Relocating a pet from Bahamas to Australia follows a clear path once you understand what Australia asks for. This route takes some organising, and roughly 30-34 weeks of preparation is about right. Plan for 10 days of quarantine on arrival. …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Bahamas to Australia
typically takes around 30-34 weeks.
Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Bahamas to Australia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Apply for the DAFF import permit through BICON.
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
As early as travel dates are being planned; 4-6 weeks to process.
2
Microchip implanted, first rabies vaccination given.
Responsible: Bahamian vet
At 12 weeks or older.
3
Government identity verification completed, ahead of the blood draw.
Responsible: Government-recognised vet in the Bahamas
Before the RNATT sample is taken.
4
Second rabies vaccination.
Responsible: Bahamian vet
30 to 365 days after the first.
5
RNATT blood draw, sample couriered to a DAFF-approved laboratory.
Responsible: Bahamian vet, shipping to an approved lab
After the second vaccination; the 180-day clock starts on lab arrival.
6
180-day wait runs its course.
Responsible: N/A
Fixed. No shortcut regardless of documentation quality.
7
DAFF-format health certificate issued and Mickleham quarantine booked.
Responsible: BAHFSA-recognised vet and owner
Within 5 days of departure for the certificate; book quarantine as soon as travel dates firm up.
8
Fly Nassau to Heathrow on British Airways, then Heathrow to Melbourne on Qantas or Singapore Airlines.
Responsible: Airline cargo handlers and DAFF
After the 180-day wait clears, timed for a weekday Melbourne landing.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Australia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip, implanted on or before the date of the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Two vaccinations required, not less than 30 days and not more than 365 days apart. First dose at 12 weeks or older.
Quarantine
Minimum 10 days at Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, Melbourne, with identity verification completed beforehand. Without it, the minimum rises to 30 days. Weekday arrivals only; Mickleham is the only facility in the country, so Sydney, Brisbane and Perth are not entry points for a pet, whatever the rest of the itinerary looks like.
Import permit
DAFF import permit applied for via BICON before any veterinary preparation starts. Processing typically runs 4 to 6 weeks.
Health certificate
DAFF-format Group 3 health certificate, issued in the Bahamas within 5 days of departure.
Export permit (Bahamas)
No standalone export permit distinct from the health certificate below. BAHFSA's published fee schedule covers the import ePermit in detail but says little about the export side, so confirm the current form directly before booking.
Government endorsement
Government endorsement by BAHFSA where the receiving country's permit conditions call for it. DAFF's Group 3 permit will specify the exact certificate format required from the Bahamas.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Bahamian vet visits, vaccinations, identity verification: USD 250-500
RNATT blood draw and DAFF-approved laboratory fee, including courier: USD 200-400
DAFF import permit via BICON: approximately AUD 420
DAFF-format health certificate: USD 100-250
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 150-400
Cargo, Nassau to Heathrow then on to Melbourne, two legs: GBP 2,500-5,000
Mickleham quarantine, 10 days minimum: AUD 1,800-3,500
Total typical range: USD 5,500-11,500
Critical points to read before you book
The Bahamas' Group 3 status means no 180-day residency detour to a third country is required, unlike Belarus and Bosnia and Herzegovina, both non-approved and both needing a staging-country stay before DAFF opens a file. Do not let an agent price this route as if it needs one.
The 180-day RNATT wait starts when the blood sample reaches the laboratory, not the draw date. Courier time from Nassau to a DAFF-approved lab adds real days to the clock, so book the courier the same day as the draw.
Skipping the pre-draw identity verification step triples Mickleham quarantine time, from 10 days to 30. It is a single extra vet appointment against three weeks of extra facility fees and stress for the animal.
IAG Cargo's temperature embargo, outside 7C to 29C at any hub including Nassau, regularly disrupts bookings between late spring and early autumn. An early-morning departure slot usually stays inside the window when a midday one won't.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
BRITISH
British Airways
Runs the only nonstop service out of Nassau, seven days a week to London Heathrow on a Boeing 777, through IAG Cargo. Every practical routing to Australia starts on this flight. IAG Cargo pulls live-animal bookings automatically outside a 7C to 29C ground-temperature band, which matters for a departure city as warm as Nassau most of the year.
Cargo Only
QANTAS
Qantas
Covers the Heathrow to Melbourne sector, landing at the one airport that connects to Mickleham. Book this leg once the 180-day RNATT wait has cleared, not before.
Cargo Only
SINGAPORE
Singapore Airlines
An alternative to Qantas for the Heathrow-Melbourne leg, routing via Singapore. Worth comparing schedules if a Qantas slot doesn't line up with the end of the RNATT wait.
Cargo Only
The rules for bringing a pet into Australia
Australia asks for several pieces of paperwork, and they all need to line up. A checklist and a clear timeline are your best tools here.
How to keep this move on track
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
FAQ
Common questions about Bahamas to Australia pet transport
No. DAFF classifies the Bahamas as a Group 3 country, so direct export is permitted. This is different from Belarus and Bosnia and Herzegovina, both non-approved countries that need 180 days of residency in a third country before DAFF will process any import.
180 days, counted from the date the blood sample arrives at a DAFF-approved laboratory, not from the draw date. Courier time from Nassau to the lab adds to this, so ship the sample the same day it’s drawn.
No. Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, the only DAFF-approved facility for cats and dogs, sits near Melbourne. Every imported pet enters through Melbourne, regardless of final destination within Australia.
Minimum quarantine at Mickleham rises from 10 days to 30 days. The verification is a single additional vet appointment in the Bahamas, arranged ahead of the blood draw, and it is worth the extra step for almost every owner.
Airline guides
British Airways
Qantas
Singapore Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.