Relocating Pets Between Taiwan and Germany
Germany combines two things that rarely go together: exacting rules and genuinely excellent facilities. Frankfurt operates one of the world's largest dedicated animal handling centres, so a pet arriving from Taipei is met by people who do this every day. The catch is a federal law that bars four dog breeds from entering the country at all.
Updated on , verified by 886JetPet
One corridor, two rulebooks
Westbound, Germany applies the standard EU entry conditions, and Taiwan's listed status removes the rabies antibody test entirely. Layered on top is the federal Dog Transfer and Import Restrictions Act, which is national law and applies regardless of which Bundesland you are moving to. Eastbound, Taiwan's APHIA applies its rabies-infected-origin protocol — titer, e-permit, and a facility week you can plan your way out of.
| Direction | Classification | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan → Germany | Germany applies EU entry rules — and Taiwan is a listed third country | ISO microchip before vaccination, rabies vaccination with a 21-day wait, an EU animal health certificate valid 10 days to the border, arrival at a designated point of entry — and no rabies antibody test. Four dog breeds and their crosses are banned from import by federal law. |
| Germany → Taiwan | Taiwan (APHIA) does not list Germany as a designated rabies-free area | Titer of at least 0.5 IU/mL sampled 90 days to 1 year before arrival, an e-permit filed at least 20 days ahead, and 7 days of post-entry quarantine unless the waiver conditions are met. |
Quick compliance checklist: Taiwan ⇄ Germany
Corridor-specific requirements only — the universal basics (ISO chip before vaccine, IATA crate, live-animal flight space) are covered once on the Pet Travel Hub.
| Requirement | Who rules it | Critical window |
|---|---|---|
| TPE → FRA/MUC: no rabies antibody test | EU animal health rules | Taiwan's listed status removes the serological test and the three-month wait that unlisted origins face |
| TPE → FRA/MUC: ISO microchip, then rabies vaccination | EU animal health rules | Chip first; vaccination at 12 weeks or older, followed by a 21-day wait before travel |
| TPE → FRA/MUC: EU animal health certificate | Issued and endorsed by Taiwan APHIA | Issued within 10 days of the border check; then valid 6 months for onward EU travel |
| TPE → FRA/MUC: federal breed import ban | German federal law (Dog Transfer and Import Restrictions Act) | Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier, and crosses of them, may not be imported for residence — customs seizes at the airport |
| TPE → FRA/MUC: state-level rules on arrival | Individual Bundesländer | Beyond the federal ban, each state maintains its own list-dog rules on keeping, leashing and permits — check the state you will actually live in |
| TPE → FRA/MUC: designated point of entry and the 5-day rule | EU border authorities | Frankfurt and Munich are equipped travellers' points of entry; a gap of more than 5 days between your travel and your pet's moves the move to the commercial track |
| FRA/MUC → TPE: titer, e-permit and quarantine | Taiwan APHIA | Titer sampled 90 days to 1 year ahead, e-permit at least 20 days ahead, 7-day facility stay unless waived at 180/120 days |
Taiwan's APHIA runs dog and cat imports through its online e-permit portal, with document uploads validated against the microchip record. We re-verify the current protocol on both sides of this corridor for every booking.
The chronological timeline
Read this top to bottom: each step's validity depends on the one before it, which is why a late fix costs months rather than days.
-
Confirm the breed question T−4 months
- The federal ban covers four breeds and their crosses, and it applies nationally — moving to a more permissive state does not help.
- If your dog is a cross whose ancestry is uncertain, resolve the documentation now; the assessment happens at the border, where there is no time to argue.
- Then check the destination state's own keeping rules, which are separate from the import question.
-
Chip, vaccinate, wait 21 days T−2 months
- Microchip before vaccination, pet at least 12 weeks old at the shot, then 21 days.
- No blood test, no three-month wait — Taiwan's listed status is doing a lot of work here.
- Taipei-bound instead? Start six months out with the titer draw.
-
Classify and route the move T−6 weeks
- Within five days of your own travel keeps it non-commercial; otherwise plan the commercial track with TRACES and a Border Control Post.
- The certificate names the first EU country of entry — flying TPE–FRA and then onward by train keeps Germany as that country, which is administratively the simplest option.
-
Book uplift into an equipped airport T−4 weeks
- Frankfurt's dedicated animal facility handles arrivals around the clock and is the reason we route most German moves through it.
- Confirm crate sizing against the airline's rules well before travel — German handling standards are strict and an undersized crate is refused.
-
The ten-day window T−10 days
- Certificate issued and endorsed, APHIA export inspection completed, both inside the ten days before the border check.
-
Fly and clear T−0
- Arriving Germany: veterinary and document check at the point of entry, then release — usually the same day.
- Arriving Taiwan: APHIA reconciliation, then home or the reserved quarantine facility.
What 886JetPet handles on this corridor
Your Taiwan ⇄ Germany move, fully handled
We resolve the breed and ancestry question in writing before the veterinary calendar starts, route arrivals through Frankfurt's animal facility, and manage the ten-day certificate window on both ends of the corridor.
Track your pet's entire relocation in one live dashboard, unique to 886JetPet
Taiwan ⇄ Germany: common questions
Is a rabies titer test required to bring my pet from Taiwan to Germany?
No. Taiwan is a listed third country for EU entry, so no rabies antibody test and no three-month wait apply. Your pet needs an ISO microchip implanted before vaccination, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and an EU animal health certificate.
Which dog breeds are banned from import into Germany?
Under federal law, the Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier, together with crosses of those breeds, may not be brought into Germany for residence. The ban is national, so relocating to a different Bundesland does not change it, and enforcement happens at customs.
Why route through Frankfurt?
Frankfurt operates one of the largest dedicated animal handling facilities in the world, with round-the-clock veterinary and customs capability. For a long-haul arrival from Taipei, that means shorter waits between landing and release, and staff who handle live animals as a routine rather than an exception.
Does the certificate cover onward travel to another EU country?
Yes. Once your pet has cleared the border, the certificate remains valid for onward movement inside the EU for six months, or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first. But the entry check itself happens in the first EU country you land in, and that is the country whose authorities issue the clearance.
What does the return leg to Taiwan involve?
Germany is not on Taiwan's designated rabies-free list, so APHIA requires a passing rabies titer of at least 0.5 IU/mL with blood sampled between 90 days and one year before arrival, an import permit at least 20 days ahead, and a 7-day facility quarantine unless the sample was taken 180 days out and the permit filed 120 days ahead.
Excellent infrastructure, unforgiving law
Germany is one of the best places in the world for a pet to land and one of the strictest about which pets may land there. We will answer the breed question first, in writing, and then give you the easiest arrival in Europe. Tell us the city and the month.