A move from Azerbaijan to Greece with a dog or cat is mostly about preparing the documents in the right order. Expect about 20-26 weeks. Nothing here is unusually complex, but the …
Rabies vaccinationRequired. Minimum age 12 weeks. 21-day …
Rabies titre testRequired. Azerbaijan is not on the EU's …
QuarantineNo routine quarantine for compliant …
Import permitNot required for non-commercial …
Health certificateEU-format Animal Health Certificate, …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Azerbaijan to Greece
typically takes around 20-26 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The import process, in full
1
Before the rabies vaccination
Microchip implantation
Responsible: State Veterinary Service-authorised vet in Azerbaijan
2
After microchipping. Minimum age 12 weeks.
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: State Veterinary Service-authorised vet
3
At least 30 days after vaccination, sample to an EU-approved laboratory
Blood draw for FAVN or ELISA titre test
Responsible: Vet and approved laboratory
4
Counts from the draw date, not the result date
90-day wait from the blood draw date
Responsible: Owner
5
Within 10 days of travel
EU-format health certificate, State Veterinary Service endorsement
Responsible: Authorised vet, endorsed by the State Veterinary Service
6
After the 90-day wait has fully elapsed
Travel Baku to Athens via Istanbul
Responsible: Owner and airline cargo handling
Checklist
What your pet needs
Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785, before the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Minimum age 12 weeks. 21-day wait before the titre test blood draw.
Rabies titre test
Required. Azerbaijan is not on the EU's approved list under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636. FAVN or ELISA titre test at an approved laboratory, minimum 0.5 IU/ml, drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, then a fixed 90-day wait. Source: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for compliant arrivals.
Import permit
Not required for non-commercial companion pet movements.
Health certificate
EU-format Animal Health Certificate, endorsed by the State Veterinary Service, issued within 10 days of entry into Greece.
Export permit
No formal export permit required for companion cats and dogs leaving Azerbaijan.
Health certificate
Official export Animal Health Certificate from a State Veterinary Service-authorised vet, endorsed by the State Veterinary Service. Reformatted to EU standard for Greece. Issued within 10 days of travel.
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Airlines
Carriers on this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.
Turkish Airlines
Baku (GYD) to Istanbul (IST), then a short regional hop on to Athens (ATH). Turkish Airlines runs a dense schedule on the Baku-Istanbul sector.
Cargo Only
Aegean Airlines
Feeds the Istanbul connection into Athens on Aegean's own network, a worthwhile comparison if Turkish Airlines' onward schedule doesn't suit.
Cabin and Cargo
Costs
What this route typically costs
FAVN or ELISA titre test at an EU-approved laboratory: EUR 100-200
Cargo fee, Baku to Athens via Istanbul: EUR 500-1,300 depending on crate size
State Veterinary Service export certificate and endorsement fees
IATA-approved travel crate: EUR 60-250
Total typical range: EUR 900-2,300 over 5-7 months
Critical points
The 90-day wait counts from the blood draw date, not the day the result arrives.
Microchip has to precede the rabies vaccination. A reversed order restarts the entire sequence.
The EU-format certificate is valid only 10 days. Time the endorsement to land close to the actual Athens arrival, allowing for the Istanbul connection.
What Greece requires
Getting a pet into Greece is a middle of the road process. The rules are well defined, so most of the work is simply staying on schedule.
Avoiding the common mistakes
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
FAQ
Common questions
Yes. Azerbaijan is not on the EU’s approved list, so the full unlisted-country sequence applies: a titre test at an EU-approved laboratory and a 90-day wait from the blood draw date.
Via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, which runs a dense schedule on the Baku-Istanbul sector, followed by a short regional hop to Athens.
The State Veterinary Service, under the Ministry of Agriculture, which authorises the vet issuing the health certificate and then endorses it before departure.
20 to 26 weeks. The titre test sequence alone takes at least 120 days, with State Veterinary Service endorsement adding further time.
Ready when you are
Move your pet
to Greece.
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