Country Corridor
Flying Your Dog or Cat from Canada to Armenia
With the right veterinary paperwork prepared in the correct sequence, your pet can enter Armenia without quarantine and settle into your new life together from day one.
Our perspective
Paws en route Notes
Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, a customs bloc that also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, and that fact shapes everything about how your pet's export paperwork is structured. Since May 1, 2015, the old Canadian International Health Certificate is no longer accepted for this corridor. In its place, Canada now uses a dedicated Veterinary Health Certificate specifically designed for the EEU customs territory, and understanding that this is a union-wide document, rather than a purely bilateral one between Canada and Armenia, helps explain why the requirements carry a certain formality and why the CFIA treats them with particular care. The certificate must be endorsed by an official CFIA veterinarian at a CFIA District Office, and the process for getting there involves a precise choreography between your private veterinarian and that government office. If you approach this the way you might approach a standard domestic health certificate, you will almost certainly encounter delays.
The single most important practical rule for most pet owners is found in Article 1.4 of the EEU import conditions: if you are travelling with no more than two dogs and cats combined, and you are importing them for personal use as companion animals, neither an import permit nor a quarantine period is required upon arrival in Armenia. This is genuinely good news, and it is the outcome most of our clients are working toward. However, the moment you exceed that threshold, the situation changes entirely. A third animal, any rabbit, or any other fur-bearing animal triggers a mandatory 21-day quarantine at the destination, and it also requires that a clinical examination be performed by a private veterinarian within five days of your departure from Canada. Planning around that five-day window while simultaneously coordinating CFIA endorsement appointments requires careful scheduling, and it is the kind of timing constraint that catches people off guard when they discover it late in the process.
One of the more technically demanding requirements on this corridor is the testing for dermatophytoses, the condition commonly known as ringworm. The EEU requires testing using methods recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health, but here is the nuance that matters in practice: WOAH has not actually established a formal standard for dermatophytosis testing, and so the EEU has agreed to accept the methods currently used in Canada. What this means on the ground is that a Wood's lamp test, the quick visual screening tool many veterinary clinics use, is generally not sufficient for export purposes because not all strains of Microsporum canis fluoresce under that light. Unless a client obtains a specific derogation or exemption from the relevant authorities, fungal culture or a molecular test such as PCR is required. Critically, this testing must be conducted at a university laboratory or a recognized private laboratory; results from a private veterinary clinic alone are not acceptable for export. This is a detail that routinely surprises owners who assume their regular vet's in-house testing will satisfy the requirement, and it is one of the first things we address when planning this corridor. Dogs also require coronavirus vaccination, specifically for viral enteritis, which is a separate vaccination from those typically emphasized in North American preventive care protocols.
The certificate preparation process itself requires a specific two-copy approach that reflects the dual-signature structure of the EEU certificate. The document contains a signature block only for the official CFIA veterinarian, which means your private veterinarian's role must be captured in a particular way. The CFIA recommends that the private veterinarian prepare two copies of the certificate: on one copy, they should initial all the statements that do not apply to your pet, effectively striking them out, and then sign that document. The second copy should be left entirely blank. Both copies are then brought to the CFIA District Office, where the official veterinarian reviews the signed private copy and uses it as the basis for completing and endorsing the second, clean certificate. If only one copy is prepared when you arrive at the CFIA office, an additional fee may be charged for the office to issue and complete the official certificate from scratch. This is the kind of procedural detail that seems minor but can add time and cost to an already compressed pre-departure schedule.
Identification requirements under the EEU certificate are worth understanding clearly. Unlike some destination countries that mandate a specific ISO microchip standard as a firm entry requirement, the EEU's own framework does not formally define what identification method must be used. That said, the CFIA strongly recommends using an ISO-standard microchip or a tattoo, and it recommends that whichever identifier is used be recorded and cross-referenced by your private veterinarian in the health certificate. In practice, treating microchipping as optional would be inadvisable: it is the internationally recognized standard, it protects your pet if they are ever separated from you, and any ambiguity at the point of entry is a risk that serves no one. Our approach with every client on this corridor is to treat the ISO microchip as a baseline, confirm it is scanning correctly well before any veterinary appointments, and ensure the number is documented consistently across every piece of paperwork. Beginning this process at least several weeks before your intended travel date gives your veterinary team enough time to complete the ringworm testing at an approved laboratory, schedule the CFIA endorsement appointment, and address any corrections before your travel window closes.
