Ireland takes pet imports seriously. DAFM (the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) enforces EU Regulation 2020/692 requirements at Dublin Airport, and non-compliance results in penalty quarantine or return of the animal. For a …
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Microchip (ISO 11784/11785)
Responsible: Georgian vet
First step. Before any vaccination.
2
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Georgian vet
After microchipping. 30-day minimum before blood draw.
3
FAVN titre test blood draw
Responsible: Georgian vet + EU-approved lab
At least 30 days after vaccination. Ship to EU-approved lab. Blood draw date = day zero of 90-day wait.
4
90-day wait from blood draw date
Responsible: N/A
Mandatory. Day 91 is earliest travel date.
5
Submit TRACES pre-notification to DAFM
Responsible: Owner, agent, or Irish-based contact
At least 24-48 hours before arrival in Ireland. Requires a TRACES account. Your agent or Irish contact must submit this.
6
Book live cargo from Tbilisi to Dublin
Responsible: Owner or transport agent
During the 90-day wait. Confirm routing and live animal acceptance on each segment.
7
NFSA-endorsed EU health certificate
Responsible: NFSA-authorised vet + NFSA
Within 10 days of departure to Ireland.
8
Travel to Dublin Airport (DUB)
Responsible: Airline + owner
Travel day. Tbilisi to Dublin via hub is typically 8-14 hours.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Ireland
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 standard. Must precede or accompany the first rabies vaccination. Chip number must match all documents exactly.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Current vaccination. Primary vaccination: at least 21 days before entry. Boosters within the prior valid period are immediately effective.
Rabies titre test
Required. Ireland is an EU member state. Under EU Regulation 2020/692, pets from unlisted countries including Georgia require a FAVN rabies antibody titre test. Blood drawn at least 30 days after primary vaccination. Minimum 0.5 IU/ml. 90-day wait from blood draw date before entry. Source: DAFM (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine), gov.ie/agriculture.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for compliant arrivals. Non-compliant arrivals face penalty quarantine or return. DAFM enforces strictly.
Import permit
Not required for companion pets. TRACES pre-notification is required.
Health certificate
EU-format non-commercial health certificate for unlisted third countries. NFSA-endorsed. Valid for 10 days. Must accompany the TRACES pre-notification on arrival.
Export permit (Georgia)
No formal export permit required for companion pets from Georgia.
Costs
What this route typically costs
FAVN titre test (blood draw plus international laboratory): GEL 250-700 (approximately EUR 80-230)
NFSA health certificate and endorsement: GEL 100-300 (approximately EUR 30-100)
Live cargo from Tbilisi to Dublin via hub: EUR 600-1,900
IATA travel crate: EUR 80-300
Pet transport agent (TRACES experience valuable): EUR 400-1,200
Total typical range: EUR 900-3,700 across a 5-7 month preparation period
Critical points to read before you book
TRACES pre-notification is mandatory for Ireland. This is not optional paperwork. Without it, DAFM border vets at Dublin Airport may refuse to process the arrival. Ensure the pre-notification is submitted at least 24 hours before the pet arrives.
DAFM border inspection at Dublin Airport is thorough. Carry originals of all documents: health certificate, titre test result, vaccination history, and microchip documentation. Photocopies as backup.
Georgia is EU unlisted. The FAVN titre test plus 90-day wait applies in full. No trade agreement or bilateral arrangement between Georgia and Ireland shortens this process.
From April 2026, EU pet passports are restricted to owners who reside primarily in the EU. Georgian owners relocating to Ireland will not have an EU pet passport. The NFSA-endorsed health certificate is the correct document for this move.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
TURKISH
Turkish Airlines
Tbilisi (TBS) to Istanbul (IST), then IST to Dublin (DUB). Turkish Airlines Cargo accepts live animals at IST and operates services into DUB. The most practical routing for Georgia-to-Ireland live cargo.
Cargo Only
AIR FRANCE
Air France
Via Paris CDG, then CDG to DUB. Air France Cargo handles live animals. CDG-DUB connections are frequent. An alternative if IST routing is full.
Cargo Only
AER LINGUS
Aer Lingus
Ireland's national carrier. Aer Lingus does not fly from Tbilisi but operates Dublin connections from several European hubs. May handle the final leg from a hub to DUB for cargo pre-cleared by the handling carrier.
Cargo Only
BRITISH
British Airways
Via London Heathrow (LHR). BA handles cargo but does not accept live animals on passenger flights. IAG Cargo operates cargo services from LHR to DUB. Confirm if live animal cargo is accepted on the LHR-DUB segment.
Cargo Only
TRACES pre-notification: the step many first-time movers miss
TRACES (Trade Control and Expert System) is the EU’s digital system for managing the movement of animals and food products across borders. For pets arriving in Ireland from a non-EU country, the arrival must be pre-notified through TRACES before the animal travels. This is in addition to the standard health certificate; the TRACES notification is a separate electronic submission.
Submitting a TRACES notification requires access to the system. If you are moving to Ireland from Georgia, the simplest approach is either to use a pet transport agent who already has TRACES access, or to set up TRACES access through an Irish-based contact (a vet, import agent, or even a private individual can create an account).
The notification must be submitted at least 24 hours before arrival, and 48 hours is more comfortable to allow for any processing time. It includes the pet’s details, chip number, health certificate reference, titre test result, and expected arrival time and port. Missing this step means the border vet cannot formally process the arrival.
Document accuracy at Dublin Airport
DAFM border vets at Dublin Airport check documentation carefully. For a pet from an unlisted third country like Georgia, they will verify: that the microchip number is readable and matches the health certificate, that the health certificate is within its 10-day validity, that the vaccination was administered after the microchip and at least 21 days before travel, that the FAVN titre result is 0.5 IU/ml or above, and that at least 90 days have elapsed from the blood draw date.
Any discrepancy, even a formatting error in the health certificate, can cause delays. Have a clear timeline document with all dates showing how each requirement was met: chip date, vaccination date, blood draw date, titre result date, certificate issue date, and travel date. A transport agent familiar with Irish import requirements can help prepare this summary document.
FAQ
Common questions about Georgia to Ireland pet transport
No. Northern Ireland uses UK pet travel rules, and entry into the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland still requires compliance with Irish (EU) import rules. There is no shortcut through the Northern Ireland border for pets from unlisted third countries. Dublin Airport is the standard entry point. If you enter via another UK port, your pet would need to meet UK entry requirements from Georgia separately, then meet Irish requirements to cross from Northern Ireland into the Republic.
The 90-day wait must pass before travel, but once it has passed, the titre test result remains valid as long as the pet’s rabies vaccination stays current. So if you drew blood on 1 January, the 90-day wait ends on 1 April, and you could travel to Ireland on any date from 1 April onwards as long as the vaccination is still valid. Most vaccines are valid for 1-3 years. Keep vaccination records current and the same titre result continues to apply.
You can manage it independently if you are organised and have the time. The key steps (NFSA health certificate, FAVN titre test, cargo booking) each have specific requirements that need coordinating. The TRACES pre-notification in particular requires someone to navigate the EU system, which has a learning curve. For most people moving from Georgia to Ireland, using a transport agent for at least the final stages (health certificate, TRACES, cargo booking) saves significant stress and reduces the risk of avoidable errors.