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Pet Transport from Italy to Maldives: 2026 Guide

Taking your dog or cat from Italy to Maldives comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Budget around 5-8 weeks and start early, because the mandatory waits on this route …

5-8 wks
Preparation needed
None
Quarantine on arrival
Very High
Route complexity
Managed
Full door to door
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Lead time needed
5-8 weeks
Quarantine
None
Route complexity
Very High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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What's required
MicrochipRequired. A 15-digit ISO …
Rabies vaccinationRequired for cats, given between 30 days …
Rabies titre testNot part of the standard cat pathway …
QuarantineNone for a compliant cat. Non-compliant …
Import permitGenerally not required for a pet cat …
Health certificateOriginal certificate completed by a …
In short: Preparing to move a pet from Italy to Maldives typically takes around 5-8 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step

The import process, in full

1
Before anything else.
Confirm you're moving a cat, not a dog. There is no standard pathway for a dog to enter the Maldives, regardless of Italy's own relaxed breed rules.

Responsible: Owner.

2
At least 30 days before travel.
Microchip if not already done, then vaccinate against rabies and the core feline diseases.

Responsible: Vet in Italy.

3
3-4 weeks before travel.
Book the flight and an IATA-compliant crate via an agent used to the Male routing.

Responsible: Owner and pet shipping agent.

4
Within 10 days of departure.
Get the health certificate signed.

Responsible: Vet in Italy.

5
Travel day.
Fly and present documents at Velana International.

Responsible: Airline ground handler, Maldivian quarantine officer.

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. A 15-digit ISO 11784/11785-compliant chip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required for cats, given between 30 days and 12 months before entry. Dogs cannot enter under any standard pathway, so this simply does not apply to them.
Rabies titre test
Not part of the standard cat pathway based on current published guidance, though sources here are thinner than for most destinations. Confirm directly with your vet or agent.
Quarantine
None for a compliant cat. Non-compliant animals face quarantine where available or return to origin, per guidance summarised by PetTravel.com's Maldives country page.
Import permit
Generally not required for a pet cat travelling with its owner, though official Maldivian sources on this point are limited.
Health certificate
Original certificate completed by a licensed vet within 10 days of entry, recording the core feline vaccinations (viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia and feline leukaemia) alongside rabies.
Export permit
No export permit required to move a pet cat out of Italy.
Health certificate
Official veterinary health certificate confirming microchip, vaccination history and fitness to travel, signed close to departure.
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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.

Neos
Flies Milan Malpensa to Male direct twice a week from October to May, a genuine seasonal Italian link, but it hasn't confirmed live animal cargo terms, so check with the airline directly before booking a cat on it.
Cargo Only
Qatar Airways
Rome or Milan to Male via Doha, using QR Cargo's dedicated animal handling facility at Hamad International. The dependable fallback while Neos' terms remain unconfirmed.
Cargo Only
Emirates
Italy to Male via Dubai, requiring an IATA-compliant crate booked through a recognised pet shipping agent.
Cargo Only
Costs

What this route typically costs

Italian export health certificate: EUR 120-220.
Rabies vaccination and additional feline vaccines, if not already current: EUR 70-140.
IATA crate, cargo booking and agent fee: EUR 950-1,750.
Air waybill, Rome or Milan to Male via Doha or Dubai: EUR 850-1,600.
Total typical range: EUR 1,990-3,710 over 5-8 weeks.

Critical points

Dogs cannot enter the Maldives, full stop. Italy's own removal of breed-specific legislation in 2009 is irrelevant here, since the restriction sits entirely on the Maldivian side under Maldives Customs Service rules, with no standard exception for pet owners.

Savannah and Bengal cats face an added restriction: they're only accepted once at least five generations removed from a wild ancestor, per PetTravel.com's country guidance.

Maldivian government sources on the exact cat pathway are thinner than for most destinations on this site. Confirm permit and titre test status directly before finalising flights.

Meeting Maldives's entry requirements

Entry to Maldives is tightly controlled, and officials verify each requirement in turn. Treat it as a sequence where every step gates the next.

Advice worth following

Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.

Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Dog import is prohibited under Maldives Customs Service rules, regardless of Italy’s own relaxed breed legislation, with no standard exception for pet owners. Get written confirmation from the Maldives government directly if you believe a genuine exception applies.
Not yet in any confirmed way. It’s a genuine winter leisure charter, but live animal cargo terms haven’t been published. Check with Neos directly before booking.
Around 5 to 8 weeks in most cases: time for the rabies and feline vaccines to be given at least 30 days before arrival, plus booking cargo space and getting the health certificate signed within 10 days of travel.
Yes. They’re restricted unless the cat is at least five generations removed from its wild ancestor. Check pedigree paperwork before assuming a Bengal or Savannah qualifies.
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  • Emirates
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