Taking your dog or cat from Moldova to Australia comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Give yourself close to 30-36 weeks, as several stages run on fixed clocks that no agent can shorten. Your pet will spend 10 days in …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Moldova to Australia
typically takes around 30-36 weeks.
Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Moldova to Australia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm Austria as the staging country, given its EU rabies-control profile and Austrian Airlines' existing direct Chisinau-Vienna service.
Responsible: Owner
Before any other preparation begins.
2
ANSA-endorsed export health certificate, microchip and initial vaccination arranged for the Moldova-to-Austria move.
Responsible: Owner and a licensed vet in Moldova
4-6 weeks before the staging country flight.
3
Pet arrives in Vienna and the 180 consecutive days of residency begin, alongside meeting Austria's own EU entry rules.
Responsible: Owner
Day one of the residency clock.
4
Rabies vaccination (or booster) given in Austria, then the RNATT blood draw as soon as the post-vaccination gap allows.
Responsible: Austrian vet and an EU-accredited laboratory
Within the first weeks of residency.
5
Apply for the DAFF import permit via BICON and book the Mickleham quarantine slot.
Responsible: Owner
During the residency, once the titre result is confirmed passing.
6
Travel Vienna to Melbourne via Doha on Qatar Airways, and complete the mandatory 10-day Mickleham quarantine.
Responsible: Qatar Airways and DAFF
After the 180 days clear, on a weekday arrival.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Australia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required.
Rabies vaccination
Not administered in Moldova for this route. The pet is vaccinated, or revaccinated, once resident in Austria, since Australia only recognises a vaccination given in a DAFF-approved country.
Rabies titre test
Required. A Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) at a DAFF-approved laboratory, minimum 0.5 IU/ml, drawn during the Austrian residency. DAFF's guidance counts a 180-day wait from the date the lab receives the sample, so drawing blood early in the residency, once the standard post-vaccination gap has passed, lets that wait largely overlap with the 180-day residency rather than extending it further. Source: DAFF, agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs/rabies-neutralising-antibody, 2026.
Quarantine
Mandatory minimum 10-day quarantine at Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, Melbourne, for weekday arrivals only.
Import permit
DAFF import permit applied for through BICON during the Austrian residency, not before it starts.
Health certificate
DAFF-format health certificate, issued within 5 days of departure from Austria, not from Moldova.
Export permit (Moldova)
No standalone export permit for personal pets. ANSA (National Food Safety Agency, ansa.gov.md) oversees the veterinary export process.
Government endorsement
Health certificate must be endorsed by ANSA before departure for the Austria-bound leg. Moldova does not accept a plain vet-signed certificate without this government endorsement.
Costs
What this route typically costs
ANSA endorsement and Moldovan vet fees for the initial move: approx. EUR 60-120.
Austrian residency living costs over 180 days: highly variable, budget separately from transport costs.
RNATT titre test at an EU-accredited Austrian laboratory: EUR 90-220.
DAFF import permit via BICON: AUD 420.
Mickleham 10-day quarantine: AUD 1,800-3,500.
Cargo fares, Chisinau to Vienna, then Vienna to Melbourne via Doha: EUR 1,900-3,700 across both legs.
Total direct transport and processing costs, excluding Austrian living costs: EUR 4,100-7,400.
Critical points to read before you book
Moldova has no path to a direct Australia import. Every plan starts with at least 180 consecutive days of residency in a DAFF-approved country, and that clock cannot be shortened.
Austria's DAFF group status is inferred from its EU rabies-control profile, matching countries like France and Spain that DAFF names directly as Group 3 examples, rather than from a confirmed country-specific DAFF listing found during this research pass. Verify directly with DAFF or via BICON before committing to a timeline.
Draw the RNATT blood early in the Austrian residency, not near the end. DAFF counts the 180-day titre wait from the lab's receipt date, so getting the order wrong turns two overlapping waits into two sequential ones.
Mickleham only receives pets on weekdays. Time the final Vienna-Melbourne flight via Doha to land Monday to Thursday.
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.
AUSTRIAN
Austrian Airlines
Flies Chisinau to Vienna direct on its own network, the same connection Moldova's UK route on this site uses. Small pets under 8kg including carrier travel in the cabin; larger pets go as checked baggage or manifested cargo through Austrian's own handling.
Cabin and Cargo
QATAR AIRWAYS
Qatar Airways
Operates Vienna to Doha five times a week on a Boeing 787, connecting onward to Melbourne, the same Doha-Melbourne sector, roughly 14 hours, this site's Serbia-to-Australia route also relies on.
Cargo Only
What Australia requires
Entry to Australia is tightly controlled, and officials verify each requirement in turn. Treat it as a sequence where every step gates the next.
Avoiding the common mistakes
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
FAQ
Common questions about Moldova to Australia pet transport
No. Moldova is a DAFF non-approved country, so direct export to Australia is not permitted. The pet must complete at least 180 consecutive days of residency in a DAFF-approved country first. Source: DAFF, agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/risk-analysis/animal/dogs_and_cats, checked 20 July 2026.
Austrian Airlines already flies Chisinau to Vienna direct, the same connection used on Moldova’s UK route on this site. Austria’s rabies-control profile also matches the Group 3 EU countries DAFF names directly as examples, such as France and Spain, though this should be confirmed with DAFF or BICON before booking.
Yes. A rabies neutralising antibody titre test is required during the residency, with a 180-day wait counted from the date the lab receives the sample. Drawing blood early in the residency lets that wait overlap with the 180-day residency requirement rather than extending the total timeline.
A minimum of 10 days at Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Melbourne, weekday arrivals only. Time the final Vienna-Melbourne flight via Doha, on Qatar Airways, so it lands Monday to Thursday.
No. Moldova’s UK route on this site already flags that Wizz Air does not carry pets in the cabin or the hold, only certified assistance dogs. Austrian Airlines is the workable option for this specific leg.
Airline guides
Austrian Airlines
Qatar Airways
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.