Bringing Pets To: Poland

Yes, you can bring your dog or cat to Poland. Poland follows European Union pet import regulations, which require a microchip, current rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, and an EU health certificate endorsed by USDA with the pet arriving within 10 days of that endorsement. Most relocations from the US take 4-6 weeks to complete if you start with a current rabies vaccine.

Poland has no breed restrictions and no quarantine period if your pet meets EU health requirements.

Entry Requirements at a Glance

Requirement	Details
Microchip	ISO 11784/11785 compliant, implanted before rabies vaccination
Rabies vaccination	At least 21 days old at time of entry
Health certificate	EU health certificate (bilingual English/Polish), USDA-endorsed
Titer test	Not required from USA (USA is on EU approved country list)
Quarantine	None if documentation is complete
Tapeworm treatment	Not required for Poland entry
Breed restrictions	None
Arrival window	Pet must arrive within 10 days of USDA endorsement date
Maximum pets (non-commercial)	5 per person

Microchip

Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip implanted before rabies vaccination. Your veterinarian will scan and record the microchip number on all health certificates.

The vaccination must be given after microchip implantation, or the vaccine won't count toward the 21-day requirement.

Rabies Vaccination

The rabies vaccine must be at least 21 days old at the time of entry. Poland accepts primary one-year vaccines and three-year vaccines administered within the past year. Your veterinarian will provide an original signed rabies certificate.

While not required by Polish or EU regulations, we recommend keeping your dog current on DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza) and your cat current on FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia). Airlines and boarding facilities often require proof of these core vaccines. Allow at least two weeks between vaccination and travel for full immunity.

EU Health Certificate and USDA Endorsement

Bilingual Certificate Required

Because Poland is on the APHIS bilingual certificate list, the health certificate must be issued in a bilingual English/Polish format. Request the bilingual version by emailing [email protected] before your vet appointment. Include your destination country (Poland) and anticipated travel date.

For Non-Commercial Moves (Pets traveling within 5 days of owner)

Your USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the EU Health Certificate (issued under EU Regulation 576/2013, Annex IV) for non-commercial movement. This certificate remains valid for 10 days from the date of USDA endorsement until EU entry, becomes a pet passport for further EU travel, and requires USDA endorsement for US pets.

USDA Endorsement Process

After your veterinarian completes the EU health certificate, it must be endorsed by a USDA Veterinary Services office. The USDA endorses with an original ink signature and embossed stamp, and the ink-signed, embossed paper certificate must physically accompany your pet to Poland. Veterinarians can submit electronically through VEHCS (Veterinary Export Health Certification System). Required documents include: microchip implantation record, original rabies certificate, completed EU health certificate (bilingual English/Polish), and titer test results (if applicable).

The USDA typically processes endorsements within 2-3 business days if all documents are complete.

For Commercial Moves

If you cannot travel within 5 days of your pet, your pet moves under commercial regulations using the current 2025 EU commercial health certificate, available on the EU IRegs page. The 2024 version of the commercial certificate expired on January 11, 2026 and is no longer accepted. Commercial moves require the certificate to be vet-issued and USDA-endorsed within 48 hours of the pet departing the US.

Titer Test

Pets moving to Poland from the US do not require a rabies antibody titer test. The US is on the EU approved country list. If you are relocating from a country outside the EU approved list, a titer test is required: the blood sample must be drawn at least 30 days after rabies vaccination and at least 3 months before travel, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. Contact your relocation coordinator if you are moving from a non-approved origin country.

No Quarantine

Poland has no quarantine period for pets meeting all EU import requirements. Pets that don't meet requirements may be quarantined, refused entry, or returned to origin at owner's expense.

The Five-Day Rule: Non-Commercial vs. Commercial

To qualify as a non-commercial move, your pet must enter Poland within 5 days before or after your own arrival. This 5-day window determines which health certificate form you use and may affect processing timelines. If you're sending your pet ahead by more than 5 days or cannot travel near the same dates, contact your relocation coordinator to discuss commercial import procedures.

Non-commercial moves are limited to 5 pets per person.

Breed Restrictions

Poland has no breed-specific import restrictions. Dogs of any breed can enter Poland provided they meet standard EU import requirements.

Tapeworm Treatment

Poland does not require tapeworm treatment for dogs. If your dog will travel onward within the EU to Finland, Ireland, Malta, or Norway after arriving in Poland, tapeworm treatment with praziquantel or an approved equivalent must be administered by a veterinarian 1-5 days before entry into those countries.

Cats do not require tapeworm treatment for Poland entry.

Entry Points and Customs

Pets can enter Poland through any EU entry point, though Warsaw Chopin Airport handles most pet arrivals. Upon arrival, customs officers will verify your pet's microchip matches health certificate records and confirm all documents are complete and valid.

If you're connecting through another EU country before Poland, your pet clears customs at the first EU entry point, not in Poland.

Airline and Transport Options

Airlines require an IATA-compliant travel crate sized for your pet to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably. Your pet needs an airline health certificate completed within 10 days of departure (often combined with the EU health certificate). Confirm crate specifications and any additional airline requirements at least 4 weeks before departure.

Timeline: USA to Poland

From the United States (4-6 weeks)

Week 1: Confirm microchip, update rabies vaccine if needed (if updating vaccine, add 3 weeks for the 21-day waiting period).

Week 2-3: Request bilingual English/Polish health certificate from [email protected]; schedule final health exam.

Week 4: Schedule final health exam (must occur within 10 days of departure); submit to USDA for endorsement.

Week 5: Receive endorsed certificate, book flights, arrange IATA-compliant crate.

Week 6: Travel to Poland.

From the UK (2-3 weeks)

Pets traveling from Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) to Poland can no longer use a UK-issued EU pet passport. Since January 2021, GB-issued EU passports are no longer valid for EU entry. Instead, an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is required for each trip. The AHC must be issued by an Official Veterinarian no more than 10 days before travel and is valid for onward EU travel for up to 4 months. Dogs also require tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before departure. The same microchip and rabies vaccination requirements apply.

Note: As of May 2025, the UK and EU agreed in principle to reinstate an EU-style pet passport for British pets, but details and timelines had not been finalized at time of publication. Check gov.uk for the latest before booking travel.

From Unlisted Countries (4-5 months)

Add 3 months to the timeline above for the mandatory waiting period after the titer test.

Common mistakes that cause problems:

• Waiting too long to start the paperwork process. The bilingual certificate request to [email protected] needs to happen before the vet appointment.
• Miscalculating the 10-day post-endorsement window. The countdown starts from the date USDA endorses the certificate, not the date your vet signs it.

How PetRelocation Can Help

For families relocating from the US, budget 6-8 weeks if you need to update a rabies vaccine, or 4-5 weeks if your pet has a current vaccine that's at least 21 days old. PetRelocation has completed over 40,000 international pet moves.

Complete Support covers the full process: bilingual certificate facilitation, USDA endorsement coordination, airline booking, and customs documentation at destination.

Vet Paperwork Support covers the documentation chain while you manage airline logistics.

Consultation gives you access to our team to work through your specific timeline and questions.

Ready to start? Get a free quote from PetRelocation and a relocation manager will walk you through every step.

For official requirements, see the USDA APHIS Poland pet travel page.