Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities.
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Overview
Warsaw is a practical destination from Tbilisi via Turkish Airlines through Istanbul, with the IST-WAW segment operating several times weekly. The paperwork side is more involved: Georgia is EU unlisted, and the GIW (Poland’s Chief Veterinary Inspectorate) applies the same titre test and 90-day wait requirements as any other EU member state. Budget 22-28 weeks from first vet appointment and work with an IPATA-registered agent to manage the NFA health certificate and international titre test shipping.
Step by step
The Georgia to Poland process
1
First step. The chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. This is a legal requirement under EU rules and checked by the GIW.
Microchip (ISO 11784/11785) - before vaccination
Responsible: Veterinarian in Georgia
2
After microchipping. Primary vaccination: wait 30 days before blood draw. Current booster: immediately effective but chip-before-vaccination sequence always required.
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Veterinarian in Georgia
3
At least 30 days after vaccination. Blood drawn in Tbilisi, shipped cold to EU-approved laboratory. Results: 2-4 weeks from lab receipt.
FAVN titre test - blood draw and international lab submission
Responsible: Georgian vet and EU-approved laboratory
4
Mandatory under EU Regulation 2020/692. The 90-day wait runs from the blood draw date, not the results date.
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. Confirm live animal cargo acceptance.
Book cargo Tbilisi to Warsaw
Responsible: Owner or IPATA-registered agent
6
Within 10 days of travel to Warsaw.
NFA-endorsed AHC from authorised Georgian vet
Responsible: NFA-authorised vet in Georgia
7
Travel day. TBS-IST-WAW is approximately 6-8 hours total. GIW border vet inspection on arrival at WAW.
Travel Tbilisi to Warsaw
Responsible: Airline cargo and owner
Checklist
Poland: entry requirements
Requirement
Detail
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit). Implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Minimum age 12 weeks. Wait 21 days after primary vaccination before blood draw.
Rabies titre test
Required. 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. 90-day mandatory wait from the blood draw date before entry into Poland. Source: EU Regulation (EU) 2020/692.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for compliant arrivals.
Import permit
Not required for non-commercial companion pet movements.
Health certificate
EU-format AHC endorsed by NFA, issued within 10 days of entry into Poland.
Leaving Georgia
Export requirements
Requirement
Detail
Export permit
No formal export permit required for companion cats and dogs leaving Georgia.
Health certificate
Official export AHC from an NFA-authorised vet in Georgia, endorsed by the National Food Agency (NFA, nfa.gov.ge). Must meet EU Regulation 2020/692 requirements. Issued within 10 days of travel to Poland.
Costs
What this route typically costs
1
FAVN titre test: EUR 70-200 laboratory processing plus international courier from Tbilisi
2
NFA-endorsed AHC: approximately GEL 150-400 (approximately EUR 50-140)
3
Cargo Tbilisi to Warsaw via IST: EUR 500-1,500 depending on carrier and crate size
4
IATA-approved travel crate: EUR 80-350
5
Veterinary preparation in Georgia: EUR 50-150
6
IPATA-registered agent (recommended): EUR 400-900
7
Total typical range: EUR 1,100-3,000 over a 22-28 week preparation period
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ The NFA endorsement process in Georgia takes time. Book the vet appointment for the health certificate at least two weeks before planned travel to allow the NFA endorsement to process in time.
⚠ Georgia has no EU-approved FAVN laboratory. International blood sample shipping is required. Confirm your vet's process for this.
⚠ The GIW at Warsaw checks dates carefully. If the blood draw date and travel date on the AHC do not show at least 90 days between them, the pet will be refused. Calculate the dates precisely.
⚠ Poland has restrictions on certain dog breeds including American Pit Bull Terriers and similar types in some locations. Confirm your breed's status before travel.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
Turkish Airlines
Tbilisi (TBS) to Istanbul (IST), then IST to Warsaw Chopin (WAW). Turkish Airlines Cargo is the main practical option for TBS-WAW pet cargo. IST-WAW connections are available several times weekly. Temperature embargoes apply in summer months. Book through a cargo agent and confirm live animal acceptance for your dates.
Cargo Only
LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines serves Warsaw (WAW) and has some connectivity on Caucasus routes via code-share partners. For live animal cargo from Tbilisi, confirm LOT Cargo acceptance directly. LOT Cargo at WAW is experienced with EU unlisted third country import documentation.
Cargo Only
Lufthansa
Via Frankfurt (FRA) to Warsaw. Lufthansa Cargo at FRA has excellent live animal transit facilities. The Tbilisi leg routes via a partner carrier to FRA. A reliable alternative if Turkish Airlines capacity is limited.
Cargo Only
Why the NFA endorsement step needs more time than owners expect
The Animal Health Certificate for travel from Georgia to Poland must be endorsed by Georgia’s National Food Agency (NFA). This is not just a vet’s signature: the NFA is the official competent authority, and the endorsement confirms that the certificate meets EU Regulation 2020/692 requirements.
In Tbilisi, the NFA endorsement process typically takes several working days after the vet prepares the certificate. Factor this into your travel planning. If you book cargo for a Wednesday and only arrange the vet appointment the Monday before, there may not be enough time for the NFA endorsement to process, the certificate to be ready, and for you to present it at the cargo check-in.
A practical approach: book the cargo date first, then work backwards. Schedule the vet appointment at least 10 working days before the cargo date. The certificate is valid for 10 days from issue, so there is a window, but that window must accommodate the NFA endorsement process.
The FAVN titre test from Tbilisi in practice
There is no EU-approved FAVN laboratory in Georgia. Your vet draws blood from your pet in Tbilisi and ships it cold to an approved lab in Europe or North America. The approved lab list is maintained by the European Commission at food.ec.europa.eu.
Sample shipping from Tbilisi typically goes via DHL or FedEx international, with special handling for diagnostic samples. The courier journey takes 2-5 business days. Lab processing takes 1-2 weeks after receipt. Total from blood draw to result: 2-4 weeks.
If the result comes back below 0.5 IU/ml, the test is a failure. You must re-vaccinate, wait 30 days, and draw blood again. The 90-day wait restarts from the new passing blood draw date. A failed test adds a minimum of 3-4 months to the total timeline.
FAQ
Common questions
There is no regular direct non-stop pet cargo service between Tbilisi and Warsaw. The standard routing is via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines Cargo, operating TBS-IST then IST-WAW. LOT Polish Airlines has some Caucasus connections via code-share partners. Confirm live animal cargo acceptance with the cargo agent for your specific travel dates.
Your pet arrives at the cargo terminal at Warsaw Chopin (WAW). The GIW (Chief Veterinary Inspectorate) border vet checks the microchip, vaccination record, FAVN titre test (checking blood draw date and result), and confirms the 90-day wait has elapsed. The NFA-endorsed AHC is also verified. If all documents are in order, the pet is released. The cargo terminal is separate from the passenger terminal.
Poland requires dogs to have rabies vaccinations and some municipalities require local pet registration. After arrival, check with your local council (gmina) about pet registration requirements in your area. These are domestic requirements after import and separate from the border entry process.