Pet Transport from Georgia to Australia
This is one of the most involved pet relocations possible. Georgia is not on Australia's approved country list, which means a direct move is not permitted under DAFF biosecurity rules. Before your pet can enter Australia, it must first move to an approved …
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.
Responsible: Your vet in Georgia
Responsible: Your vet
Responsible: Owner and Georgian NFA-registered vet
Responsible: Vet in transit country and DAFF-approved laboratory
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
Responsible: Government vet in transit country, airline cargo
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
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.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
Can pets travel directly from Georgia to Australia?
No. Georgia is classified as a non-approved country under Australia’s pet import system, administered by DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry). Pets from non-approved countries cannot enter Australia regardless of their vaccination history, documentation quality, or titre test results.
The restriction is not about individual health status. It reflects Georgia’s standing in Australia’s country classification system, which is based on disease risk assessments maintained by DAFF. Until Georgia achieves approved-country status, direct import is simply not possible.
Source: DAFF, agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs. Always confirm current country approval status before making plans, as the approved-country list is periodically reviewed.
What is the approved-country workaround and which country should you choose?
The standard solution is to relocate your pet to a DAFF-approved country first and complete all Australian import preparation there. Your two main options are:
Group 2 (UK, Ireland, Singapore, Japan, Hawaii): No 180-day waiting period after the titre test blood draw. The pet still needs 10 days of quarantine at Mickleham on arrival in Australia, but the pre-departure wait is shorter. For most Georgian owners relocating to the UK or elsewhere in Europe, this is the faster path.
Group 3 (Germany, France, USA, Canada, and others): A mandatory 180-day wait applies from the date of the titre test blood draw. This adds roughly six months to the transit period on top of all other preparation. The process is identical in every other respect, but the timeline is longer.
In practical terms: if you are moving to the UK anyway, use the UK as your transit country and the Australia preparation runs in parallel with your UK life. If you are moving directly to Australia from Georgia, the UK route (Group 2, no 180-day wait) saves several months.
The pet must be physically resident in the transit country throughout the preparation period. You cannot draw the titre test blood in Georgia and claim UK or German residency for the result.
How long does the full process take from Georgia to Australia?
The minimum realistic timeline is around 15 months, assuming:
- Microchip and first rabies vaccination completed in Georgia before departure
- Transit country: UK (Group 2, no 180-day wait)
- Titre test blood drawn promptly after arriving in the UK and meeting the 30-day post-vaccination window
- DAFF permit processed in around 25 days
- Quarantine pre-booked and a flight secured
Via a Group 3 country (Germany, France), add six months for the mandatory wait, bringing the minimum to around 21 months.
In practice, most owners on this route allow 18 to 24 months. Delays in titre test scheduling, DAFF processing, or quarantine availability can add weeks. Do not plan around the minimum.
What happens at Mickleham quarantine?
All dogs and cats entering Australia undergo 10 days of mandatory quarantine at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Melbourne, Victoria. There are no exemptions. The facility is managed by DAFF and is located about 30 kilometres north of Melbourne city centre.
Pets are housed individually in climate-controlled kennels. The facility is purpose-built for quarantine and meets high welfare standards, but your pet will not have contact with you during the 10-day period. You can write or phone DAFF to check on your pet’s welfare.
The cost of quarantine is paid by the owner. Current DAFF rates are approximately AUD 1,600 to AUD 2,400 for a 10-day stay, though fees are reviewed periodically. Confirm current rates when pre-booking.
Quarantine spaces must be pre-booked. They are limited and popular dates, especially school holidays and summer months, fill well in advance. Do not book your flight until your quarantine space is confirmed in writing by DAFF.
After quarantine clearance, your pet is released into Australia. If your final destination is outside Victoria, a domestic flight or road journey follows.