Pet Transport from UK to Greece: Health Certificate, Titre Test and Airline Options

Greece is a popular destination for British expats, retirees and those with holiday homes in the islands. Moving a pet from the UK to Greece requires dealing with the post-Brexit paperwork that applies to all UK-to-EU pet travel – but once you understand the process, it is straightforward enough to manage without a professional agent if you have time and patience.

The Post-Brexit Reality

Before Brexit, a UK pet passport was all that was needed for EU travel. That changed when the UK left the EU’s single market in January 2021. The UK is now classified as a third country for EU pet entry purposes.

To bring a pet from the UK to Greece (an EU member state), you now need:

ISO microchip – 15-digit, must have been implanted before any rabies vaccination that you intend to rely on for this trip
Current rabies vaccination – valid and within the booster period (typically annual or 3-yearly depending on vaccine brand)
Rabies antibody titre test (FAVN or ELISA) at an EU-approved laboratory; result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml; the test must be conducted at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and you must wait 3 months after a successful titre test before the animal can enter the EU
Animal Health Certificate (AHC) – this replaces the old EU pet passport for UK-origin pets; it must be completed by a UK Official Veterinarian (OV) and endorsed by APHA; it is valid for 10 days from the date of signing for entry to the EU, and for 4 months for onward EU travel
Tapeworm treatment (dogs only) – within 24 to 120 hours before the scheduled time of arrival at the UK border exit; not required when flying direct

The Titre Test Timeline

The 3-month wait is the hardest part for many pet owners. If your pet has never had a titre test or if the last titre test was done before the rabies vaccination was properly recorded, you may need to start the clock again from scratch.

Timeline example:

Month 1: Microchip implanted, rabies vaccination given
Month 1 (30 days later): Titre test at approved lab
Month 4 (3 months after successful titre result): Earliest entry to Greece

Once the titre test has been passed, you do not need to repeat it as long as rabies vaccination boosters remain current. The titre result is valid indefinitely provided vaccination is maintained.

Booking the Animal Health Certificate

The AHC must be signed by an Official Veterinarian (OV) – not just any accredited vet. Most large vet practices have an OV on staff or can refer you to one. Book the OV appointment about 2 weeks before travel and schedule it for no earlier than 10 days before your departure date.

APHA endorsement is not always required for every country, but for Greece/EU it is required. The OV will advise on the current APHA process.

Flying UK to Greece with a Pet

Direct flights from London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton) to Athens (ATH) or Thessaloniki (SKG) run year-round. For the islands (Santorini JTR, Mykonos JMK, Corfu CFU, Rhodes RHO, Crete HER), flights are predominantly seasonal.

Carriers that operate direct UK-Greece services and have pet policies include British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2. Most low-cost carriers do not accept pets in the hold on point-to-point flights – check policies carefully. British Airways accepts pets in the hold on selected routes via PetAir UK. Consider routing through Athens if you are ultimately heading to an island.

Arriving in Greece

Greece uses the TRACES NT system for third-country pet arrivals. Some Greek border inspection posts (BIPs) at major airports process third-country animals. Confirm that your arrival airport has a BIP and has been notified of your pet’s arrival – this notification is usually handled via TRACES.

Sources: European Commission pet travel rules (Regulation EU 576/2013); UK APHA official veterinarian guidance; TRACES NT platform; APHA guidance for travel to the EU.