Moving a dog or cat from United Kingdom to Malawi is very doable with the right preparation. Expect about 10-14 weeks. Nothing here is unusually complex, but the deadlines matter. No routine …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United Kingdom to Malawi
typically takes around 10-14 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The United Kingdom to Malawi import process
01
10-12 weeks before travel; no fixed processing time is published, so build in a buffer.
Contact DAHLD's Director of Animal Health to begin the import permit application
Responsible: You or your agent, via DAHLD
02
Before the rabies vaccination.
Microchip implanted (ISO 11784/11785 standard recommended)
Responsible: UK vet
03
At least 30 days before travel; runs in parallel with the permit application.
Rabies vaccination given, or a current booster confirmed
Responsible: UK vet
04
Ideally more than 7 working days before the intended certification date.
APHA Official Veterinarian booked and export application (EXA) submitted
Responsible: Owner, with the nominated OV
05
Within the certificate's 10-day validity window before travel.
Export Health Certificate examination and issue
Responsible: APHA-authorised OV
06
Once the import permit, certificate date and flight are all aligned.
Cargo booking confirmed via Kenya Airways (Nairobi), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) or British Airways/South African Airways (Johannesburg)
Responsible: You or a pet transport agent
07
Day of travel.
Pet delivered to the cargo terminal ahead of the flight
Responsible: Owner or agent
08
On landing.
Arrival inspection at Lilongwe (or Blantyre); microchip and paperwork checked, health certificate presented within 7 days of arrival
Responsible: DAHLD officials
Requirements
Malawi entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
An ISO 11784/11785 microchip is standard practice and effectively assumed by every airline and agent on this route, though Malawi's published import conditions stop short of naming it a strict entry requirement the way GB and EU rules do. Source: Malawi import requirements summarised by PetTravel.com, 2026.
Rabies vaccination
Required, given between 30 days and 12 months before arrival in Malawi. Puppies and kittens cannot be vaccinated before 3 months of age and need a further 30-day wait after that dose before travel. Source: PetTravel.com Malawi import requirements, 2026.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Malawi does not ask for a rabies antibody titre test from a pet entering from any country, the UK included. That's the reverse of the position facing a Malawi-origin pet entering GB, which does need one under the UK's unlisted-country rules. Confirm the current position with DAHLD before travel regardless, since summarised guidance can lag an actual policy change.
Quarantine
No quarantine for a pet arriving with compliant paperwork. Non-compliant arrivals face quarantine where a facility exists, return to the country of origin, or, in the worst case, euthanasia, all at the owner's expense.
Import permit
Required from the Director of Animal Health at Malawi's Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD), Ministry of Agriculture. The exemption available to SADC member states (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe) does not extend to the UK, so the full application applies. The permit, once issued, is valid for 6 months. Source: PetTravel.com Malawi import requirements, 2026.
Health certificate
The UK-issued APHA Export Health Certificate serves as the international veterinary health certificate and should be presented to DAHLD officials within 7 days of arrival in Malawi. Source: PetTravel.com Malawi import requirements, 2026.
Leaving United Kingdom
Export requirements
Export permit
An export application (EXA) is submitted to APHA alongside the certificate request; there is no separate standalone export permit for a companion pet.
Veterinary inspection
Clinical examination by an APHA-authorised Official Veterinarian (OV), confirming the pet is fit to travel and meets Malawi's stated health conditions.
Government endorsement
Only an APHA-authorised OV can issue and sign the Export Health Certificate (EHC). Applications submitted more than 7 working days ahead are processed 7 working days before the certification date. Source: GOV.UK, 'Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Getting an animal health certificate,' 2026.
Health certificate
Bilingual Export Health Certificate confirming microchip, rabies vaccination and general health, valid for a limited window around the travel date, typically 10 days.
Costs
What this route typically costs
APHA Official Veterinarian consultation and Export Health Certificate: GBP 200-400
Microchip and rabies vaccination, if not already current: GBP 40-90
DAHLD import permit: no fixed fee published in English; confirm directly with the Director of Animal Health
IATA-compliant travel crate: GBP 70-250
Cargo freight, Heathrow to Lilongwe via Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Johannesburg: GBP 1,500-3,200
IPATA-registered pet transport agent fee: GBP 400-1,000
Total typical range: GBP 2,200-4,900
Critical points
No airline flies Heathrow to Lilongwe direct. Every option connects through Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Johannesburg, so book with an agent who can manage a live animal handover at the connecting hub.
The DAHLD import permit has no published turnaround time. Contact the Director of Animal Health at least 10-12 weeks before travel rather than assuming a quick response.
Because the UK isn't a SADC member state, the permit exemption open to Malawi's regional neighbours doesn't apply here. Assume the full application is needed, whatever the trip's purpose.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Kenya Airways
Flies Heathrow to Nairobi on a long-haul service, connecting to Kenya Airways' near-daily Nairobi to Lilongwe sector. The most direct single-carrier option on this pairing, and the same routing used in reverse for Malawi-origin pets.
Cargo Only
Ethiopian Airlines
Operates Heathrow to Addis Ababa, with an established Addis Ababa to Lilongwe service from there. A reliable second hub option if the Nairobi connection doesn't line up with travel dates.
Cargo Only
British Airways
Covers the Heathrow to Johannesburg long-haul sector through IAG Cargo, connecting to South African Airways' Johannesburg to Lilongwe regional service. Workable, though it adds a carrier change partway through the journey.
Cargo Only
What Malawi requires
Getting a pet into Malawi is a middle of the road process. The rules are well defined, so most of the work is simply staying on schedule.
Avoiding the common mistakes
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.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
No. Malawi doesn’t require a rabies antibody titre test from a pet arriving from any country, including the UK. A current rabies vaccination given between 30 days and 12 months before arrival is what’s asked for, not a blood test result.
Yes. An import permit from the Director of Animal Health at DAHLD is required unless the pet is arriving from a SADC member state. The UK doesn’t qualify for that exemption, so the full application is needed. The permit is valid for six months once issued.
No. Kenya Airways connects through Nairobi, Ethiopian Airlines through Addis Ababa, and British Airways through Johannesburg with a South African Airways onward connection. All three are agent-managed, multi-carrier routings.
Not for a pet arriving with compliant documentation. Non-compliant arrivals can face quarantine where a facility exists, return to the country of departure, or euthanasia in the worst case, all at the owner’s expense.
Budget ten to fourteen weeks from a standing start. The DAHLD import permit, which has no published processing timeline, is the main driver of that window, not the vaccination or export certificate steps.
Airline guides
Kenya Airways
Ethiopian Airlines
British Airways
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.