Hire a Private Jet to Djibouti, East Africa
Djibouti is a small country on the Horn of Africa, where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden, and the flight from London is 3,304 nautical miles. That is within reach of a super-midsize jet without a stop, but only just, and the trip is shaped by that margin as much as by the paperwork: a landing permit, an airfield shared with several foreign air forces, and a Foreign Office advisory that names one border area to avoid. Our customers have access to 6,500 jets of all types and configurations available for rent. We will help you choose the best option based on your needs and objectives. Our catalog contains the models from the largest manufacturers: Gulfstream, Dassault, Embraer, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Learjet, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pilatus, HondaJet, etc. We have established partnerships with the world's largest airlines and VIP terminals, which means we can offer you favourable flight conditions and a high level of service. Our experts will manage the organization of your flight - starting with paperwork, agreements, etc., and ending with a transfer and meeting at the airport. Our company provides a full range of business aviation and concierge services. We say plainly what can and cannot be arranged.
At your request, the aviation consultants of Private Jets UK will help you choose the jet with the suitable technical parameters (production year, flight hours, and home base). The cost of the private jet charter in Djibouti depends on many factors, such as the model of the business jet, the number of passengers, departure and destination airports, type of flight, duration of parking, additional services, etc. Therefore, we calculate the price of each order individually taking into account your wishes. You can use an online calculator to get an instant charter quote. Please indicate your real contact details to get the final calculation.
You can calculate the cost of your flight in several ways:
- using an online calculator on the website (however, it shows only the approximate price);
- via Messenger (WhatsApp or Telegram);
- by landline or cell phone;
- via e-mail (jets@private-jets.co.uk).
Please note that the above-mentioned price is indicative only. It is calculated on this basis: a departure from Biggin Hill, an Embraer Praetor 600 nonstop to Djibouti, and two passengers aboard. If you want to get a personal quote, just fill out the online booking form below. Our aviation consultant will make the calculation within 20 minutes, and then contact you to specify the details of the flight.
How long does it take to fly to Djibouti?
Djibouti keeps East Africa Time all year, with no clock change, so it is three hours ahead of London in winter and two hours ahead in the British summer. These are the sectors to Djibouti, gate to gate, on the aircraft we would normally propose from each field:
3,304 nautical miles, the closest of the London fields that suit a long sector, and the basis for the price at the top of the pageabout 7 h 50 min on a Praetor 600, nonstop
3,329 nautical miles, the usual choice for Surrey, Hampshire and the Thames Valleyabout 7 h 55 min on a Praetor 600, nonstop
3,446 nautical miles, the main departure for the north of England, on a larger aircraft with more range in handabout 7 h 30 min on a Global 6000, nonstop
3,565 nautical miles, the main Scottish departure, also on a Global 6000about 7 h 45 min on a Global 6000, nonstop
How close the Praetor is to its limit
The Praetor 600 is quoted at roughly 4,000 nautical miles of range, and the direct line from Biggin Hill to Djibouti is about 3,304, so the margin is real but not generous. Strong headwinds, a diversion or a full cabin with heavy baggage can tip a flight into a technical stop. Cairo is the natural place for one, splitting the journey into about 1,963 and 1,345 nautical miles and adding roughly an hour. We plan the price on the nonstop flight and tell you before booking if the day's conditions say otherwise.
A Global 6000 or a Gulfstream G550 flies the same sector with hours of fuel in hand, which is why the larger jets are proposed from Manchester and Edinburgh. Djibouti Ambouli is listed as open round the clock, so the landing time is not squeezed into a short window.
The exact flight time depends on the model of the business jet, as well as the speed of the tail or head wind. Our consultant will make a detailed calculation of the flight time for the chosen business jet.
Prices for the private jet flights to Djibouti
Typical private jet charter prices from Britain to Djibouti, cheapest first. The entry price is Biggin Hill to Djibouti on a Praetor 600 flown nonstop. The other rows show the aircraft we would usually propose from each airfield, and every sector in the table is planned without a stop:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| London Biggin Hill - Djibouti 3,304 nm / 6,119 km nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 9 seats |
from £52,300 |
| London Farnborough - Djibouti 3,329 nm / 6,165 km nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 9 seats |
from £52,700 |
| London Luton - Djibouti 3,335 nm / 6,176 km nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 9 seats |
from £52,800 |
| Southampton - Djibouti 3,337 nm / 6,180 km nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 9 seats |
from £52,800 |
| Bristol - Djibouti 3,397 nm / 6,291 km nonstop |
Challenger 605 up to 12 seats |
from £68,700 |
| Birmingham - Djibouti 3,399 nm / 6,295 km nonstop |
Challenger 605 up to 12 seats |
from £68,750 |
| London Gatwick - Djibouti 3,305 nm / 6,121 km nonstop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 seats |
from £83,100 |
| Leeds Bradford - Djibouti 3,443 nm / 6,376 km nonstop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 seats |
from £86,400 |
| Manchester - Djibouti 3,446 nm / 6,382 km nonstop |
Global 6000 up to 13 seats |
from £94,500 |
| Edinburgh - Djibouti 3,565 nm / 6,602 km nonstop |
Global 6000 up to 13 seats |
from £97,600 |
| Glasgow - Djibouti 3,594 nm / 6,656 km nonstop |
Global 6000 up to 13 seats |
from £98,350 |
| Belfast - Djibouti 3,600 nm / 6,667 km nonstop |
Global 6000 up to 13 seats |
from £98,500 |
| Newcastle - Djibouti 3,484 nm / 6,452 km nonstop |
Gulfstream G550 up to 16 seats |
from £99,950 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– A Global 6000 from Biggin Hill on the same sector comes to about £90,800, which is £38,500 more than the Praetor. The Praetor is the economical choice, and the Global is the roomier one with range to spare;
– A one-way price assumes the aircraft flies home empty. For a stay of several days the aircraft either waits at Ambouli, with parking and the crew's hotel as lines of their own, or flies back and returns for you.
