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Bringing your dog or cat to the Netherlands from the USA in 2026

Last updated: September 6, 2026: verified against official sources (European Commission, USDA APHIS, UK GOV.UK, US CDC).

The Netherlands applies the standard EU pet travel rules: and Amsterdam Schiphol is one of the busiest approved entry points for pets in Europe, so the process is well-trodden. Your USDA-endorsed EU health certificate must be issued within 10 days of arrival and the rabies vaccine must be at least 21 days old.

Standard EU rules, no surprises

Microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before arrival, and an EU health certificate valid 10 days. Amsterdam Schiphol is the main approved entry point for pets from the USA.

Certificate ≤ 10 days
Standard EU rules, no surprises
Rules verified September 2026.

The 4 steps

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At Schiphol you must take the red exit

This is the detail that turns a perfect file into a problem, and almost no guide mentions it. The Dutch authority (NVWA) requires passengers arriving with a live animal to report to customs and go through the red exit, "something to declare" (in Dutch, iets om aan te geven). That is where the documentary and identity check happens. Walk through the green lane with a pet and you have not been checked, whatever your paperwork says.

Only two inspection centres at Schiphol are designated for dogs and cats. Schiphol is a large border post split into several inspection centres, and each one is approved for specific animals. Your pet's flight has to land at a time when the designated centres are working, which is worth checking before you fix the booking.

If your pet is also a protected species, the route narrows sharply. Pets covered by CITES (Annexes A to D of Regulation (EC) No 338/97), the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive, the Bern or Bonn Conventions may only enter through Schiphol Cargo, Schiphol passengers, or Maastricht Aachen Airport. For those animals, no other Dutch entry point is possible.

The Netherlands designates six airports and seven ports in total. The airports are Amsterdam Schiphol, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Groningen Eelde and Lelystad. The ports include Rotterdam, IJmuiden, Amsterdam, Hoek van Holland, Vlissingen, Eemshaven, Harlingen and Moerdijk.

Frequently asked questions

Is quarantine required in the Netherlands?

No, compliant pets (microchip, valid rabies vaccine, endorsed certificate) enter without quarantine. If the animal is not compliant, the Dutch list sets out redispatch, isolation or euthanasia as possible outcomes.

Does the Netherlands require a tapeworm treatment?

No. The countries that require it are Finland, Malta, Ireland and Norway. The UK is not on that list.

Can I travel with my cat the same way?

Yes, cats follow the exact same EU requirements as dogs for the Netherlands. Note that only two inspection centres at Schiphol are designated for dogs and cats.

Which lane do I use at Schiphol with a pet?

The red exit, "something to declare". Passengers with live animals must report to customs there for the documentary and identity check.

My pet is a protected species. Can I still fly into Schiphol?

Only via Schiphol Cargo, Schiphol passengers, or Maastricht Aachen Airport. Pets covered by CITES or the nature conventions cannot use the other Dutch entry points.

New certificate from 1 October 2026: the EU health certificate is issued on a new model (Regulation (EU) 2026/705). A certificate issued before 1 October 2026 stays valid until 31 March 2027, so a trip already under way does not need redoing. The conditions themselves are unchanged.
Schiphol (AMS) is an approved EU point of entry for pets from the USA.

Official sources