Lead time needed
42-56 weeks
Quarantine
30 days
Route complexity
Very High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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UA
AU

Pet Transport from Ukraine to Australia

The journey from Ukraine to Australia for a pet is straightforward to plan once the key dates are mapped out. This is one of the more demanding routes, so allow around 42-56 weeks and treat the timeline as fixed. Plan for 30 days of quarantine on arrival. This …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from Ukraine to Australia typically takes around 42-56 weeks. Expect 30 days of quarantine on arrival. A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
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Step by step

The Ukraine to Australia import process

Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.

1
As early as possible, given how long the rest of this route runs.
Microchip your pet with an ISO 11784/11785 chip, before any rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Vet in Ukraine

2
Ahead of the overland crossing.
Complete two rabies vaccinations at least 30 days apart, if not already current.

Responsible: Vet in Ukraine

3
Once vaccination is current. This same date starts the DAFF approved-country residency clock, since Poland and Romania are both Group 3 countries.
Cross overland into Poland, commonly via Shehyni-Medyka or Krakovets-Korczowa near Lviv, or into Romania further south.

Responsible: Owner or transport agent

4
Early in the Polish stay, so the 180-day titre wait and the 180-day residency requirement run concurrently rather than back to back.
Draw blood for the RNATT at a DAFF-approved laboratory, as soon as practical after arriving in Poland.

Responsible: Vet plus DAFF-approved laboratory

5
Fixed. Runs in parallel with the BICON permit application and Mickleham booking.
180-day wait from the date the laboratory receives the sample.

Responsible: Owner

6
As soon as the result comes back, given the case-by-case assessment for non-approved countries.
Apply for the DAFF import permit through BICON once the RNATT result is confirmed as passing.

Responsible: Owner or agent

7
Well ahead of the flight date; spaces fill up.
Book the Mickleham quarantine slot.

Responsible: Owner

8
Within the health certificate's validity window.
Fly Warsaw to Dubai to Melbourne once the 180-day wait clears, and present the pet for Mickleham admission on arrival.

Responsible: Owner, airline cargo desk and Mickleham staff

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Australia

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip, non-encrypted 15-digit, implanted before the rabies …
Rabies vaccination
Required. Two vaccinations at least 30 days apart for a pet not already current, …
Rabies titre test
Required, and this is where Ukraine's classification bites. DAFF does not list …
Quarantine
Mandatory post-entry quarantine at the Mickleham facility near Melbourne. DAFF …
Import permit
Required through DAFF's Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). …
Health certificate
Required near the point of export, built on Ukraine's own veterinary …
Export permit
No standalone export permit for a personal pet. Owners obtain Veterinary …
Costs

What this route typically costs

Ukrainian vet fees, microchip and vaccination: USD 150-300
Overland transfer from Ukraine to a Polish or Romanian border town, …
RNATT blood draw and courier to a DAFF-approved laboratory: USD …
International veterinary certificate completion in Poland or Romania: …
BICON import permit fee: AUD 420
IATA-compliant travel crate: AUD 150-450
Mickleham quarantine, 10 to 30 or more days depending on DAFF's …
Warsaw-Dubai-Melbourne cargo fare: AUD 3,000-6,000 depending on crate …
Pet transport agent fee for coordinating the overland leg, BICON …

Critical points

Ukrainian civilian airspace has been closed to all commercial flights since 24 February 2022 and remains closed as this guide is written in mid-2026, with EASA's Conflict Zone Information Bulletin in force to at least 31 July 2026. There is no flight out of any Ukrainian airport. Every pet on this route reaches a working airport by road first.

Ukraine does not appear on DAFF's approved country list, so it is treated as non-approved. That means 180 consecutive days of residency in a Group 1, 2 or 3 country immediately before export, on top of the RNATT titre test and the standard microchip and vaccination steps. Confirm the current wording with DAFF or BICON directly, since DAFF's own site was intermittently unreachable while researching this page.

Time the RNATT blood draw for as early in the Polish stay as possible. Since Poland is itself a DAFF Group 3 approved country, the overland leg forced by closed Ukrainian airspace can satisfy the 180-day residency requirement at the same time as the titre wait runs, rather than needing a second, separate relocation purely to sit out DAFF's residency clock the way most non-approved-country routes do.

Mickleham quarantine spaces are limited and must be booked well ahead. DAFF's non-approved-country cases get case-by-case review, so build in a margin rather than assuming the 10-day minimum will apply.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

LOT Polish Airlines
Not a Ukraine departure option, since no airline flies out of Ukraine. Once the pet has …
Cargo Only
Emirates SkyCargo
Runs the practical long-haul leg on this route: Warsaw to Dubai, the reverse of the daily …
Cargo Only
Qantas
An alternative into Melbourne on the Dubai sector, landing at the airport nearest the …
Cargo Only

The rules for bringing a pet into Australia

Australia takes biosecurity seriously, and the requirements reflect that. The paperwork is exacting, so accuracy matters as much as timing.

How to keep this move on track

Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.

If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.

Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.

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.

FAQ

Common questions

No. Ukrainian civilian airspace has been closed to commercial flights since 24 February 2022 and remains closed as of mid-2026. Every pet on this route travels overland to Poland or Romania first, then flies from there, most practically via Warsaw and Dubai to Melbourne.
No. DAFF does not list Ukraine among its Group 1, 2 or 3 approved countries, so it is treated as non-approved. That means 180 consecutive days of residency in an approved country such as Poland immediately before export, on top of the RNATT titre test.
It can. Poland is itself a DAFF Group 3 approved country, so the overland crossing every Ukraine-origin pet already has to make can also count towards the 180-day residency DAFF requires. Draw the RNATT blood sample early in the Polish stay so both 180-day clocks run together rather than one after the other.
Yes. Every pet on this route goes through post-entry quarantine at the Mickleham facility near Melbourne, typically 10 to 30 days, assessed case by case for a non-approved-country arrival. Book the slot well before the flight, since spaces are limited.
Airline guides
  • LOT Polish Airlines
  • Emirates SkyCargo
  • Qantas
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

Browse all breed guides →

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UA AUUkraine to Australia
International pet transport route
Lead time42-56 weeks
Quarantine30 days
ComplexityVery High
Airlines3
ServiceDoor to door
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