Pet Transport from the Philippines to the UK

Moving a pet from the Philippines to the UK follows the standard non-listed country process: a mandatory titre test, a three-month waiting period from the blood draw date, an APHA Import Licence, and …

Get your free quote

22-28

Weeks lead time needed

Start this early minimum

Days quarantine on arrival

Very High

Route complexity

Airlines on this route

Step by step

The Philippines to United Kingdom import process

Start of planning.

Confirm ISO microchip pre-dates rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Vet

5+ weeks before blood draw.

Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before titre test blood draw.

Responsible: BAI NVQS-accredited vet

Blood draw date determines earliest GB entry.

Titre test blood draw. Three-month GB waiting period starts from this date.

Responsible: Accepted laboratory

During wait period.

Apply for APHA Import Licence online during the 90-day wait.

Responsible: Owner or UK agent

4-8 weeks before travel.

Book cargo with Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, or Cathay Pacific.

Responsible: Owner or agent

Within 10 days of travel.

BAI NVQS vet issues GB health certificate within 10 days of GB arrival. NVQS endorsement. Dogs: tapeworm treatment 24-120 hours before arrival.

Responsible: BAI NVQS vet

Travel day.

Pet arrives at Heathrow BCP. APHA inspection.

Responsible: Airline cargo

Requirements

United Kingdom entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

ISO 11784/11785 microchip required. Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.

Rabies vaccination

Current valid rabies vaccination with at least 21 days elapsed since primary course.

Rabies titre test

Philippines is not on the GB listed country schedule. Titre test mandatory. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination. Result at least 0.5 IU/ml. Three calendar months must pass after blood draw before GB entry.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine with correct documentation. Penalty quarantine up to 4 months if documentation is wrong.

Import permit

APHA Import Licence required. Free. Allow 2-4 weeks processing time.

Health certificate

GB Pet Health Certificate from a BAI NVQS-accredited vet, NVQS-endorsed. Valid 10 days from examination to GB arrival.

Leaving Philippines

Export requirements

Health certificate

International Veterinary Health Certificate issued by a BAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) NVQS-accredited vet. Endorsed by the BAI National Veterinary Quarantine Services (NVQS). Must be in GB-compatible format. Issued within 10 days of GB arrival.

Costs

What this route typically costs

Titre test (Philippines)

BAI NVQS health certificate and endorsement

IATA-compliant crate

Cargo fee: MNL to LHR

APHA Import Licence (free)

UK tapeworm treatment (dogs)

Agent fee

Critical points

The 90-day wait from the titre test blood draw date is the key timeline constraint. Plan at least 6 months ahead.

Philippines is not GB-listed. No waiver applies to the titre test or 90-day wait.

Pets are limited to a maximum of 3 animals per import. This applies when entering the Philippines (reverse direction) but the UK has no such limit.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
Philippine Airlines	Philippine Airlines Cargo from Manila Ninoy Aquino (MNL) to London Heathrow. Live animal cargo service. The flag carrier and primary choice for MNL-UK pet moves. No cabin pets on long-haul routes.	Cargo Only
British Airways	British Airways World Cargo via IAG Cargo and PetAir UK. Connecting routing from Manila to Heathrow. No cabin pets. PetAir UK documentation support.	Cargo Only
Qatar Airways	Cargo via Doha (DOH). Manila to London with one transit. Live animal service from Hamad International. Good reliability.	Cargo Only
Cathay Pacific	Via HKG. Manila to London via Hong Kong. Strong live animal handling at HKG. Good MNL-HKG frequency.	Cargo Only

At a glance: Philippines to UK vs. Southeast Asia to UK

Requirement	Philippines to UK	Singapore to UK	Thailand to UK	Malaysia to UK
GB listed country	No	Yes	No	No
Titre test required	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
90-day wait	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
APHA Import Licence	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Export authority	BAI NVQS	AVS	DLD	DVS
Complexity	Very high	Moderate	Very high	Very high
Minimum timeline	22-28 weeks	6-10 weeks	22-28 weeks	22-28 weeks

Airline comparison: Philippines to UK

Airline	Route	Pet policy	Transit	Notes
Philippine Airlines	MNL to LHR	Cargo only	Direct or 1 stop	Flag carrier. Primary choice for MNL-UK cargo. Live animal service
Qatar Airways	MNL to LHR via DOH	Cargo only	1 stop (DOH)	Via Doha. Reliable alternative with good frequency
Cathay Pacific	MNL to LHR via HKG	Cargo only	1 stop (HKG)	Via Hong Kong. Short MNL-HKG hop then onward. Strong live animal at HKG
British Airways	MNL to LHR via connections	Cargo only	1+ stops	Via IAG Cargo and PetAir UK. Less direct routing from Philippines

BAI NVQS: the Philippines export authority and what it requires

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and its National Veterinary Quarantine Services (NVQS) are the Philippines authority for live animal exports. The NVQS-endorsed health certificate is the core export document.

Your vet must be BAI NVQS-accredited to issue the certificate. The certificate must be endorsed by the NVQS office before travel. The NVQS endorsement process typically takes 1-3 working days, but allow more time if you are not using an agent familiar with the Manila NVQS office.

The certificate must be in GB-compatible format and cover: microchip number and implantation date, full vaccination history including titre test result, and a statement that the pet was examined and found healthy within 10 days of the planned GB arrival date.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

Allow 22-28 weeks minimum. The three-month wait after the titre test blood draw is the main constraint. Add BAI NVQS documentation preparation, APHA Import Licence processing, and cargo booking for a realistic 24-week total plan.

Yes. Philippines is not on the GB listed country schedule. A rabies titre test is mandatory. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after a valid rabies vaccination, the result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml, and three calendar months must pass from the blood draw date before your pet can enter Great Britain.

Philippine Airlines direct cargo from Manila to London Heathrow is the most straightforward choice. Qatar Airways via Doha and Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong are reliable alternatives. All operate cargo-only for pets on this route.

The UK does not impose a limit on the number of pets you can import for personal travel purposes, provided all pets are correctly documented. The Philippines, however, limits imports into the Philippines to a maximum of 3 animals per owner per year. This matters if you are also planning a return journey.

No. UK law requires all pets to enter Great Britain as manifested cargo. No airline offers cabin pet travel into the UK. Your pet travels in the temperature-controlled cargo hold.

Airline guides

Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

Browse all breed guides →

Move your pet
to United Kingdom.

Get a free, fully itemised quote for this route. We map the complete preparation timeline and costs. No commitment required.

Get my free quote