GE
Georgia
✈️
HU
Hungary

Pet Transport Georgia to Hungary: 2026 Field Guide

22-28 weeks
Typical preparation
None
No quarantine required
High
Route complexity
✓ Managed
Full door-to-door service
Regulations verified

Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities. How we source our data →

Overview
Budapest connects from Tbilisi via Turkish Airlines through Istanbul, with IST-BUD operating regularly throughout the week. The process from Georgia is demanding in time rather than complexity: FAVN titre test, 90-day wait from the blood draw date, NFA-endorsed health certificate. NÉBIH (Hungary’s National Food Chain Safety Office) verifies the documentation on arrival. Allow 22-28 weeks and do not plan around the minimum timeline.
Step by step

The Georgia to Hungary process

1
First vet appointment. Chip goes in first. This is a legal requirement checked by NÉBIH on arrival.
Microchip (ISO 11784/11785) - chip before vaccination

Responsible: Veterinarian in Georgia

2
After microchipping. Wait 30 days minimum before blood draw for titre test.
Rabies vaccination

Responsible: Veterinarian in Georgia

3
At least 30 days after vaccination. Blood drawn in Tbilisi and shipped cold to an EU-approved laboratory. Allow 2-4 weeks for results.
FAVN titre test blood draw and international shipping

Responsible: Georgian vet and EU-approved laboratory

4
Mandatory. The clock runs from the blood draw date. Plan your travel date from this point.
90-day wait from the blood draw date

Responsible: N/A (waiting period)

5
During the 90-day wait. Turkish Airlines via IST is the main routing.
Book cargo Tbilisi to Budapest

Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent

6
Within 10 days of travel to Budapest. Allow time for NFA endorsement processing.
NFA-endorsed AHC from authorised vet in Tbilisi

Responsible: NFA-authorised vet in Georgia

7
Travel day. TBS-IST-BUD is approximately 5-7 hours total. NÉBIH border inspection on arrival.
Travel Tbilisi to Budapest

Responsible: Airline cargo and owner

Checklist

Hungary: entry requirements

RequirementDetail
MicrochipRequired. ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit). Implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccinationRequired. Minimum age 12 weeks. Wait 21 days after primary vaccination before blood draw.
Rabies titre testRequired. Georgia is an EU unlisted third country. FAVN or ELISA titre test at an EU-approved laboratory. Minimum 0.5 IU/ml. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination. Mandatory 90-day wait from the successful blood draw date before entry into Hungary. Source: EU Regulation (EU) 2020/692.
QuarantineNo routine quarantine for compliant arrivals. Conditional quarantine applies for incomplete documentation.
Import permitNot required for non-commercial companion pet movements.
Health certificateEU-format AHC endorsed by NFA, issued within 10 days of travel to Hungary.
Leaving Georgia

Export requirements

RequirementDetail
Export permitNo formal export permit required for companion cats and dogs leaving Georgia.
Health certificateOfficial export AHC from an NFA-authorised vet in Georgia, endorsed by the National Food Agency (NFA, nfa.gov.ge). Must comply with EU Regulation 2020/692 for unlisted third countries. Issued within 10 days of travel to Hungary.
Costs

What this route typically costs

1FAVN titre test: EUR 70-200 laboratory processing plus international courier from Tbilisi
2NFA-endorsed AHC: approximately GEL 150-400 (approximately EUR 50-140)
3Cargo Tbilisi to Budapest via IST: EUR 500-1,400 depending on carrier and crate size
4IATA-approved travel crate: EUR 80-350
5Veterinary preparation in Georgia: EUR 50-150
6IPATA-registered agent (recommended): EUR 400-900
7Total typical range: EUR 1,100-3,000 over a 22-28 week preparation period
Critical points

