Lead time needed
65-104 weeks
Quarantine
10 days
Route complexity
Very High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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GE
AU

Pet Transport from Georgia to Australia

Shipping a dog or cat from Georgia to Australia rewards owners who start planning early. Budget around 65-104 weeks and start early, because the mandatory waits on this route stack up quickly. Your pet will spend 10 days in quarantine after landing. The …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from Georgia to Australia typically takes around 65-104 weeks. Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival.
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Step by step

The Georgia 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.

1
Start of preparation. Microchip must precede or be done on the same day as the first vaccination.
Microchip implanted (ISO 11784/11785) and first rabies vaccination administered in Georgia

Responsible: Your vet in Georgia

2
Not less than 30 days after the first vaccination and not more than 365 days after it.
Second rabies vaccination in Georgia or transit country

Responsible: Your vet

3
Pet must reside in the transit country throughout the preparation period. Georgian NFA health certificate required for this leg.
Relocate to approved transit country (UK, Germany, or France recommended)

Responsible: Owner and Georgian NFA-registered vet

4
At least 30 days after the second rabies vaccination. For UK (Group 2): no 180-day wait after the result. For Germany or France (Group 3): mandatory 180-day wait from this blood draw date.
Blood draw for RNATT or FAVN titre test at DAFF-approved laboratory in transit country

Responsible: Vet in transit country and DAFF-approved laboratory

5
Apply as soon as possible during the waiting period. Allow 20 to 30 days for DAFF to process. Fee: AUD 420.
Apply for DAFF import permit via BICON

Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent

6
Book as early as possible. Quarantine spaces are limited and popular dates fill quickly.
Pre-book quarantine space at Mickleham facility in Melbourne

Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent

7
Health certificate valid 10 days. Parasite treatments within 5 days of export. Travel after all waiting periods complete.
Health certificate, parasite treatments, Brucella and Ehrlichia tests (dogs), and flight from transit country to Melbourne (MEL)

Responsible: Government vet in transit country, airline cargo

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Australia

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip mandatory. Must be implanted before or on the same day …
Rabies vaccination
Two rabies vaccinations required. Not less than 30 days apart and not more than …
Rabies titre test
RNATT or FAVN titre test required. Minimum result 0.5 IU/ml. Blood drawn at …
Quarantine
Mandatory 10-day quarantine at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, …
Import permit
DAFF import permit required. Apply via BICON (bicon.agriculture.gov.au). Fee: …
Health certificate
Country-specific official veterinary health certificate issued in the transit …
Export permit
No separate Georgian export permit required for dogs and cats. NFA-endorsed …
Costs

What this route typically costs

Georgian NFA veterinary and health certificate fees for the transit …
Cargo airline fees Tbilisi to transit country hub (Turkish Airlines …
Veterinary fees in transit country: titre test blood draw, ongoing …
DAFF import permit: AUD 420 via BICON
Airline cargo from transit country to Melbourne: approximately AUD …
Mickleham quarantine facility fees: AUD 1,600 to AUD 2,400 for a …
IPATA-registered pet transport agent fee: strongly recommended for …

Critical points

Georgia is a non-approved country for Australian pet import. A pet cannot fly directly from Tbilisi to any Australian city. This rule has no exceptions and DAFF will not process a permit for direct Georgia-to-Australia import.

All pets entering Australia must arrive into Melbourne (MEL) only, regardless of your final destination in Australia. There are no other approved ports of entry for cats and dogs.

Mickleham quarantine spaces are limited and must be pre-booked. Do not book your Australia flight until quarantine space is confirmed.

The microchip must be implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination. If vaccination came first, the entire vaccination course must be repeated after microchipping.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

Turkish Airlines
Tbilisi (TBS) to Istanbul (IST) then onward to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, or Madrid. …
Cargo Only
British Airways
British Airways operates a direct Tbilisi (TBS) to London Heathrow (LHR) route. Cargo: …
Cargo Only
Georgian Airways
Georgian Airways operates limited international routes from Tbilisi (TBS) including …
Cargo Only

Meeting Australia's entry requirements

Entry to Australia is tightly controlled, and officials verify each requirement in turn. Treat it as a sequence where every step gates the next.

Advice worth following

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.

FAQ

Common questions

Australia’s DAFF maintains a list of approved countries for pet import. Georgia is not on this list. Pets from non-approved countries are not permitted to enter Australia regardless of health status or documentation. The only route is via an approved transit country such as the UK, Germany, or France, where the Australian import preparation is completed.
The UK is generally the faster option. As a Group 2 country, there is no 180-day waiting period after the titre test blood draw. The UK also has direct cargo connections to Melbourne with established carriers. Germany and France (Group 3) are viable but add six months to the pre-departure waiting period.
You can microchip and begin the rabies vaccination course in Georgia. However, the titre test blood draw must be done after the pet is resident in the approved transit country, using a DAFF-approved laboratory in that country. The titre test result and all subsequent steps are linked to the transit country.
The DAFF import permit costs AUD 420 and is applied for through the BICON system at bicon.agriculture.gov.au. Allow 20 to 30 days for DAFF to process the application. Apply during the waiting period in your transit country so the permit is ready before your travel date. Your IPATA agent can manage the BICON application on your behalf.
DAFF strongly recommends using an experienced pet transport agent for any Australian import, and this route is among the most complex DAFF handles. An IPATA-registered agent will manage the BICON permit application, pre-book Mickleham quarantine, coordinate the health certificate with the government vet in your transit country, and liaise with cargo carriers. The cost of getting it wrong far exceeds the agent fee.
Airline guides
  • Turkish Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Georgian Airways
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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GE AUGeorgia to Australia
International pet transport route
Lead time65-104 weeks
Quarantine10 days
ComplexityVery High
Airlines3
ServiceDoor to door
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