Pet Transport from Armenia to Australia
Allow at least 18 months for this move. Armenia sits outside Australia's approved country framework, which means your pet in Yerevan cannot board a direct flight to Melbourne or any other Australian city. The route requires a real intermediate step: your pet …
The Armenia to Australia import process
Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.
Responsible: Your vet in Yerevan
Responsible: Owner and SSFS-registered vet in Armenia
Responsible: Vet in transit country and DAFF-approved laboratory
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
Responsible: Government vet in transit country
Responsible: Airline cargo and DAFF quarantine authority
What your pet needs to enter Australia
Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.
What this route typically costs
Critical points
Armenia is not on Australia's approved country list. There is no pathway for direct import from Yerevan to any Australian city. Any agent suggesting otherwise should be challenged.
All pets entering Australia must arrive into Melbourne (MEL). Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane do not accept pet imports. Plan domestic travel from Melbourne for any other destination.
There may be no DAFF-approved titre test laboratory in Armenia. Blood samples may need to be shipped from Yerevan to a laboratory in Georgia, Germany, or Turkey. Build extra time into your schedule for sample transit and results.
Quarantine spaces at Mickleham must be pre-booked. Confirm your quarantine booking before purchasing the Australia flight.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
Can pets travel directly from Armenia to Australia?
No. Armenia is classified as a non-approved country under DAFF’s (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) pet import framework. This classification applies regardless of your pet’s vaccination history or the quality of its documentation. A pet cannot legally enter Australia directly from Armenia.
Australia divides countries into import groups. Group 2 countries (UK, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, and a small number of others) have the lightest conditions: 10-day quarantine, no 180-day wait. Group 3 countries (USA, Canada, Germany, France, most of Western Europe) require 10-day quarantine plus a 180-day wait from the titre test blood draw date. Countries not on any approved list, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, cannot send pets directly to Australia at all.
The DAFF approved country list is published at agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs and is reviewed periodically. Check it before finalising your plans.
What is the approved-country workaround?
The solution is to relocate your pet to a DAFF-approved country first, complete all Australian import preparation there, and then travel to Melbourne. Think of it as a two-leg move rather than a single journey.
The transit country choice matters because of the waiting period rules. The UK (Group 2) does not require the 180-day wait from the titre test blood draw date. Your pet still needs 10 days at Mickleham on arrival in Australia, but the pre-departure preparation is shorter. If you are relocating to the UK for any reason, this is the natural and faster path.
Germany and France (Group 3) both trigger the mandatory 180-day wait from the blood draw date. This adds roughly six months to the transit period. If you are already moving to Germany or France, the wait runs alongside your life there rather than as an extra delay.
The SSFS health certificate from Armenia covers the first leg, Yerevan to transit country. Once there, all Australian import preparation, including the titre test, waiting periods, and official health certificate, is handled under the vet authority of the transit country.
How long does the full process take and what are the costs?
Via the UK (Group 2): the realistic minimum is around 15 to 18 months from beginning preparation in Armenia to clearing Mickleham quarantine in Melbourne. This assumes the microchip and vaccination course are started promptly in Armenia, the titre test is drawn soon after arrival in the UK, and the DAFF permit and quarantine booking are managed efficiently.
Via Germany or France (Group 3): add six months for the mandatory 180-day wait, bringing the minimum to around 21 to 24 months.
On costs: the two-leg structure means paying cargo fees twice. The Yerevan-to-Europe leg (Turkish Airlines via Istanbul or Emirates via Dubai) typically runs USD 500 to USD 1,000 depending on pet size. The long-haul Europe-to-Melbourne leg costs AUD 1,500 to AUD 4,000. Add DAFF permit fees (AUD 420), Mickleham quarantine (approximately AUD 1,600 to AUD 2,400 for 10 days), vet fees in both countries, and an IPATA agent fee. For a medium-sized dog on this route, total costs of AUD 7,000 to AUD 15,000 are realistic. Get a full itemised quote from your chosen IPATA agent early in the process.
What happens at Mickleham quarantine?
Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Melbourne, Victoria is the only approved quarantine facility in Australia for arriving cats and dogs. All pets entering Australia undergo 10 days of mandatory quarantine there. No exceptions, no alternatives.
During the quarantine period your pet is housed in individual climate-controlled accommodation and monitored by DAFF staff. You cannot visit. After the 10 days, assuming your pet passes all inspections, it is released into Australia.
Quarantine spaces are limited and must be pre-booked. Do not book your long-haul flight until your quarantine space is confirmed. Demand is highest during school holidays, December to January, and around Easter. Your IPATA agent can manage the booking.
After release from Mickleham, if your final destination is outside Victoria (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, or elsewhere), you will need to arrange onward domestic travel by air or road.