Pet Transport from El Salvador to Australia
Bringing your dog or cat from El Salvador to Australia takes some coordination, but the requirements are well defined. Budget around 40-52 weeks and start early, because the mandatory waits on this route stack up quickly. Factor in 10 days of quarantine at the …
The El Salvador 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: Owner, ideally with a DAFF-experienced agent
Responsible: Owner
Responsible: Vet in the country of residency
Responsible: Vet and approved laboratory
Responsible: Owner or agent
Responsible: Owner or agent
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
El Salvador is a non-approved country under DAFF's classification. There is no direct import pathway. The pet must live 180 consecutive days in an approved Group 2 or Group 3 country, then be exported to Australia from there, meeting that country's own conditions on top of Australia's.
The 180-day residency clock and the titre test's own processing can run in parallel, but only if the vaccinations and blood draw happen early enough within the residency window. Get this sequencing wrong and the whole 180 days can effectively restart.
Mickleham is the only Post Entry Quarantine facility in Australia. Every pet on this route lands in Melbourne first, regardless of the final destination city within Australia, and quarantine space needs booking well ahead of the flight.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
Meeting Australia's entry requirements
Advice worth following
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.
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.