood drawn at least 30 days after last rabies vaccination. Mandatory 3-month waiting period after satisfactory result.
QuarantineNo quarantine for compliant pets. DGAV documentary and identity check at designated Border Control Post on arrival.
Import permitNot required. Entry conditions governed by EU Regulation 576/2013.
Health certificateRequired. EU Annex IV veterinary health certificate for non-listed countries. Issued by official veterinarian, endorsed by BAI, valid for 10 days from issue.
Leaving Philippines

Export requirements

RequirementDetail
Export permitNot required for personal pets.
Health certificateBAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) export health certificate required. Issued by an accredited government veterinarian and endorsed by BAI. Must use EU Annex IV format for non-listed countries. Allow 5-7 working days for BAI endorsement.
Costs

What this route typically costs

1Airline cargo fees (long-haul MNL to LIS, typically the largest cost)
2IATA-compliant travel crate (purchase or hire)
3Veterinary fees: vaccinations, microchipping, health certificate
4Rabies FAVN titre test laboratory fee
5EU Annex IV health certificate preparation and BAI endorsement fee
6Pet transport agent fee (highly recommended)
Critical points

Read before you book

⚠ Philippines is a non-listed country under EU law. Titre test and 3-month wait are mandatory with no exceptions.
⚠ Microchip must be implanted before the first rabies vaccination. Wrong order means starting again.
⚠ 3-month wait is from the blood draw date, not the result date.
⚠ Confirm Portugal's designated BCP entry points with DGAV before travel.
⚠ Always verify current regulations with DGAV and the EU authority before travel.
Carriers

Airlines on this route

Lufthansa
Cargo: pets via MNL-FRA with onward connection to LIS. Frankfurt is a well-managed pet transit hub. Good option for this route. Brachycephalic breeds restricted from cargo year-round.
Cargo Only
Emirates
Cargo: Emirates SkyCargo via Dubai DXB to LIS. Temperature-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breeds accepted with restrictions. Temperature embargoes during Gulf summer.
Cargo Only
TAP Air Portugal
Cargo and cabin: TAP operates within Europe and from some hubs. Useful for the final leg into LIS from a European connection point. TAP Cargo handles pet shipment. Small pets may travel in cabin on intra-European segments.
Cabin and Cargo
Qatar Airways
Cargo: via Doha DOH to LIS. Good pet cargo handling. Seasonal restrictions on brachycephalic breeds.
Cargo Only
KLM
Cargo: via MNL-AMS with connection to LIS. KLM Cargo is reliable. One additional transit leg compared to direct European options.
Cargo Only
Swiss International Air Lines
Cargo: via ZRH to LIS. Useful if routing through Switzerland. SWISS Cargo handles live animals. Confirm current pet acceptance.
Cargo Only

Portugal's pet entry requirements for non-listed countries

Portugal’s rules mirror those of every other EU member state for pets arriving from non-listed countries. The sequence is fixed: microchip, vaccination, titre test (30 days post-vaccination minimum), 3-month wait, then travel with the correct health certificate.

The DGAV (Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária) oversees pet imports. Entry is through Lisbon (LIS), which is the main Border Control Post. Porto (OPO) may accept some pet cargo imports – verify directly with DGAV before committing to a routing.

One thing worth noting about Portugal specifically: it is a popular destination for expats from Southeast Asia and has a well-organised DGAV inspection process at LIS. The inspectors are experienced with non-listed country documentation.

Routing options from Manila to Lisbon

No airline operates a direct MNL-LIS service. The main cargo routing options are via Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar Airways), or Amsterdam (KLM, with an AMS-LIS connection).

TAP Air Portugal is worth considering for the final segment from a European hub. TAP Cargo handles live animal transport, and using a Portuguese carrier for the Lisbon leg can simplify the arrival process in terms of documentation handling and ground crew familiarity.

Whichever routing you choose, confirm that each carrier involved in your pet’s journey accepts live animal cargo on the specific segments booked. One airline declining is enough to derail the shipment.

Work with an IPATA-registered agent for this route. The multi-leg nature of the journey and the EU documentation requirements make agent support genuinely valuable.

FAQ

Common questions

Yes. The Philippines is a non-listed country under EU Regulation 576/2013. A rabies FAVN titre test is mandatory, with a minimum result of 0.5 IU/ml at an EU-approved laboratory. A 3-month waiting period applies after the blood draw.
Allow at least 22 weeks from starting preparations. The titre test and 3-month waiting period account for the majority of the timeline. Add contingency time for paperwork, cargo bookings, and BAI endorsement.
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) is the main designated Border Control Post (BCP) for pet imports into Portugal. Check with DGAV whether Porto (OPO) is also approved for your specific route before finalising travel arrangements.
No. Long-haul flights from Manila to Europe are cargo-only for pets. Small pets may be eligible for cabin travel on intra-European legs if you are routing through a hub, but the MNL sector must be cargo.
The EU Annex IV veterinary health certificate for non-listed countries. It must be issued by an official veterinarian, endorsed by BAI, and dated within 10 days of travel. Present the original (not a copy) at the BCP on arrival.
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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