NetherlandsPet shipping to the Netherlands means a blood test, a 90-day wait and a minimum age of 7 months, because Dutch rules count Vietnam as a high-risk rabies country
Last updated 17 Oct 2026i
Four things that set the Netherlands apart from a generic EU destination.
NVWA, the Dutch authority, requires pets from Vietnam to be 7 months old on arrival
The pet travels with its owner or within 5 days; outside that, commercial rules are far more complex
Schiphol handles most arrivals, and Customs checks the pet at the red exit
Hairless and fold-eared cats need dated proof of birth and microchip before 1 January 2026
Six requirements every pet must clear before a Netherlands-bound flight is booked.
An ISO 11784/11785 microchip goes in before, or on the same day as, the first rabies vaccine, which needs a pet at least 12 weeks old. A dose given before the chip is not valid, and a vaccine entered outside the EU in an EU pet passport is not accepted.
Vietnam is outside the EU’s low-risk list, so a rabies antibody test is mandatory: a sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination, with a result of 0.5 IU/ml or higher from a recognised lab. Not every country has one, so samples often ship abroad.
The health certificate can be issued only 90 days or more after a passing blood draw, counted from the draw date and not the result date. The Dutch food authority also requires the pet to be at least 7 months old on arrival, so a young pet waits for the birthday instead.
The EU animal health certificate (Annex III of Regulation 2026/705) is signed and stamped on every page by Vietnam’s official vet and is valid for 10 days until the entry check.
The owner signs a declaration that the journey is non-commercial. The pet must travel with its owner or within 5 days before or after, must not change owner, and no more than 5 pets can travel together.
No dog breed is banned from entry. Hairless and fold-eared cats face a Dutch keeping ban: only cats born and microchipped before 1 January 2026 qualify, and only with a dated record proving both dates.
Two mechanics that surprise owners who prepared for a stricter-sounding destination.
For a pet travelling with its owner, NVWA, the Dutch food authority, requires no import permit and no advance notification. A complete file, checked at arrival, is the only step.
The owner takes the pet to the red “goods to declare” exit. Customs checks the microchip and the documents, and hands the pet to NVWA inspectors only if something does not match.
The 90-day wait is fixed by law, and a pet under 7 months also has to wait for its birthday.
Microchip implanted, then the rabies vaccine at the same visit or shortly after; a chip placed later invalidates that dose. The pet must be 12 weeks or older.
Earliest legal day for the blood sample, 30 full days after the vaccine. A sample drawn earlier is not valid for import, so the whole wait has to restart.
The sample ships to a recognised lab and needs 0.5 IU/ml or higher. The 90 days run from the draw date; a failed result means a booster, a new draw and a restarted clock.
The earliest day the official vet can issue the EU certificate, because the blood draw must be at least 90 days old on the issue date. The titer result travels as a stamped copy.
The certificate is valid for 10 days from issue until the entry check, so the flight is booked inside that window. The pet must also be at least 7 months old on landing.
A Dutch vet registers a dog within 14 days of arrival, which needs the owner’s BSN, DigiD and UBN in place first. Cats have no equivalent registry at the moment.
Schiphol is the main international airport, so it is where most flights from Vietnam land.
Amsterdam Schiphol, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Maastricht Aachen, Groningen Eelde and Lelystad are designated for pets travelling with their owners.
IJmuiden, Amsterdam, Eemshaven, Harlingen, Rotterdam, Hoek van Holland, Moerdijk and Vlissingen are the designated seaports.
The Dutch keeping ban turns on two dates, not on paperwork.
Registration deadlines start the day the pet arrives.
A dog staying 3 months or longer must be registered by a Dutch vet, and the vet can only register it on the owner’s UBN, which needs a BSN and a DigiD first.
No nationwide registration duty for cats applies at the time of writing. A national chip requirement has been announced but is not yet in force, so check again before travel.
Pet owners work with a single point of contact through our international pet relocation service, while we coordinate the vet steps and documents in the right sequence — from the first blood draw to the export paperwork.
Each quote is itemised line by line — what is covered and what stays outside it is stated up front.
Our process is designed to be simple and fully guided — so pet owners always know what to expect at every stage of the journey.
Submit a Quotation Request
Pet owners begin by submitting essential information about their pet, destination, and travel needs through our online form.
Consultation & Quotation
Our team reviews your case and provides a clear travel plan with a detailed quotation.
Documents & Preparation
We handle the vaccination schedule, RNATT blood test, EU health certificate, and owner’s declaration in the correct sequence.
Travel & Arrival
Your pet travels according to the approved plan, followed from departure through the Customs check at arrival and the final handover.
Last updated 17 Oct 2026
Compiled by our specialists from the regulations in force on the date above, for reference only. Rules may change after this date. Please verify with the competent authorities or contact us for the most accurate information.
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