Country entry guide · Caucasus (Eastern Europe / Western Asia)
Traveling to Georgia with your dog
Georgia welcomes dogs, but what you need to prepare depends mainly on the country your dog is travelling from — not only on Georgia itself. Georgia is not an EU member, yet it applies EU-aligned pet-movement rules set by the National Food Agency (under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture) and enforced at the border by the Revenue Service (customs). An ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a broad-spectrum parasite treatment and an official health certificate are always required for a dog. A dog from an EU country simply needs a properly completed pet passport; a dog from a country on Georgia's Article 7 list (such as the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia) needs a health certificate but no blood test; a dog from a non-listed country faces the longest path, including a rabies antibody test and a three-month wait. This guide explains each case so you know exactly what to prepare before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Pets per traveller (non-commercial) | Up to 5 |
| Microchip | Required (ISO 11784/11785) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional — non-listed origins only |
| Parasite treatment (internal & external) | Required for dogs |
| Health certificate / pet passport | Required |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant |
⏱️ Estimated preparation time
Times are indicative. The rabies antibody test alone adds a fixed 3-month wait.
⚠️ Important
- MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
- Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.
Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.
Find a flight to Georgia
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Georgia (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Georgia★★★★★
Georgia applies EU-aligned pet-movement rules under Government Ordinance No. 551 (2018): an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a broad-spectrum parasite treatment and an official health certificate are always required, with up to five pets per traveller for non-commercial movement.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
Whether your dog leaves from an EU country, from a country on Georgia's Article 7 list, or from a non-listed country decides whether a rabies antibody test — and its compulsory 3-month wait — is required. Listed origins are exempt from the blood test.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A recent stay in — or transit through — a non-listed rabies-risk country can trigger an antibody test even if you fly in from a listed country, unless a transit declaration is signed. It is your dog's real origin and history that count — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Georgia's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin, transit history and health treatments with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | Must comply with ISO 11784 and use HDX or FDX-B technology, readable by an ISO 11785 reader; the transponder code is recorded on the health certificate or passport. | A clearly legible tattoo is accepted only if it was applied before 1 January 2020; if the chip is non-standard, the owner should provide a compatible reader. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551 (16.11.2018) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | A valid rabies vaccination meeting the ordinance's validity requirements; at least 21 days must have passed since the completion of the primary vaccination before travel. | The vaccination is recorded on the certificate/passport; a booster given within validity keeps continuous cover. Very young unvaccinated pets follow the minimum-age rule below. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551, Art. 7; USDA APHIS (US export) |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional | Non-listed origins only: blood drawn by an authorised vet at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 3 months before export, tested in an approved laboratory. Entry follows the 3-month wait. | Not required for pets coming directly from — or only transiting — a country on Georgia's Article 7 list; for other transits a signed transit declaration (Annex No. 3) waives it. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551, Art. 7; Article 7 list of countries/territories |
| Pet passport | EU origins | A correctly completed passport issued by an authorised vet, recording the microchip and the valid rabies vaccination, is accepted as the identification document for pets from EU member states and other territories. | For these origins no separate health certificate is required. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551 |
| Health certificate (origin authority) | Non-EU origins | The duly completed model 'Health Certificate' issued/endorsed by the competent veterinary authority of the country of dispatch; from the US it is valid for 10 days from issue and must be APHIS-endorsed before travel. | Not needed for EU/assimilated origins (passport instead). A separate certificate is completed for each animal. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551, Art. 7; USDA APHIS (US export) |
| Parasite treatment (endoparasites & ectoparasites) | Required for dogs | Dogs must be treated with a broad-spectrum anthelmintic against internal parasites and against external parasites (fleas & ticks) before travel; the treatment is recorded on the certificate/passport. | A specific fixed timing window is not published in the official English materials; confirm the interval with your vet. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551; USDA APHIS (US export) |
| Owner's non-commercial declaration | Required | A written declaration signed by the owner or authorised person (Annex No. 5) confirming the pet is moved for non-commercial purposes is an integral part of the certificate/passport and must be submitted. | Movement for sale or transfer of ownership is not 'non-commercial' and falls outside this scheme. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551, Annex No. 5 |
| Number of pets / import permit | Up to 5; no permit (non-commercial) | Up to five pets may accompany a traveller with no import permit. More than five is allowed only for competitions/exhibitions/sport, with proof of registration and animals over six months old. | Sale, transfer of ownership or larger consignments fall under commercial rules and require separate veterinary import procedures. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551; USDA APHIS (US export) |
| Border veterinary / customs check | All arrivals | At the point of entry the Revenue Service (customs) and veterinary control may read the microchip and verify the passport or health certificate and declaration. | A passport or certificate alone, without a readable microchip and matching documents, is not enough to cross the border. | Georgian Revenue Service (customs) — Border crossing, Animals |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively ≥15 weeks | Rabies shot possible from 12 weeks + 21-day wait. Pets under 12 weeks unvaccinated, or 12–16 weeks vaccinated but under 21 days, need Annex No. 2 conditions (e.g. accompanied by the vaccinated mother). | Admission of very young unvaccinated pets is judged on the rabies situation of the origin country. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551, Annex No. 2; USDA APHIS (US export) |
| Quarantine | Not required | No import quarantine for a compliant pet travelling with its owner under the non-commercial scheme. | Only if rules are breached — the border veterinary control may then refuse entry or order corrective measures at the owner's expense. | Government of Georgia Ordinance No. 551; Georgian Revenue Service |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Simplified — pet passport
A dog coming from an EU member state needs a valid ISO microchip, an in-date rabies vaccination (at least 21 days after the primary shot), a broad-spectrum parasite treatment and a correctly completed pet passport, which Georgia accepts as the identification document. No rabies antibody test and no separate health certificate are required. The signed non-commercial declaration (Annex No. 5) still accompanies the passport.
