Kazakhstan to Ireland is one of the longer international pet relocation routes, both in geographic distance and preparation time. Kazakhstan is EU unlisted, so the FAVN titre test and 90-day wait apply. On top of the standard EU unlisted …
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Microchip (ISO 11784/11785)
Responsible: Kazakhstani vet
Before any vaccination.
2
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Kazakhstani vet
After microchipping. 30-day minimum wait before blood draw.
3
FAVN titre test blood draw
Responsible: Kazakhstani vet + EU-approved lab
At least 30 days after vaccination. Ship blood internationally to EU-approved laboratory. 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 permitted 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 TRACES account.
6
Book live cargo from Kazakhstan to Dublin
Responsible: Owner or transport agent
During the 90-day wait. Confirm routing via IST, FRA, or another hub. Confirm live animal acceptance on every segment.
7
Ministry of Agriculture-endorsed health certificate
Responsible: Authorised Kazakhstani vet + Committee for Veterinary Control
Within 10 days of travel to Ireland.
8
Travel to Dublin Airport (DUB)
Responsible: Airline + owner
Travel day. Almaty to Dublin via hub is typically 12-18 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 the first rabies vaccination. Chip number must match all documents exactly.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Current vaccination. Primary vaccination: minimum 21 days before entry. Boosters within prior valid period are immediately effective.
Rabies titre test
Required. Ireland is EU. Kazakhstan is EU unlisted. Under EU Regulation 2020/692, FAVN rabies antibody titre test at an EU-approved laboratory required. Blood drawn at least 30 days after primary vaccination. Minimum 0.5 IU/ml. 90-day wait from blood draw date. Source: DAFM (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine), gov.ie/agriculture.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for compliant arrivals. Penalty quarantine or return for non-compliant arrivals. DAFM enforces strictly.
Import permit
Not required for companion pets. TRACES pre-notification required before arrival.
Health certificate
EU-format non-commercial health certificate for unlisted third countries. Ministry of Agriculture endorsed. Valid for 10 days. Must accompany TRACES pre-notification.
Export permit (Kazakhstan)
No formal export permit required for companion pets from Kazakhstan.
Costs
What this route typically costs
FAVN titre test (blood draw plus international laboratory and sample shipping): KZT 30,000-90,000 (approximately EUR 60-200)
Ministry of Agriculture health certificate and endorsement: KZT 15,000-40,000 (approximately EUR 30-90)
Live cargo Almaty to Dublin via hub: EUR 800-2,300 depending on routing and crate
IATA travel crate: EUR 80-350
Pet transport agent (strongly recommended for this distance; TRACES experience important): EUR 500-1,500
Total typical range: EUR 1,200-4,500 across a 5-7 month preparation period
Critical points to read before you book
Kazakhstan-to-Ireland is a long journey with multiple cargo segments. Plan the cargo routing carefully and use a specialist agent who has managed Central Asia-to-Ireland moves before. The journey timing and handler handovers at intermediate hubs need to be confirmed in writing.
TRACES pre-notification must be submitted before the pet leaves Kazakhstan. Do not leave this to the day of travel. If the DAFM system does not have a pre-notification on file, the border vet cannot formally process the arrival, regardless of how good the physical documents are.
Kazakhstan is EU unlisted despite being geographically located on the Eurasian landmass and being part of international veterinary frameworks. The EU applies its own classification, and Kazakhstan is not on the listed country register. The full FAVN titre and 90-day wait apply.
The journey from Central Asia to Ireland involves a significant time-zone change and potentially extreme temperature differences. Discuss breed-specific welfare considerations with your vet before booking a summer or winter cargo 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
ALA or NQZ to Istanbul (IST), then IST to Dublin (DUB). Turkish Airlines Cargo handles live animals at IST. The IST-DUB route operates regularly. Main practical routing for Kazakhstan-to-Ireland cargo.
Cargo Only
AIR ASTANA
Air Astana
Air Astana connects from ALA and NQZ to European hubs. Does not fly to Dublin directly. Useful for the Almaty or Astana to hub leg. Confirm current live animal cargo policy with Air Astana Cargo.
Cargo Only
LUFTHANSA
Lufthansa
Via FRA (Frankfurt) Animal Lounge, then FRA to DUB. Air Astana connects ALA-FRA. Lufthansa FRA-DUB connections allow good care at Frankfurt if the journey is long.
Cargo Only
AER LINGUS
Aer Lingus
Ireland's national carrier operates Dublin connections from European hubs including Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris. May handle the final hub-to-Dublin leg for cargo pre-cleared by a hub carrier.
Cargo Only
Why Kazakhstan-to-Ireland takes more planning than shorter routes
The preparation timeline for this route is the same as for any EU destination from Kazakhstan: roughly 5-6 months. But the cargo journey itself is longer and more complex than a Caucasus-to-nearby-EU move. Almaty to Dublin involves multiple carrier segments across a significant distance, and each segment needs confirmation of live animal acceptance.
The most established routing is via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines Cargo. Almaty International Airport (ALA) has Turkish Airlines services to IST, and from IST there are regular services to Dublin. The IST connection point is important: Turkish Airlines Cargo at Istanbul has live animal handling infrastructure and experience with Central Asian pet moves.
For summer travel, summer heat restrictions are a real consideration. Both Central Asian and Middle Eastern hub airports can impose cargo embargoes during extreme heat. If your timeline falls in July or August, work with your agent to either route via a cooler hub (Frankfurt or Amsterdam) or plan travel in the early hours of the day when temperatures are lower.
Coordinating the TRACES notification from Kazakhstan
TRACES is the EU’s pre-arrival notification system for animal imports. For Ireland, this notification must be in the system before the pet travels. From Kazakhstan, this typically means either your transport agent in Kazakhstan has EU TRACES access (some do), or your agent in Ireland handles the notification on your behalf.
The TRACES notification must include your pet’s chip number, the health certificate details, the titre test result, and the expected arrival time and flight at Dublin Airport. Submit it with enough lead time to allow DAFM to process it before the flight. 48 hours before departure is a comfortable minimum; 24 hours is the stated minimum.
If you do not have an Irish agent, setting up TRACES access as a private individual is possible but has a setup time. Do this during the 90-day wait, not in the final days before travel.
FAQ
Common questions about Kazakhstan to Ireland pet transport
Live animal cargo arriving at Dublin Airport from Kazakhstan (via connecting carriers) is cleared at the Dublin Airport border inspection post by DAFM border vets. The cargo manifest will list the animal as a live cargo shipment. The connecting carriers manage the animal transfer between segments. Your TRACES pre-notification and physical documents (health certificate, titre test, vaccination record) are checked by the DAFM vet on arrival in Dublin. If all documents are in order and the TRACES record matches, clearance is granted and you can collect your pet.
Technically possible in terms of transit, but routing via Russia adds complexity including Russian transit documentation requirements and potential geopolitical complications affecting cargo flights. Routing via Istanbul, Frankfurt, or Amsterdam is more reliable and avoids these complications. Most pet transport agents handling Kazakhstan-to-Ireland moves avoid Russian routing.
Under EU Regulation 2020/692, a titre test result from an EU-approved laboratory at 0.5 IU/ml or above remains valid as long as the rabies vaccination that preceded it remains in its valid period. Most rabies vaccines are valid for 1-3 years depending on the product. As long as you keep the vaccination current with boosters, the same titre test result continues to apply for subsequent trips. For a first move from Kazakhstan to Ireland, the titre test and 90-day wait happen once, and subsequent entries within the vaccination validity window do not require a new titre test.