Importation of pets to Northern Cyprus

Rules and Requirements of Northern Cyprus. How do I bring a cat or dog to Northern Cyprus? What documents and vaccinations are required? Is it possible to import an animal from Southern Cyprus to Northern Cyprus? You can find the answers to these and many other questions in this article.

Important! If the animal enters the country without a prior import permit, it will be in quarantine until such a permit is received.

If you want to minimize the time spent at the airport while importing an animal into Northern Cyprus and you want to avoid having to temporarily quarantine the animal. Then we recommend that you apply for an import permit in advance. This permit is issued by the Veterinary Service in Nicosia. The cost of the permit is 170 tl.

You can obtain permission to import an animal through any representative in Northern Cyprus or by email. To do this, you must provide the representative with the pet’s details and the passport details of its companion. The representative submits an application to the veterinary service, pays and receives approval. When entering the country, it is enough to present a copy of the permit and receipts for payment of the fee. If you buy a property with us, we will support you in this process free of charge.

If you do not have the opportunity to issue a permit in advance, you can do so upon arrival in Northern Cyprus. If you arrive in Cyprus during opening hours, you can have the permit issued and paid immediately and collect your pet directly.

If the plane arrives at night or on weekends, the animal will be temporarily quarantined. When the veterinary service opens, you can issue a permit and pick up your pet. Remember that authorities are closed during public and religious holidays. In this case, you will have to wait until the end of the holidays.

·         Fees for issuing a permit to import an animal into the TRNC:

·         Permit to import pets into Northern Cyprus (for the animals listed on each certificate) – 100.00 TL

·         Inspection services (for all animals accompanied by a passenger) – 50.00 TL

·         Road tax (for all animals accompanied by a passenger) – 20.00 TL

Permit to import the animals into Northern Cyprus

Submit an application to the Northern Cyprus Veterinary Service located at the following address:

Address of the veterinary authority: Dr. Fazıl Küçük Bulvarı, Lefkoşa, KKTC

Telephone: +90 392 22 53 551 / +90 392 22 53 751

Fax: +90 392 22 53 536

Email: info.veteriner@gov.ct.tr

Form approval for the import of animals into Northern Cyprus Update (04/28/22)

Important rules for importing animals into Northern Cyprus:

1) If the conditions specified in this document are not met, the animal is not allowed to enter the country.

2) The document must be read completely and carefully by the person introducing the animal. At the import application stage, the importer will be asked to provide a declaration that he accepts the conditions set out in this document.

3) Before importing animals from abroad, it is necessary to obtain an animal import permit from the TRNZ Veterinary Service Authority.

4) According to the Green Line Regulation in force in Cyprus, the movement of live animals between North and South Cyprus is prohibited. Therefore, the importation of pets into Northern Cyprus can only take place through the ports of the TRNC.

5) To obtain an import permit, an animal import permit application form must be completed and submitted to the TRNC Veterinary Services Authority. This form is available from the Office of the Veterinary Services, on the Veterinary Services website, or can be downloaded here. (see above)

6) The import permit is valid for 30 days from the date of issue.

7) The medical examination must take place 48 hours before the animal is removed. A health certificate for the pet must be obtained from the relevant export authority in the respective country.

8) The cage in which your animal is located must meet the standards of the International Air Transport Association, i.e. h. it must be large enough for the animal to stand, turn around and lie down in a natural position.

9) The animal import permit and other accompanying documents must be in Turkish or English.

10) The Department of Veterinary Services has the right to change the import conditions in accordance with the status of animal diseases in the TRNC or in the country/place from which the animal comes.

11) The above general conditions apply in conjunction with the specific conditions established for different animal species. (Applicable to all animal species introduced into the country.)

Rules for the importation of cats and dogs into Northern Cyprus

A) Requirements

1) Before importing animals into the TRNC, it is necessary to obtain a permit for the importation of pets into Northern Cyprus from the veterinary service.

2) Cats and dogs imported into the country must be older than 3 months. Vaccination against rabies must take place at least 1 month and at most 1 year before entry.

