Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities.
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Overview
Lithuania is an EU member state and Canada is a listed third country under EU rules, which means no titre test and no quarantine for Canadian pets entering Lithuania. The main document is the EU AHC, endorsed by the CFIA. LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw (WAW) offers the most direct Canada-to-Vilnius routing for pet cargo, with Vilnius Airport (VNO) as the EU entry BCP. Careful scheduling of the CFIA endorsement within the 10-day AHC window is the primary planning task.
Step by step
The Canada to Lithuania process
1
First step.
Confirm microchip is ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit)
Responsible: Canadian vet
2
Most Canadian pets are vaccinated. Confirm the vaccine is current.
Ensure rabies vaccination is current and at least 21 days old
Responsible: Canadian vet
3
7-8 days before departure.
Schedule Canadian vet for EU AHC within 10 days of departure
Responsible: Canadian vet
4
2-4 business days. Confirm current CFIA timelines.
Obtain CFIA endorsement of the AHC
Responsible: Owner + CFIA
5
4-6 weeks before travel. Confirm cargo acceptance on all legs.
Book cargo from Canada to Vilnius via European hub
Responsible: Owner or agent
6
Travel day. Canada to VNO via Warsaw: approximately 13-16 hours.
Travel to Vilnius. Present AHC at BCP VNO.
Responsible: Airline + owner
Checklist
Lithuania: entry requirements
Requirement
Detail
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 standard (15-digit). Must precede rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Current. At least 21 days old at time of Lithuanian entry.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Canada is a listed third country under EU pet import rules.
Quarantine
Not required for Canadian pets with valid AHC and current vaccination.
Import permit
Not required for non-commercial companion movements.
Health certificate
EU AHC issued by a licensed Canadian vet, endorsed by CFIA, valid at Lithuanian entry.
Leaving Canada
Export requirements
Requirement
Detail
Export permit
No export permit required for companion pets leaving Canada.
Health certificate
EU AHC completed by a licensed Canadian vet and endorsed by CFIA. Must be issued within 10 days of Lithuanian entry.
Costs
What this route typically costs
1
Canadian vet exam for EU AHC: CAD 150-350
2
CFIA endorsement: see current fees at inspection.canada.ca
3
Cargo Canada to Vilnius via hub: CAD 1,200-3,500
4
IATA travel crate: CAD 100-400
5
Pet transport agent: CAD 500-1,200
6
Total typical range: CAD 2,000-5,500
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ Vilnius Airport (VNO) is a smaller airport. The final connecting aircraft to VNO may have limited hold capacity. Confirm maximum crate dimensions on the VNO-bound leg before booking.
⚠ LOT via Warsaw is the most direct routing from Toronto to Vilnius. LOT operates transatlantic services from YYZ and connects reliably to VNO via WAW.
⚠ The CFIA endorsement adds 2-4 business days to the AHC timeline. Account for this when scheduling the vet appointment within the 10-day window.
⚠ Budget carriers do not operate cargo pet travel. Use LOT, KLM, Air Canada, or Lufthansa with confirmed live animal policies.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw
LOT connects Toronto (YYZ) and other Canadian cities to Warsaw (WAW) with onward services to Vilnius (VNO). LOT Cargo handles live animals at Warsaw. A practical one-stop routing from Canada to Lithuania.
Cargo Only
KLM via Amsterdam
KLM from Canadian gateways to Amsterdam (AMS), with connections to VNO via partner services. AMS is an excellent live animal hub. A reliable option for Canadian departures.
Cargo Only
Lufthansa via Frankfurt
Lufthansa from Canadian gateways (via codeshares or partners) to Frankfurt (FRA), with connections to VNO. FRA Animal Lounge is among Europe's best for live animal cargo.
Cargo Only
Finnair via Helsinki
Finnair connects European hubs to Helsinki (HEL), with direct HEL-to-VNO services. From Canada, connect to HEL via KLM or Air Canada, then Finnair to VNO.
Cargo Only
LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw: the practical Canada-to-Lithuania option
LOT Polish Airlines operates transatlantic services from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), with frequent short-haul connections from WAW to Vilnius Airport (VNO). For Canadian pet owners moving to Lithuania, this is typically the most direct two-leg routing available.
LOT Cargo handles live animals at Warsaw Chopin. The WAW-to-VNO leg is a short 1-hour flight on a regional aircraft. Confirm the crate size limits on this final leg when booking: regional aircraft at this connection can restrict large IATA crates.
For Montreal (YUL), Vancouver (YVR), or Calgary (YYC) departures, alternative routings via Amsterdam (KLM) or Frankfurt (Lufthansa) are practical, with connections to VNO from those hubs. Journey time from Toronto to Vilnius via Warsaw is approximately 13-16 hours in total.
CFIA endorsement: what Canadian owners need to do
The CFIA endorsement confirms the EU AHC is issued by a legitimate licensed Canadian vet. Without this endorsement, the VMVT border vet at Vilnius Airport will not accept the document. The CFIA endorsement is obtained by submitting the vet-signed AHC form to a CFIA office in your province.
Processing times vary. In Toronto and Vancouver, turnaround is often 1-2 business days for standard service. In smaller centres, allow up to 4 days. CFIA also offers expedited processing in some regions. Check current processing times and fees at inspection.canada.ca before planning your schedule.
Your vet must use the current EU AHC template. As of April 2026, updated EU AHC requirements apply. The CFIA’s instruction page (inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/exports/pets/eu-non-commercial) has current templates and completed-form examples.
FAQ
Common questions
Canada being listed waives the titre test requirement. The 21-day post-vaccination waiting period still applies for newly administered rabies vaccinations. If your pet’s current rabies vaccination is more than 21 days old and within its valid period, no additional wait is needed. If a new vaccination is given, wait 21 days before the Lithuanian entry date.
The VMVT (State Food and Veterinary Service of Lithuania) border vet at VNO checks the EU AHC (including the CFIA endorsement), scans the microchip, and confirms the vaccination date is current and at least 21 days old. Ensure the chip number in the AHC matches the chip in your pet. For correctly documented Canadian pets, the check is typically brief.
No. Air Canada issues its own travel documentation for pets, but this does not replace the EU AHC required for Lithuanian border entry. The EU AHC is a specific EU-format document, completed by a licensed vet and endorsed by CFIA. Air Canada’s documentation is for airline purposes only.
No direct Toronto-to-Vilnius service exists. LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw (WAW) is the most direct option for cargo. The total journey is two legs: YYZ to WAW (approximately 8-9 hours), then WAW to VNO (approximately 1 hour). Total journey time: 13-16 hours including connection time.