Entry Requirements
What your pet's journey to Armenia requires
Every detail is prepared before you even think to ask. The requirements below are verified against CFIA guidelines for this corridor.
Microchip or Tattoo
The EEU does not formally define a required identification method, but the CFIA strongly recommends an ISO-standard microchip or a tattoo, with the identifier recorded and cross-referenced by the private veterinarian in the health certificate. In practice, an ISO microchip is the internationally accepted standard and should be treated as mandatory for this corridor.
EEU Veterinary Health CertificateLong lead time
The Canadian International Health Certificate is no longer accepted for this corridor as of May 1, 2015. The dedicated Veterinary Health Certificate for fur-bearing animals, rabbits, dogs and cats exported from Canada to the EEU customs territory must be prepared by a private veterinarian in two copies and endorsed by a CFIA District Office veterinarian before departure.
Dermatophytosis (Ringworm) TestingLong lead time
Fungal culture or a molecular test such as PCR is required for export; a Wood's lamp test is generally not sufficient as not all Microsporum canis strains fluoresce. Testing must be conducted at a university laboratory or an approved private laboratory, not at a private veterinary clinic, unless a specific derogation from EEU authorities is obtained.
Coronavirus (Viral Enteritis) Vaccination for DogsLong lead time
Dogs must be vaccinated against coronavirus, specifically for viral enteritis, as required under Article 2.2 of the EEU import conditions. This vaccination is separate from the core preventive care vaccines typically administered in Canada and must be recorded in the health certificate.
Quarantine for More Than Two Animals or Non-Pet SpeciesLong lead time
Importing up to two dogs and cats combined for personal use as pets does not require an import permit or quarantine in Armenia. Importing more than two animals, any rabbit, or any other fur-bearing animal triggers a mandatory 21-day quarantine and requires a clinical examination by a private veterinarian within five days of departure from Canada.
Every requirement, handled
These are the steps we manage, start to finish.
Share your travel dates and your pet's details. We build the compliance timeline, confirm lab approvals, and coordinate every appointment.
Preparation Timeline
Plan 30 days ahead
Nothing is left to chance. Here is how we stage your pet's documentation, step by step.
- 1
As early as possible, before any other steps
ISO Microchip Implant
Confirm the microchip is scanning correctly and ensure the number is recorded consistently on all subsequent veterinary documentation.
- 2
Early in the preparation period, timed to meet the certificate validity window
Coronavirus Vaccination for Dogs
Dogs must be vaccinated against coronavirus for viral enteritis; confirm with your veterinarian that this specific vaccination is recorded in the health record and will be reflected on the EEU certificate.
- 3
Conducted before the private veterinarian prepares the health certificate
Ringworm Testing at Approved Laboratory
Testing must be performed by fungal culture or PCR at a university laboratory or an approved private laboratory, not at a private clinic; allow adequate time for laboratory turnaround before your certificate appointment.
- 4
Within 5 days of departure if importing more than 2 animals or a non-pet species
Clinical Examination by Private Veterinarian
For standard personal shipments of up to two dogs and cats, the private veterinarian prepares the two-copy EEU certificate based on all completed test and vaccination records.
- 5
After all tests and vaccinations are complete, before the CFIA appointment
Two-Copy Certificate Preparation by Private Veterinarian
The private veterinarian initials all inapplicable statements and signs one copy, leaving the second copy blank; both copies must be brought to the CFIA District Office.
- 6
After private veterinarian signs the certificate, before departure
CFIA District Office Endorsement
The CFIA District Veterinarian reviews the signed private copy and completes the official certificate on the blank second copy; book this appointment as early as the schedule allows, as availability is limited.
