How far ahead did you actually start the pet paperwork process?

Earlier than feels necessary is the honest pattern here — the microchip-then-vaccination-then-titer-test sequence (where a titer test is required) has to happen in a specific order with mandatory waiting periods between steps, and you cannot compress that timeline no matter how organised you are. The Pets section of your destination's guide will have the specific sequence and minimum lead time for that country — some destinations need many months of lead time given their rabies-free status, others are much faster. Worth checking your specific destination rather than going off a generic number.

The paperwork itself was less the bottleneck for me than waiting for an available vet appointment slot for the official check — start there first if you can.

Started well over six months ahead on a friend’s advice — felt excessive at the time, but it turned out to be exactly right once one document hit a delay along the way.

Starting mine now after reading this, mildly terrified I’m already behind.

Did anyone’s timeline get thrown off by a document expiring before travel, needing to redo something at the last minute?

Yes, exactly that happened to me — a certificate had a tight validity window I nearly missed entirely.

Started at the six-month mark like a few others here, and honestly could have started even earlier given how the appointment availability worked out for us.

Following, cat paperwork starts for us next month and this thread has been genuinely calming.

The microchip step specifically has to happen before certain other steps in the sequence — worth confirming that ordering early, it tripped up a friend of mine.

Did anyone find a vet who specialises in export paperwork specifically, or is any vet generally equipped to handle it?