Before booking, confirm current requirements with the Thai DLD, your airline and the destination-country authority.
Source check details
The regulated claims and authority links cited on this page were checked on 1 August 2026. Export rules — Thai DLD procedures, destination-country requirements and airline policies — change without notice. Use this as orientation, then confirm every current requirement with the DLD and the destination country's authority before booking.
The timeline — work backwards from your flight
For a first import, the titer timeline comes before the certificate appointment. Confirm the pet’s first EU entry point and its operating-airline booking together.
Month 1 (if no valid titer yet)Thai vet + EU-approved lab
At least 90 days after samplingEU Regulation 2026/131 framework
6–8 weeks before flightAirline / agent
As the responsible AQS directsDLD AQS
Within 10 days of entryDLD + official vet
Destination arrivalBorder authority
Shared EU rules: exporting a pet to the EU. Titer source; Entry source.
What France / the EU requires from Thailand
| Before or at arrival | French process |
|---|---|
| Certificate route | Carry the original EU animal health certificate issued or endorsed by the Thai official veterinary authority, plus the identification, rabies and titer evidence. French Customs links the current certificate model and owner declaration in its entry instructions. |
| First EU arrival in France | Present the pet and original documents to Customs for the identity and document check. The official entry check is required even when the airline has accepted the pet. |
| Breed eligibility | France prohibits imports of category 1 dogs and imposes conditions on category 2 dogs. Check the dog’s classification and pedigree documents before spending on transport. |
French Customs dog, cat and ferret instructions, checked 8 September 2026. Confirm the airport’s current pet-check arrangements with Customs before booking; this guide does not claim every Paris airport or cargo facility accepts your movement.
For a pet habitually resident in the EU, a satisfactory test completed and recorded in its passport before leaving can remove the 90-day wait. Rabies vaccination must remain continuously valid. An existing test alone does not establish this return exception. Commission source.
Using an EU-issued passport? An EU-resident owner returning after a short stay may use it if valid, with the required rabies and titer entries completed before leaving. It does not cover an owner now resident in Thailand, who needs an animal health certificate even when moving back. First imports use the certificate route. Other recognised passport frameworks need the receiving authority’s instructions. Thai export requirements still apply. Commission passport guidance (checked 8 September 2026).
The Thai export side (DLD)
Parallel Thai requirements:
| Thai-side document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Guidance withheld | Thai-language procedural guidance is withheld pending specialist review. Confirm arrangements with the responsible DLD station. Reviewed English guidance: bringing pets to Thailand (USA-origin scope; not an export rule or a reviewed translation). |
| Destination import rules | Attach the destination authority’s import requirements (NOC, import licence, SPSIC, etc.) so the Thai health certificate matches. |
| Identification, vaccinations and tests | Carry the records required by the destination and the responsible AQS. |
| Guidance withheld | Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD source. |
See export process.
Common mistakes on this corridor
- Starting with Thailand only — destination import permits and tests are usually the long pole.
- Expired vaccinations — a lapsed rabies shot can void import clearance.
- Microchip mismatch across Thai export papers and destination import forms.
- Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
- Relying on an old passport without checking eligibility — first imports need the certificate route; a return-passport exception has specific conditions.
- Entering via a non-designated point — each country lists approved entry points for pets from third countries.
If you came the other way, see our guide to From France (import).
Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence
Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD procedure; DLD AQS map.
Using an agent is optional
An agent cannot change government or airline rules. If you request assistance, obtain an itemised scope and verify each regulated requirement directly with the authority. PattayaPets has not independently measured agents’ prices, error rates or outcomes.
Official sources
French / EU sources: French Customs pet-entry procedure; EU pet movement. Import mirror: bringing a pet from France.
Official sources to verify against: DLD Region 9 export procedure; UK pet travel; CDC animal import (USA); EU pet movement; Japan MAFF Animal Quarantine; Singapore AVS; UAE MOCCAE pet import; Australia DAFF; New Zealand MPI; India AQCS; Philippines BAI; China GACC pet entry; South Africa DALRRD import; Canada CFIA; Switzerland FSVO.
Frequently asked
How long does it take to move a pet from Thailand to France?
A pet habitually resident in the EU can qualify when its passport records a satisfactory test completed before leaving and rabies cover stays continuous. Otherwise sampling must be at least 90 days before certificate issue. Commission source.
Does the EU pet passport cover entry from Thailand?
An EU-issued passport works only for a qualifying return after a short stay: the owner must remain EU-resident and the valid passport must show the required rabies and titer entries made before EU departure. First imports and owners in Thailand relying on an EU-issued passport need an animal health certificate. Check other recognised passports with the receiving authority. Thai export papers remain necessary.
Can my pet avoid the standard titer timing?
A pet habitually resident in the EU can qualify when its passport records a satisfactory test completed before leaving and rabies cover stays continuous. Otherwise sampling must be at least 90 days before certificate issue. Commission source.
Does my pet need a Customs check if we connect in Paris?
If France is where your pet enters the EU, arrange the documentary and identity check there before travelling onward. A connection is not proof that the check is available within your transfer. Confirm the handling with the airport and Customs; an entirely airside transit to another non-EU country is a different case.
Does France allow every dog breed?
No. Category 1 dogs cannot be imported, and category 2 dogs have additional conditions. French Customs explains the classifications and required records. These national controls sit alongside the EU veterinary requirements.
Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?
Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
How should I plan the transfer to the departure airport?
Use a vehicle that accepts the animal and crate, confirm the airline’s check-in cut-off and leave route-specific contingency time.
Should I stay near the departure airport?
Decide from the confirmed examination appointment, airline check-in time and road conditions. This guide has no evidence for a universal recommendation.