3) Animals must be vaccinated against other diseases before entering the country.

Vaccines for dogs: Parvo (parvovirus), Distemper (distemper), Hepatitis, Leptospira.

Vaccines for cats: Feline (panleukopenia), enteritis, cat flu.

4) When applying for an import permit for an animal, the following documents must be submitted manually, by fax or email to the veterinary office:

·         Completed import permit application form (PIB.01).

·         Rabies vaccination certificate for dogs and cats.

·         Laboratory report with current anti-rabies antibody levels. The blood test must be carried out in a laboratory approved by the European Union. The rabies antibody level must be at least 0.5 U/ml.

Note: All documents must be in English or Turkish.

5) After reviewing the documents, the Department of Veterinary Services will issue a permit for the importation of pets into Northern Cyprus and send it to the applicant by fax or email.

6) When importing an animal into the TRNC, you must provide, together with the import permit, the originals of the following documents:

Permit to import an animal into the TRNC

Veterinary passport of the animal and a health certificate confirming vaccination against rabies.

The original laboratory report shows the level of antibodies in the blood against rabies.

Animals must undergo a medical examination 48 hours before leaving the country and the exporter must obtain an Export Health Certificate (4891 EHC) issued by DEFRA/SEERAD.

B) Rules during and after the animal enters the country

1) Upon arrival in the TRNC, the necessary customs inspection will be carried out. It is checked whether the animals meet the above conditions and whether they have papers. People who do not meet the necessary requirements and do not have documents are not allowed to enter the country.

2) Such animals will be immediately sent back to the country of origin. The costs associated with returning a pet are covered by the air and sea companies transporting the animal.

3) The owner of an animal who does not agree to the return of a pet to the country of origin is obliged to keep his pet in quarantine for up to 3 months in a place and under conditions determined by the head of the veterinary service.

4) The quarantine fee must be paid immediately by the animal’s owner to the veterinary service. The quarantine fee is 10 lira per day. During the quarantine period, vaccines and tests requested by the veterinary service are prepared and paid for by the animal owner.

5) The cost of feeding a pet during the quarantine period is borne by the animal’s owner.

6) Pets that have not returned to their country of origin and whose quarantine regulations are not complied with are considered animals that endanger human and animal health. 48 hours after the date of entry into the TRNC, this animal shall be euthanized in accordance with the rules of subparagraph (A) paragraph (2) of Article 20 of the Animal Welfare Law.

Rules for the importation of caged birds into Northern Cyprus

1) To import birds into the country, you must obtain an import permit. To obtain a permit, the following documents must be submitted to the Veterinary Services Administration.

·         Completed import permit application form (PIB.01)

·         Veterinary medical certificate issued or approved by the relevant official institution of the exporting country.

·         Birds must be free of contagious and contagious diseases, including New Castle and avian influenza (avian influenza).

·         Birds should not come from a region where these diseases are common.

2) Upon receipt of the above documents, they will be verified and the Department of Veterinary Services will issue an import permit (PIR.01) to the applicant.

3) Birds must undergo a medical examination and obtain a veterinary certificate 48 hours before departure.

4) The original documents listed below will be attached to the animals and presented upon arrival in the TRNC.

Import permit issued by the TRNZ Veterinary Service (PIR.01)

Veterinary certificate issued or approved by the relevant official body of the country from which the animal is traveling.

An export health certificate issued by the relevant official body of the country to which the animal is being transported.

5) Cages and similar housing/transport devices used for removal of birds must comply with international standards.

6) Upon arrival in the TRNC, the necessary customs inspection is carried out and it is checked whether the animals meet the above conditions and whether they have papers. People who do not meet the necessary requirements and do not have documents are not allowed to enter the country.

7) Such animals are either sent back to their country of origin or destroyed through euthanasia.

Rules for the importation of other pets into Northern Cyprus

When importing other pets into the TRNC, a permit is also required to bring the animal into the TRNC.

A veterinary passport and a completed permit application form must be presented.

The veterinary office checks the type of animal and other factors and informs the applicant about the conditions for importing the animal into the country, the type and duration of quarantine.