The international pet move timeline, working backwards
The short answer
Plan two to seven months for an international pet move from India. The rabies neutralising antibody (RNATT) titre test plus the destination's mandatory waiting period sets the floor. Three months for many rabies-controlled countries and up to six for Australia. Build the calendar backwards from your flight date, not forwards from today.
The mistake is almost always the same: people book their own flight first and then ask how long the pet takes. Do it the other way round. Establish the pet's earliest possible travel date, then book around it.
Month 6–7: feasibility and the microchip
- Confirm the destination country's rule set. They differ enormously and change without much warning
- Verify or implant an ISO 11784/11785 microchip. This must come before the rabies vaccination that will be used for the titre
- If the chip was implanted after the last rabies shot, the vaccination has to be repeated. This alone can cost you a month
Month 5–6: rabies and the titre draw
A rabies vaccination administered after the microchip, then a blood sample drawn at least 30 days later, sent to an approved laboratory for the RNATT test. Results take two to four weeks. The clock for the destination's waiting period usually starts on the date of the blood draw, not the date of the result. Which is why drawing early matters.
Month 3–4: permits and airline strategy
- Apply for the destination import permit. Some countries take weeks to issue one
- Identify carriers that actually accept live animals on your route, and check seasonal embargoes
- Size and order the IATA crate, and begin familiarisation at home
- Book quarantine space if the destination requires it. Australian facilities fill months ahead
Month 1–2: treatments and endorsements
- Internal and external parasite treatments inside the destination's specific timing window. Often 1–5 days before travel, sometimes twice
- Veterinary health certificate issued within its validity window
- AQCS export endorsement and no-objection clearance in India
- Confirm the flight, the crate booking and the destination agent
Travel week
- Final vet check and certificate dating, timed to the airline's window
- Crate fit-out: bedding, frozen water bowl, labels, feeding card
- Light meal 4–6 hours before departure; water until the last moment
- Airport check-in with a handler, then departure confirmation to you
- Destination agent collects, clears customs and delivers, or transfers to quarantine
There is no such thing as being too early for an international pet move. There is only being early enough, or paying for the difference.