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ENTRY.PET · CHECKLIST

Thailand → Switzerland

cat

Requirements

DoneREQUIREMENTWHENSOURCE
To do01 Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip (HDX or FDX-B) implanted before the rabies vaccination; with another chip type the owner must bring a reader. A readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 is accepted instead.
on or before the rabies vaccinationSwiss Federal Council (Fedlex)
To do02 Rabies vaccination
As in the other rules: vaccine after the microchip, at ≥12 weeks, valid from the 21st day after the primary course; boosters within validity (a lapsed booster counts as a new primary vaccination and requires a new titer test).
21+ days before arrivalSwiss Federal Council (Fedlex); FSVO
To do03 Rabies antibody (titer) test
Rabies neutralising antibody titer of at least 0.5 IU/ml in a laboratory recognised by the European Commission (EU-approved labs list linked by the FSVO), on a blood sample taken by an authorised vet at least 30 days after the vaccination and three months before entry. The microchip number must be on the lab report. No repeat after an in-date booster.
30+ days after the rabies vaccination; 3+ months before arrivalSwiss Federal Council (Fedlex); FSVO
To do04 Health certificate
Veterinary certificate (EU third-country model; the FSVO publishes the 2026/705 Annex III model) issued or endorsed by the origin authority, confirming the valid rabies vaccination and the titer test, with the owner's declaration of non-commercial movement. Valid for a direct flight at most 10 days from issue; entering via the EU/Iceland/Norway/Northern Ireland the certificate stamped there is accepted for 4 months (or until the vaccination expires).
—Swiss Federal Council (Fedlex); FSVO
To do05 Import permit
FSVO permit for entry by direct air: one application form per animal with the documents proving compliance, sent to infobew@blv.admin.ch or by post at least 21 days before the planned arrival; fee CHF 60. If the 3-month wait is not over, the permit states the earliest entry date ("import not before"). The permit must be carried and shown at the border; it cannot be issued after the pet has entered.
21+ days before arrivalSwiss Federal Council (Fedlex); FSVO; Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO
To do06 Port of entry
Direct flights from third countries (no full border-veterinary check in the EU/Iceland/Norway/Northern Ireland first) may only land at Zurich, Geneva or Basel. Accompanied pets (cabin or excess baggage) via Basel, Geneva or Zurich; unaccompanied pets (air waybill, cargo) only via Zurich or Geneva. By land: any manned customs office during tourist-traffic hours.
—Swiss Federal Council (Fedlex); Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO
To do07 Arrival inspection
Mandatory entry check: present the pet and documents at the red customs exit (airport) or to the customs officers at a land border; customs records the check in the passport or certificate. Pets with missing documents are refused. Unaccompanied pets go to the airport animal facility and must be proven to have belonged to the owner already in the origin country.
—Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO; Swiss Federal Council (Fedlex)
To do08 Non-commercial limits
At most five dogs, cats or ferrets per trip; more only with an FSVO permit for temporary stays to attend or train for competitions, shows or sporting events (animals registered for the event and at least six months old), otherwise the commercial import rules apply to all animals. If an authorised person travels with the pet instead of the owner, the owner must travel within five days before or after and a written owner's declaration must accompany the passport.
—Swiss Federal Council (Fedlex); Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO
To do09 Customs declaration
Enter through a manned customs office during the opening hours for tourist traffic and present the pet with its documents to the officers; not every border crossing admits animals (see the entry points). A pet bought abroad is duty-free but subject to 8.1% VAT on its value — bring the receipt. A pet moving with its owner can be declared as household effects (form 18.44) if it has been owned and used for at least six months.
—Federal Office for Customs and Border Security FOCBS; Swiss Federal Council (Fedlex)

Papers to carry

  • To get: Microchip number (in the pet passport or the vaccination record)
  • To get: Rabies vaccination record
  • To get: Rabies antibody test report
  • To get: Health certificate
  • To get: Import permit
  • To get: Customs declaration

Official fees

  • FSVO import permit (direct air entry from a rabies-risk country)CHF 60 per animal
  • FSVO decision on measures for a non-compliant pet at the airport (refusal, isolation) (only if the pet does not meet the conditions on arrival)CHF 120 per consignment