Private jet flights within Djibouti and to its neighbours
The country is only about 23,000 square kilometres, and the towns of Tadjoura and Obock lie across the Gulf of Tadjoura at 21 and 27 nautical miles from Djibouti City. We do not sell internal flights. The sectors we are asked for are the ones to the neighbouring countries and the Gulf:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Djibouti - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) 312 nm / 578 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 seats |
about 1 h 15 min | from £6,800 |
| Djibouti - Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) 676 nm / 1,252 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 seats |
about 2 h 05 min | from £11,900 |
| Djibouti - Nairobi (Kenya) 892 nm / 1,652 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 seats |
about 2 h 35 min | from £15,050 |
| Djibouti - Dubai (UAE) 1,119 nm / 2,072 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 seats |
about 3 h | from £22,700 |
| Djibouti - Cairo (Egypt) 1,345 nm / 2,491 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 seats |
about 3 h 30 min | from £26,700 |
Neighbours and onward sectors
– Each country on the table has its own landing permits and entry rules, which we check before we quote;
– Ethiopia is the closest large neighbour and the one most clients combine with Djibouti, since the port serves the Ethiopian economy. The Foreign Office says the borders with Ethiopia and Somalia are not always clearly marked, so we do not plan road crossings.
We can arrange the flights from any cities in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and European countries. Due to a large database of available business jets, we can help you find an optimal jet and crew. If you have any questions about the departure or the flight itself, you can ask them using the form below:
Prices depending on the type of business jet
We can clearly show the high dependence of the cost of the flight, on the type of aircraft - we have collected approximate data, at the price of 1 flight hour, for various types of business jets:
The cost per hour indicated in the table is preliminary and does not constitute an offer or a commercial offer. Exact prices are available from the managers of the company.
Online Calculator
If you want to make an urgent calculation of the cost of a private plane flight, use our online calculator. Just fill in all the fields of the form with a note that you are interested in a specific model of the aircraft and get the final price. NB! - the figures are sent to you by email or messenger, please carefully fill in the contact details to get the calculation.
All our calculations are as transparent as possible for you. After receiving the request, we will prepare a beautiful offer - where the costs and the final price will be clearly described. The exact price is agreed in advance and is written in the contract, so you can be sure of the final cost.
Private jets are ready to take off
Our database contains over 6,500 business jets (about 3,500 in Europe and 3,000 in the rest of the world) of different configurations and production years. The list of models is constantly updated. Unfortunately, we can't post a full list of available jets on our website due to confidentiality issues. Please contact the managers of the company for more accurate information. We will help you choose a suitable model taking into account your wishes. These are the typical choices for Djibouti:
Turboprops
For the hop to Addis Ababa or other East African cities, never for the journey from London.
Light and midsize jets
These reach Djibouti only in several stages, and we do not recommend them from Britain.
Super-midsize
The Praetor 600 sets the entry price with a nonstop flight at the edge of its comfortable range, and the Challenger 350 needs a stop.
Heavy jets
For a delegation or a family with staff, with more cabin and range in hand than the Praetor.
Ultra-long range
The relaxed way to cover 3,300 nautical miles, carrying up to 16 people.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Djibouti in 6 easy steps:
- Flight request - indicating the route and your preferences for the model of business jet and other points.
- Coordination of flight details - our consultant will contact you to offer the possible flight options and answer all your questions.
- Commercial offer - we will send you a final offer on a specific model taking into account all your wishes.
- Signing of the contract.
- Payment for the flight and booking a business jet.
- Departure at the agreed time and date. Assistance during the whole flight.
In addition to renting the private jets and arranging the flights, we provide concierge services, premium transfer, security, exclusive catering, etc. We have learned to solve problems of any complexity, offering the service of the European level. Our experts will be happy to answer your questions and help you arrange your flight.