Read before you book

⚠ Wizz Air serves Budapest but does not accept live animal cargo. Ryanair similarly does not carry pets in the hold. Turkish Airlines via Istanbul or Lufthansa via Frankfurt are the practical cargo options for this route.
⚠ NÉBIH checks dates precisely. The 90-day wait from the blood draw date must have elapsed before the AHC issue date shown on the certificate. NÉBIH has the authority to refuse entry or impose conditional quarantine if any date check fails.
⚠ Georgia does not have EU-approved FAVN laboratories. International blood sample shipping is the only option. Confirm with your Georgian vet their experience with shipping samples to EU-approved labs.
⚠ Hungary requires rabies vaccination under national law. Ensure your pet's vaccination is current beyond the EU import requirement and that records are available in a format Hungarian vets can read after arrival.
Carriers

Airlines on this route

Turkish Airlines
Tbilisi (TBS) to Istanbul (IST), then IST to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International (BUD). Turkish Airlines Cargo handles live animals on Caucasus routes. IST-BUD connections operate throughout the week. Temperature embargoes apply in summer. This is the primary option for TBS-BUD pet cargo.
Cargo Only
Flydubai
Tbilisi to Dubai (DXB), then Emirates SkyCargo to Budapest. Summer heat embargoes at DXB (June to September) may affect scheduling. A valid alternative outside peak summer.
Cargo Only
Lufthansa
Via Frankfurt (FRA) to Budapest. Lufthansa Cargo at FRA provides live animal transit with temperature-controlled facilities. The Tbilisi leg routes via a code-share or Turkish Airlines to FRA first.
Cargo Only

How the 90-day wait works from the blood draw date

This is the part of the process that surprises most owners planning the Georgia-to-Hungary move. The 90-day wait runs from the date the blood was drawn for the FAVN titre test, not from the date the results arrive in your inbox.

Here is what that means practically. If your vet draws blood on 1 March and ships it to the laboratory, and the laboratory returns results on 20 March showing 0.5 IU/ml or above, the wait began on 1 March. Your earliest possible travel date to Hungary is 30 May (90 days from the blood draw date), not 18 June (90 days from the results date).

This is set out in EU Regulation 2020/692. NÉBIH checks the blood draw date on the titre test certificate against the travel date on the AHC. If the dates do not show 90 days between them, the pet is refused entry regardless of the result value.

Practical notes for Georgian owners planning this move

The Georgian expat community in Hungary is smaller than in some Western European capitals, but Budapest is increasingly popular among Caucasus nationals working in tech and finance. IPATA-registered agents in Hungary who handle Georgian documentation do exist, and using one reduces the risk of format errors on the NFA health certificate.

For the blood sample shipping, courier services like DHL and FedEx handle diagnostic sample shipments from Tbilisi regularly. The FAVN sample must be properly preserved (sodium azide is standard) and declared correctly at customs as a diagnostic biological sample. Your vet should handle this but confirm with them explicitly.

After arrival in Hungary, register your pet with the local municipality if you are establishing residency. Rabies vaccination is required under Hungarian national law and local registration often links to this requirement.

FAQ

Common questions

Allow 22-28 weeks from the first vet appointment in Tbilisi. Microchip, vaccination, 30-day wait, FAVN test, 2-4 weeks for lab results, 90-day wait, health certificate and cargo booking. Do not plan around the minimum. A failed titre test or any documentation error adds months.
Your pet travels as cargo and the Budapest cargo terminal is separate from the passenger terminal. If you fly to Budapest on the same day, coordinate with your IPATA agent for the cargo drop-off and collection process. You cannot collect your pet from the passenger terminal.
For non-commercial companion pet movements from unlisted third countries, pre-notification to NÉBIH in advance of arrival is advisable. Your IPATA agent or cargo agent can submit the AHC details to the designated Border Inspection Post (BIP) at Budapest airport in advance. Confirm this with your agent as procedures are updated periodically.
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

Browse all breed guides →

Start your journey

Get Your Free Quote

Enter your pet's details and route

Quotes are tailored to your specific journey.

No obligation. Your details are kept private and never shared.

Chat with us