- 7
After CFIA endorsement is confirmed
Travel to Armenia
For up to two dogs and cats travelling as personal pets, no import permit or quarantine is required upon arrival in Armenia under Article 1.4 of the EEU import conditions.
Start today
The sooner we begin, the smoother each deadline becomes.
Tell us your travel window and your pet's current vaccination status. We stage everything from there.
FAQ
Questions about this corridor
If you are travelling with no more than two dogs and cats combined, and they are entering as your personal companion animals, neither an import permit nor a quarantine period is required under the EEU import rules that apply to Armenia. This exemption is specifically written into Article 1.4 of the EEU conditions and is one of the most important facts to confirm before your trip. If your travel party includes three or more animals, a rabbit, or any other fur-bearing animal, a 21-day quarantine becomes mandatory and the planning process changes considerably.
The EEU requires dermatophytosis testing using internationally recognized methods, but because WOAH has not established a formal standard for this specific test, the bloc accepts the methods currently used in Canada, which means fungal culture or a molecular test such as PCR. The important practical point is that testing conducted at a private veterinary clinic is not acceptable for export purposes; results must come from a university laboratory or an approved private laboratory. This surprises many clients who assume their trusted clinic can handle everything in-house, and discovering this late in the process can delay a departure significantly.
The EEU Veterinary Health Certificate contains only a signature block for the official CFIA veterinarian, so the private veterinarian's clinical findings must be captured in a specific way before the government endorsement. Your private veterinarian should prepare two copies of the certificate: one on which they initial all the statements that do not apply and then sign, and one that is left completely blank. Both copies go to the CFIA District Office, where the official veterinarian uses the signed copy as the basis for completing and endorsing the clean second copy. If you arrive at the CFIA office with only one copy, you may be charged an additional fee for the office to prepare the official certificate from scratch.
Standard North American preventive care protocols do not automatically satisfy EEU requirements for this corridor. Specifically, dogs must be vaccinated against coronavirus for viral enteritis, a vaccination that is not typically part of routine Canadian protocols and one that many owners have never heard of before beginning this process. All vaccinations administered prior to export, whether mandatory or not, must be recorded on the health certificate. We recommend reviewing your dog's complete vaccination history with your veterinarian early in the planning process so there is time to address any gaps before the certificate preparation appointment.
The minimum preparation window depends on whether your pet needs the ringworm test, any new vaccinations, and how quickly your local CFIA District Office can schedule an endorsement appointment. In practice, beginning at least four weeks before your travel date is a reasonable baseline for a straightforward one-or-two-pet personal shipment, though six weeks provides more comfortable buffer if laboratory turnaround times are slow or CFIA appointment availability is limited. The five-day clinical examination window that applies to shipments of more than two animals or commercial shipments adds another layer of scheduling precision that makes early planning especially important in those cases.
The EEU's own import framework does not formally mandate a specific type of identification, so technically a tattoo is listed as an acceptable option alongside a microchip. However, a tattoo must be clearly legible and recorded by the private veterinarian in the health certificate, and it must be cross-referenced consistently across all documentation. An ISO-standard microchip is the internationally recognized default for a reason: it is scannable by border authorities worldwide, it cannot fade or distort over time the way a tattoo can, and it removes any ambiguity at the point of entry. Our recommendation is to use a microchip as a baseline on this and any international corridor.
Carriers
Airlines serving this corridor
These carriers operate between Canada and Armenia with known pet transport policies. We verify current breed restrictions and cargo availability before every booking.
Related Routes
City routes within this corridor
Looking for a specific city pair? Each route page has carrier-specific notes, compliance timelines, and booking guidance for that exact origin and destination.
City-pair routes for this corridor are being added. Check back soon.
Ready to travel?
Every requirement, handled before you even think to ask.
Tell us your travel dates and your pet's details. We take care of the rest, from health certificates to airline coordination.
