Lead time needed
22-28 weeks
Quarantine
None
Route complexity
High
Airlines
4 carriers on this route
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Home/Routes/South Korea to Finland
KR
FI

Pet Transport from South Korea to Finland

Taking your dog or cat from South Korea to Finland comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Around 22-28 weeks is sensible here, with a few steps that must happen in a strict order. There is no routine quarantine, provided the paperwork is in order. …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from South Korea to Finland typically takes around 22-28 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 South Korea to Finland import process

Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.

1
First step, before rabies vaccination
Implant ISO 11784/11785 microchip

Responsible: Vet in South Korea

2
After microchip. Allow 21 days before titre test blood draw.
Rabies vaccination (pet at least 12 weeks old)

Responsible: Vet in South Korea

3
Blood drawn at least 21 days after vaccination. 90-day wait into Finland starts from blood draw date.
FAVN titre test at EU-approved laboratory

Responsible: EU-approved laboratory

4
Counted from blood draw, not result date. Cannot be shortened.
90-day waiting period from blood draw date

Responsible: Owner

5
Praziquantel product administered by a vet 24-120 hours before ARRIVAL in Finland. On the Finnair direct ICN-HEL route (approx 9-10 hours), treat 24-48 hours before departure in Korea.
Tapeworm treatment (all dogs)

Responsible: Vet in South Korea

6
Within 10 days of departure. AHC must include titre result, blood draw date, and tapeworm record.
APQA inspection and EU AHC endorsement at ICN

Responsible: Accredited vet and APQA

7
Book early; confirm after titre test blood draw date is known
Book cargo from ICN to HEL (Finnair direct or via hub)

Responsible: Owner or freight agent

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Finland

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required. Must be implanted before or on the same day …
Rabies vaccination
Current rabies vaccination required. 21-day wait after a first-time vaccination …
Rabies titre test
Required. South Korea is not on the EU approved third-country list. FAVN or …
Quarantine
No quarantine for compliant pets. Ruokavirasto inspects at Helsinki Vantaa …
Import permit
No import permit required.
Health certificate
EU AHC (Annex IV for unlisted third countries), APQA-endorsed. Valid 10 days. …
Export permit
APQA export health certificate and inspection at ICN cargo facility. No separate …
Costs

What this route typically costs

FAVN titre test at EU-approved laboratory: EUR 200-400
APQA inspection and AHC endorsement at ICN: KRW 50,000-150,000 (approx …
Airline cargo ICN to HEL (Finnair direct or via hub): EUR 900-2,500
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 70-280
Finnish border inspection on arrival: EUR 100-250
IPATA agent fee (optional): EUR 350-750

Critical points

The 90-day waiting period runs from the titre test blood draw date, not the result date. This is the step most often miscalculated, causing pets to be refused at the Finnish border.

Tapeworm treatment is required for all dogs, not just dogs from certain countries. The 24-120 hour window before ARRIVAL means timing must account for total journey time from Korea.

Finnair Cargo accepts live animals only on its own directly operated flights. Confirm at the time of booking that the specific flight is Finnair-operated rather than a codeshare.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

Finnair Cargo
Finnair operates direct flights from Incheon (ICN) to Helsinki Vantaa (HEL). Finnair Cargo …
Cargo Only
Korean Air Cargo
Korean Air operates from Incheon (ICN) to Frankfurt (FRA) and Amsterdam (AMS). Korean Air …
Cargo Only
Lufthansa Cargo
ICN to Frankfurt (FRA) direct, then FRA to Helsinki (HEL) via Finnair or Lufthansa. Live …
Cargo Only
KLM Cargo
ICN to Amsterdam (AMS) direct, then AMS to HEL via KLM or Finnair. Confirm live animal …
Cargo Only

Meeting Finland's entry requirements

The requirements for Finland are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.

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

Yes. South Korea is not on the EU approved third-country list under EU Implementing Regulation 2026/636. A FAVN or RNATT titre test at an EU-approved laboratory is required. The minimum result is 0.5 IU/ml, and a 90-day waiting period from the blood draw date must pass before the pet can enter Finland.
Yes. Finland requires Echinococcus multilocularis treatment for all dogs entering from third countries. A vet must administer a praziquantel-based product between 24 and 120 hours before the dog arrives in Finland. The treatment time and product must be recorded on the health certificate. Source: Ruokavirasto, ruokavirasto.fi.
Finnair operates direct flights from Incheon (ICN) to Helsinki Vantaa (HEL). Finnair Cargo accepts live animals on its own directly operated flights. This is the most direct routing from South Korea to Finland, avoiding a hub connection. Confirm live animal cargo acceptance with Finnair Cargo at the time of booking.
APQA is South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Pets travelling from South Korea must be inspected by APQA at Incheon International Airport (ICN), where APQA endorses the EU Animal Health Certificate. This inspection must occur within 10 days of travel and is the final step before departure.
No quarantine for fully compliant pets. Ruokavirasto (Finnish Food Authority) inspects at Helsinki Vantaa Airport. If the microchip, vaccination, titre test result, 90-day wait, tapeworm treatment, and APQA-endorsed certificate are all in order, the pet is cleared without quarantine.
Airline guides
  • Finnair Cargo
  • Korean Air Cargo
  • Lufthansa Cargo
  • KLM Cargo
Breed guides

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KR FISouth Korea to Finland
International pet transport route
Lead time22-28 weeks
QuarantineNone
ComplexityHigh
Airlines4
ServiceDoor to door
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