Health certificate, no blood test
From a country on Georgia's Article 7 list (United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New Zealand, Singapore and many others), your dog needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a broad-spectrum parasite treatment and the official 'Health Certificate' issued by the competent authority of the country of origin, plus the Annex No. 5 declaration. No rabies antibody test is required.
Antibody test + 3-month wait
From a non-listed (rabies-risk) country, add a rabies antibody test: blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 3 months before export, tested at an approved laboratory. A microchip, valid rabies vaccination, broad-spectrum parasite treatment, official health certificate and the Annex No. 5 declaration are also required. A dog that only transits a non-listed country can avoid the test by carrying a signed transit declaration (Annex No. 3).
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Georgia depends on where you flew from, but every arrival can be checked at the border.
- Present the pet passport or the official health certificate, together with the signed non-commercial declaration (Annex No. 5), to customs and the veterinary control at the point of entry.
- Officers may read the microchip and check that it matches the documents; the transponder must be readable, and the owner should be able to supply a reader for a non-standard chip.
- Non-commercial movement covers up to five pets accompanying their owner; more than five is allowed only for competitions/exhibitions with proof of registration and animals over six months old.
- Movement for sale or transfer of ownership is not non-commercial and requires the separate commercial veterinary import procedure.
- Carry original documents (not copies); a separate set of documents is shown for each animal.
- If documents are missing or invalid, the border veterinary control may refuse entry or order corrective measures — at the owner's expense.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Georgia's official pet-movement rules (Government Ordinance No. 551) set no breed-specific import restriction: entry conditions are the same for every dog, based on identification, rabies vaccination, parasite treatment and certification — not on breed. No national list of banned or dangerous breeds is published in the official import materials.
There is no national Category 1 equivalent and no breed is banned from entry at the national level. Import formalities follow the standard veterinary rules (microchip, rabies vaccination, parasite treatment, certificate/passport) regardless of breed.
No national Category 2 (keeping) breed regime is published in the official import materials. Any local keeping or leashing rules would be a municipal matter, not an entry condition.
As official Georgian sources publish no national restricted-breed list, we mark that detail as not published rather than infer one. Confirm any local keeping obligations with the relevant authority if you plan to stay with a powerful or guard-type dog.
🛂 Airports in Georgia
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Microchip (ISO 11784/11785, HDX or FDX-B) readable and recorded on the documents
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days after the primary shot)
- ☐Rabies antibody test — non-listed origins only (blood ≥30 days after the shot, then a 3-month wait)
- ☐Broad-spectrum parasite treatment (internal and external) recorded before travel
- ☐Pet passport (EU) or official 'Health Certificate' from the origin authority (other countries)
- ☐Signed non-commercial declaration (Annex No. 5); Annex No. 3 transit declaration if you transit a non-listed country
- ☐Original documents, one set per animal (up to 5 pets per traveller, non-commercial)
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if travelling in the hold
📚 Official sources
- Embassy of Georgia (MFA) — Veterinary Control of Domestic Animals (English summary of the non-commercial movement rules)
- Legislative Herald of Georgia (Matsne) — Government Ordinance No. 551 of 16.11.2018 on non-commercial movement of pets across the customs border
- Georgian Revenue Service (customs) — Border crossing: Plants, Animals, Food and GMO (Animals)
- USDA APHIS — Pet Travel from the United States to Georgia (health certificate, titer and transit rules)
- Georgia — Article 7 list of territories and third countries (antibody-test exempt origins)