Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities.
How we source our data →
Overview
Austria to Kazakhstan is a longer-haul route with a few key rules to plan around. Kazakhstan requires rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival (stricter than the EU’s 21-day rule), and your pet needs a country-specific export health certificate from a BMSGPK-authorised Austrian vet, not the EU pet passport. Routing options include connections via Frankfurt with Air Astana, or via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. No titre test or quarantine applies to compliant arrivals. Allow four to eight weeks depending on where your pet’s vaccination record stands.
Step by step
The Austria to Kazakhstan process
1
Do this first. Kazakhstan's 30-day minimum is stricter than the EU standard.
Check rabies vaccination is at least 30 days before planned Kazakhstan arrival and not more than 12 months old
Responsible: Your Austrian vet
2
If your pet does not have a chip, implant before the rabies vaccination.
Microchip verification (ISO 11784/11785)
Responsible: Austrian vet
3
4-8 weeks ahead. Via Frankfurt or Istanbul are the main options. Confirm live animal acceptance.
Book airline cargo from Vienna to Almaty or Nur-Sultan
Responsible: Owner or agent
4
Close to travel date.
BMSGPK-authorised vet issues export health certificate
Responsible: BMSGPK-authorised Austrian vet
5
Travel day. Vienna to Almaty is typically 10-14 hours with one stop.
Travel to Kazakhstan. Veterinary inspection on arrival.
Responsible: Airline, owner
Checklist
Kazakhstan: entry requirements
Requirement
Detail
Microchip
Recommended. ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit). Not mandatory under Kazakhstani regulations but strongly advised.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Vaccination must be at least 30 days before arrival and not more than 12 months before travel. Source: USDA APHIS pet travel to Kazakhstan.
Rabies titre test
Not required for personal companion pets from Austria.
Quarantine
No quarantine for compliant arrivals.
Import permit
Not required for one or two personal companion animals accompanying their owner. More than two pets, or commercial imports, require an import permit.
Health certificate
Health certificate from a licensed veterinarian in the origin country, confirming health and current vaccination status. Issued close to the travel date.
Leaving Austria
Export requirements
Requirement
Detail
Export permit
No export permit required for personal companion pets leaving Austria.
Health certificate
International veterinary health certificate from a BMSGPK-authorised veterinarian in Austria. The EU pet passport is not valid for entry into Kazakhstan. The BMSGPK-endorsed export health certificate must confirm microchip, current rabies vaccination, and that the animal is healthy. Issued close to the date of travel.
Costs
What this route typically costs
1
BMSGPK export health certificate: approximately EUR 150-300
2
Airline cargo Vienna to Kazakhstan (via FRA or IST): EUR 600-1,800 depending on carrier and crate size
3
IATA travel crate: EUR 80-250
4
Pet transport agent (recommended for Kazakhstan routing): EUR 400-900
5
Total typical range: EUR 1,200-3,200
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ The 30-day rabies minimum is strictly applied. Austria's EU rules allow 21 days. Kazakhstan requires 30. Check your pet's vaccination date before booking travel.
⚠ Wolf hybrids, Savannah cats, and Bengal cats may not be imported under standard companion animal rules in Kazakhstan unless the pedigree clearly shows five or more generations removed from the wild ancestor. If this applies to your pet, contact the KKVS before planning.
⚠ Kazakhstan is a large country with two main airports: Almaty (ALA) and Nur-Sultan/Astana (NQZ). Confirm which city is your destination and book the correct arrival airport. Most international cargo connections go to Almaty.
⚠ The EU pet passport is not valid in Kazakhstan. You need a country-specific export health certificate from a BMSGPK-authorised vet.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
Air Astana
Kazakhstan's national carrier. Direct routes from Almaty (ALA) and Nur-Sultan (NQZ) with connections through Frankfurt (FRA) and other European hubs to Vienna. Air Astana accepts small pets in cabin on some routes. Live animal cargo available via Air Astana Cargo.
Cargo and Cabin
Lufthansa
Frankfurt (FRA) to Almaty (ALA) connections. Lufthansa Cargo handles live animals. Vienna to Frankfurt is a short connecting leg, then FRA to ALA via Air Astana codeshare or Lufthansa Cargo.
Cargo Only
Turkish Airlines
Vienna (VIE) to Istanbul (IST) to Almaty (ALA) or Nur-Sultan (NQZ). Turkish Airlines Cargo handles live animals. IST to Kazakhstan connections are available, though flight times are longer via this routing.
Cargo Only
Austrian Airlines
Vienna hub. Connects to Lufthansa Group cargo hubs with onward services to Kazakhstan.
Cargo and Cabin
The 30-day vaccination rule
Kazakhstan’s rabies vaccination requirement is stricter than Austria’s EU standard. Where EU rules require 21 days since the primary vaccination, Kazakhstan requires 30 days before arrival.
For most Austrian pets whose vaccinations are up to date, this is not a problem: the vaccination will already be well past 30 days. But if you are planning a move shortly after a vaccination update, build in the extra time. A pet vaccinated on day 1 cannot enter Kazakhstan until day 31.
The vaccination must also not be more than 12 months old at the time of arrival. If yours is approaching expiry, update it early enough to allow the 30-day window to pass before your planned travel date.
Routing from Vienna to Kazakhstan
Vienna does not have a direct cargo route to Kazakhstan. The main options are via Frankfurt (FRA) connecting with Air Astana or Lufthansa Cargo, or via Istanbul (IST) connecting with Turkish Airlines Cargo to Almaty or Nur-Sultan.
The Frankfurt route, connecting with Air Astana, is often the most direct in terms of flight hours. Air Astana operates from Almaty (ALA) and Nur-Sultan (NQZ) and accepts live animal cargo. Most expat and relocation moves to Kazakhstan use ALA as the arrival airport.
Whichever route you choose, confirm that both legs of the journey accept live animal cargo before booking. Not all connecting flights accommodate animals in the hold.
Preparing the export documentation
Your Austrian vet needs to hold BMSGPK authorisation to issue an export health certificate for non-EU destinations. If your regular vet does not have this authorisation, ask the BMSGPK to direct you to an authorised vet in your area.
The health certificate records your pet’s microchip number, rabies vaccination history, and current health status. Keep the original with you throughout the journey. Kazakhstan veterinary authorities may request documentation at the point of arrival in Almaty or Nur-Sultan.
FAQ
Common questions
It depends on the pedigree. Kazakhstan restricts the import of Bengal cats unless they are five or more generations removed from the Asian leopard cat ancestor. If your Bengal is a registered F5 or later generation, you should be able to import it, but you need pedigree documentation showing the generation history. Contact the Kazakhstan Committee for Veterinary Control and Supervision (egov.kz) before planning your move.
For most international arrivals, Almaty (ALA) is the main hub and is the airport most commonly used for international cargo. Nur-Sultan (NQZ) is Kazakhstan’s capital city airport and also handles international live animal imports. Use whichever matches your final destination in Kazakhstan, and confirm live animal cargo acceptance at that airport with your airline.
Not legally required, but strongly recommended. Kazakhstan routing involves at least one transit hub, and the documentation requirements for non-EU destinations are specific. An IPATA-registered pet transport agent can coordinate the cargo booking, ensure the health certificate format meets Kazakhstani requirements, and troubleshoot delays. For a first international pet move, an agent saves significant time.
Austrian export health certificates are typically issued in German and English. Kazakhstan’s customs and veterinary authorities deal with international arrivals regularly and handle English-language certificates. However, if you are concerned, a certified translation into Russian (widely used in Kazakhstan) can be arranged. Confirm document language requirements with the KKVS before issuing the certificate.