Travelling with a dog
Tunisia with your dog
How your dog gets on the ferry to Tunisia, and back home again: titre test, documents and where it stays on board.
- Important: without a rabies titre test, your dog cannot return to the EU
- Outward trip with EU pet passport, microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate
- On board in a pet cabin or the kennel depending on the operator, car deck closed
Routes to Tunisia with a dog
Your dog can travel on every route to Tunis, in a pet cabin or the on-board kennel depending on the operator. Choose your route and declare your pet when booking.
Prices per person, one way
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Entry & return
What your dog needs for Tunisia
Tunisia is a non-EU country without listed rabies status. The real hurdle is not the outward trip but the return to the EU.
EU pet passport
Mandatory document with the microchip number and the rabies vaccination recorded. For Tunisia you usually also need an official health certificate.
ISO microchip
ISO standard 11784/11785 (15 digits). Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Valid rabies vaccination, recorded in the pet passport. The basis for the titre test.
Titre test
Crucial for the return journey! Rabies blood test, with the sample taken no earlier than 30 days after the vaccination. Best done in the EU before you leave.
Table of Contents
Taking your dog to Tunisia is perfectly doable, but it needs more preparation than a trip within the EU. Tunisia is a non-EU country without listed rabies status. For the outward trip you need the usual documents; the real hurdle is the return to the EU: without a titre test done in good time, your dog cannot come back. On this page you will find the rules for the outward and return journey, how your pet travels on board and what to watch out for in each operator's rules on board. If you are travelling by motorhome, vehicle dimensions and customs come into play too; everything on that is in our guide Tunisia by motorhome.
The return journey is what really matters
The most important step is preparing for the return to the EU. Because Tunisia is not listed as rabies-free, the EU requires a rabies antibody test (titre test):
- The blood sample may be taken no earlier than 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
- It must be taken by an authorised vet and analysed in an EU-approved laboratory.
- If the test is only done in Tunisia, a three-month waiting period applies before re-entry.
Entering Tunisia
The requirements for the outward trip are straightforward:
- EU pet passport with the microchip and a valid rabies vaccination recorded.
- ISO microchip (standard 11784/11785), implanted before the rabies vaccination.
- Valid rabies vaccination, recorded in the pet passport.
- Official health certificate, which is usually required to enter Tunisia.
For re-entry into the EU you may bring a maximum of five animals, and you confirm in writing that the animals are not being moved for sale or transfer of ownership.
Where your dog travels on board
Where your dog stays varies considerably by operator:
- Grimaldi Lines: your dog may go on the open decks on a lead and muzzled. With the paid Pet in Cabin service it can stay in your cabin; otherwise it travels in the kennel. Animals are not allowed in restaurants, lounges or indoor areas.
- Corsica Linea: animals travel only in the secure, ventilated on-board kennel with access to water and, for hygiene reasons, may not move around the ship freely, not even on a lead. The kennel is opened shortly before arrival. Guide and assistance dogs may stay in the cabin free of charge.
- GNV and CTN: a pet cabin or a kennel depending on the ship; for boarding, dogs must be on a lead and usually muzzled, and the operator requires valid proof of vaccination.
On all ferries the car deck is closed during the crossing, so your dog cannot stay in the car. The number of pet cabins is limited, so declare your pet when you book, not at the port. Take food, water, a lead, a muzzle and poo bags.
Which route works best with a dog?
For your dog, the time on board matters most. The shortest crossing is from Sicily, Palermo - Tunis, in around ten to twelve hours. The crossings from mainland Italy and from France, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Salerno and Marseille, take about a day; on these your dog spends a night in the kennel or, where available, in a pet cabin.
Checklist for travelling with a dog
- Have the titre test done in the EU in good time before you leave and recorded in the pet passport.
- EU pet passport, microchip and rabies vaccination complete and valid.
- Health certificate for entering Tunisia, with a recent date.
- Ferry booking with your dog declared and, where needed, a pet cabin or kennel space reserved.
- Plan a walk before departure and keep the documents to hand at check-in.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ - Tunisia with your dog
The key questions about travelling to Tunisia with a dog, answered in brief.
What do I need to know about returning to the EU from Tunisia with a dog? +
This is the most important point. Tunisia is a non-EU country without listed rabies status, so the EU requires a rabies antibody test (titre test) for re-entry. The blood sample must be taken no earlier than 30 days after the rabies vaccination and analysed in an EU-approved laboratory. The key point: if you have the test done in the EU before you leave and the vet records the result in the pet passport, the otherwise mandatory three-month waiting period before the return journey no longer applies. Without a valid titre test, your dog cannot come back.
Which documents does my dog need to enter Tunisia? +
For the outward trip you need an EU pet passport, an ISO microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. Tunisia usually also requires an official health certificate.
Where does my dog stay during the crossing? +
That depends on the operator. With Grimaldi Lines, your dog can join you on the open decks on a lead and muzzled, and with the paid Pet in Cabin service it can stay in your cabin; animals are not allowed in restaurants or indoor areas. With Corsica Linea, animals travel only in the secure, ventilated on-board kennel and may not move around the ship freely. GNV and CTN offer pet cabins or kennels depending on the ship. Declare your pet as soon as you book.
Are any dog breeds banned on the ferry to Tunisia? +
Yes. Under a rule issued by the Tunisian Ministry of Transport, certain dog breeds are banned on the Tunisia routes, including the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Tosa, Mastiff and Boerboel. If the rule is not observed, the ferry operator will refuse to load the animal.
Can my dog stay in the motorhome? +
The car deck on the ferries is closed during the crossing, so your dog cannot stay in the motorhome and travels in a pet cabin or the on-board kennel instead. Everything on vehicle dimensions, customs and insurance is in our guide Tunisia by motorhome.
Ready to travel to Tunisia with your dog?
Check the routes, plan the titre test in good time and declare your dog when you book.