Pet Transport Canada to Georgia: 2026 Guide

Georgia’s National Food Agency (nfa.gov.ge) requires advance notification before your pet arrives in the country. This is a lighter-touch requirement than a formal import permit, but it is still mandatory and should be your first step after deciding to make the move.

Contact the NFA with your pet’s details, microchip number, vaccination history, and travel date. The NFA will confirm the current requirements and advise on any documentation they need from you in advance. Georgia’s process is generally efficient for pets arriving from stable, rabies-controlled countries like Canada.

For compliant arrivals at Tbilisi International Airport (TBS), the NFA inspection is a document check rather than a quarantine process. Present the advance notification confirmation, your CFIA certificate, vaccination records, and microchip documentation. Clearance for well-documented pets is typically prompt.

Canada’s export health certificate for companion animals is issued by a CFIA-accredited veterinarian and, where the destination country requires it, endorsed by the CFIA regional office. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan all require the regional office endorsement; Georgia’s requirements should be confirmed with your CFIA-accredited vet or the NFA.

CFIA-accredited vets are listed at inspection.canada.ca. Once you have identified your vet, book an appointment within 10 days of your travel date, as that is typically the validity window for the health certificate. The CFIA regional office endorsement adds a few days to the process; factor this in when scheduling.

If you are in Ontario, the CFIA regional office in Guelph handles endorsements for international export certificates. Other provinces have their own CFIA regional offices. Your accredited vet will be familiar with the process in your province.

No direct service exists between Canada and Georgia. Turkish Airlines via Istanbul is the most practical routing, with YYZ to IST on the transatlantic leg and then IST to TBS. Turkish Airlines Cargo is well established on both legs, and the IST-TBS corridor is a regular route.

An alternative is to use Lufthansa or Air Canada for the transatlantic leg to Frankfurt (FRA), then connect to TBS via Turkish Airlines or Georgian Airways. Frankfurt’s Animal Lounge at FRA provides professional care during any connection time.

Georgian Airways operates TBS-FRA directly and may accept cargo pets; confirm live animal cargo acceptance directly with Georgian Airways rather than assuming it. Either way, the total journey from Toronto to Tbilisi is typically 14 to 18 hours including connections.