Moving to Sweden with a Pet: EU Passport, Third-Country Rules and Swedish Registration
Sweden is a consistently high-quality expat destination: clean, well-organised, with excellent public services and a strong culture of outdoor activity that suits dogs particularly well. The pet import rules are broadly EU-aligned, though Sweden has some additional biosecurity requirements of its own.
Importing Your Pet to Sweden
From EU countries: EU pet passport, ISO microchip, current rabies vaccination. Standard intra-EU movement. Sweden applies EU Regulation 576/2013. No titre test, no import permit.
From the UK (post-Brexit): UK pets are third-country animals: ISO microchip, rabies vaccination, FAVN titre test (0.5 IU/ml), 3-month wait after passing titre, AHC completed by a UK OV within 10 days of arrival, TRACES NT pre-notification at a Swedish BIP. Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is the main Swedish BIP for international pet arrivals.
From the USA, Canada and other non-EU countries: Third-country protocol applies: microchip, vaccination, titre test, 3-month wait, government-endorsed health certificate, TRACES NT at ARN.
Sweden’s Additional Requirements: Echinococcus Treatment
Sweden, along with Finland, has a special status within the EU regarding Echinococcus (tapeworm). Dogs (not cats) entering Sweden from any country including other EU countries must receive a treatment for Echinococcus multilocularis (praziquantel) within 1 to 5 days (24 to 120 hours) before entering Sweden.
This applies even for intra-EU travel. A dog moving from Germany to Sweden with an EU pet passport still needs the tapeworm treatment within this window.
The vet who administers the treatment records it in the EU pet passport or on the health certificate. Failure to have this treatment in the correct window results in the animal being refused entry or held.
Microchip Registration in Sweden
Sweden uses the SKK (Svenska Kennelklubben) and Agria/Jordbruksverket databases for pet registration. Your Swedish vet registers the chip when you present. There is no formal mandatory registration process separate from your vet records for most companion animals, but registration with the dog registration system is strongly recommended for reunification purposes.
No Breed Restrictions
Sweden has no national breed ban. No breed is prohibited from import on the basis of type alone. Sweden’s approach to dangerous dogs focuses on individual dog behaviour rather than breed-based prohibitions.
Animal Welfare Standards
Sweden has among the highest animal welfare standards in the world. The Animal Welfare Act (Djurskyddslagen) sets requirements for housing, exercise, social interaction and veterinary care that exceed many other countries’ requirements. Dogs must have daily outdoor exercise, social interaction and appropriate mental stimulation. Leaving a dog alone for extended periods without meeting these requirements is a welfare offence.
Life in Sweden with a Pet
Stockholm is highly dog-friendly. Many restaurants and cafes allow dogs on outdoor terraces. Public parks (Djurgarden, Hagaparken) are popular dog walking destinations. Off-lead areas are available in many parks.
The Swedish climate suits cold-weather and double-coated breeds very well. Winters in Stockholm are cold (regularly below -10 degrees Celsius) with good snow cover. Summers are mild and pleasant. For cold-sensitive, short-coated breeds, a dog coat is needed from October to April.
Sources: Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket); European Commission EU pet travel (Regulation 576/2013); UK APHA guidance; Swedish Animal Welfare Act (Djurskyddslagen 2018:1192).