How to rent a business jet with a crew
5 main stages:
-
Sending an application
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Clarification of details and search for options
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Preparation and coordination of optimal options
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Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
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Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Djibouti
Djibouti has one international airport, and every charter from Britain lands there. A handful of small civil airfields are listed in the country, but none of them has customs or fuel in the records we found:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Djibouti-Ambouli International JIB / HDAM |
at Ambouli, about 6 km south of the centre of Djibouti City | One asphalt runway, 09/27, of 3,150 metres (10,335 feet) at an elevation of 49 feet, with ILS and VOR/DME approaches listed. The airport and its control tower are listed as open 24 hours, and it is an airport of entry with customs and immigration. Jet fuel is listed, rescue and fire category is 8, and slots are listed as not required. Handling is listed as not mandatory, but we use a handler on every trip. The airfield is shared with military operators, so arrivals are coordinated in advance |
| Obock OBC / HDOB |
in the north, across the Gulf of Tadjoura, about 27 nautical miles from Djibouti City | One runway of about 1,390 metres (4,560 feet). We found no information on customs, fuel or opening hours, and we do not plan charter arrivals there |
| Tadjoura TDJ / HDTJ |
on the northern shore of the Gulf of Tadjoura, about 21 nautical miles from Djibouti City | One runway of about 1,000 metres (3,281 feet). We found no information on customs, fuel or opening hours, and a jet charter would not use it |
Ambouli has no business aviation terminal that we can name and describe. A flight-support directory lists more than a dozen supervising agents and trip-support companies for the airport, among them Sonic Jet, Click Aviation Network, Continental Jet Services, Jetmate Aviation and JetPlus Aviation Services, but these arrange permits, fuel and handling and do not run a private terminal. We choose the handler for each trip, then confirm in writing where the party is processed and what the terminal offers on the day.
The airfield is shared with French, American, Japanese and Djiboutian military units, and the passenger terminal is a single building. A large share of movements at Ambouli have been reported as military, which is why arrival and departure times are agreed in advance, and why photographing the airport is not allowed. Three points settle most arrivals before a quote goes out:
Permit: apply early
A permit guide recommends 24 to 48 working hours for a landing and overflight request to the Djibouti civil aviation authority, and says plainly that this is a planning figure, not an official deadline. We apply earlier than that.
Short validity
A landing permit is described as valid for 24 hours, and an overflight permit for up to 72 hours from the requested schedule. On a stay of several days we apply for the whole schedule, and we apply again if the aircraft or the dates change.
Crew and handling
The same guide says crew visas are issued on arrival against the general declaration, usually valid for up to 72 hours, with crew hotels 10 to 15 minutes from the airport.
Arriving from Britain: visa, health and the Foreign Office advice
British passengers need a visa, which they can buy at the airport or obtain online before they leave. The aircraft needs its own permit before it leaves Britain.
British citizens must have a visa. The Foreign Office says it can be bought on arrival, paying in cash in US dollars, or applied for online through the Djibouti government e-visa site before travel.buy or apply online
valid for at least six months after the date of arrival, and not reported lost or stolencheck the expiry
a yellow fever certificate is needed only for travellers arriving from a country with a transmission risk, or transiting one for more than 12 hours. The NHS-backed TravelHealthPro page describes the malaria risk as high across the country, and the advice is to see a doctor or travel clinic well before departureplan weeks ahead
The Foreign Office advice, as published
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to the Djibouti-Eritrea border and warns of unmarked landmines there. For the rest of the country it does not advise against travel, but it says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks, including at transport hubs, hotels and restaurants, and that a regional group has publicly threatened Djibouti. It adds that petty crime is a risk.
It asks travellers to take great care on the roads north of Tadjoura and Obock, where military roadblocks operate, and to take care near the border with Somaliland. It also mentions military activity in the Red Sea and Yemen that could change at short notice. Photographing ports, airports, public buildings and military sites is prohibited, cards are not widely accepted, so cash matters, and the penalties for drunken behaviour are severe.
Clearance and the way home
On arrival, passengers and crew clear immigration and customs at Ambouli, which is listed as an airport of entry. The Foreign Office page does not describe private aircraft arrivals, so the handler confirms in writing how the party is processed. Djibouti has strict rules on goods taken in or out, and anything that may be prohibited or taxed should be declared.
Coming home, a General Aviation Report goes to the border authorities not earlier than 48 hours and not later than two hours before departure, and British and Irish citizens need no electronic travel authorisation.
Which airport for which part of the country
The answer is Ambouli for the whole country, with every other place reached by road or by boat:
the port, the embassies, the hotels and the business districtAmbouli, 6 km
a salt lake 155 metres below sea level, about 120 km west of the capital by roadAmbouli, then a 4x4
Djibouti City and the country: what our clients go for
Most trips are business or official. The port handles much of the trade of landlocked Ethiopia, so shipping lines, port operators, aid agencies and diplomatic missions make up the bulk of the demand. Hotels are few, so we confirm rooms and cars before the aircraft.
Visitors with a free day usually head out of the city. Lake Assal, the lowest point on land in Africa, is a salt lake about ten times as salty as the sea, with salt harvested at its southeastern end. In the Gulf of Tadjoura, whale sharks gather in the cooler months, and the Goda Mountains hold the Day Forest National Park.
The Djibouti year: hot months and cooler ones
The climate is arid and hot, with very little rain on the coast, and the Foreign Office notes that the rare heavy downpour can cause flash floods around the capital:
the hottest months, with daily highs in Djibouti City of about 39 to 42 degrees and little rainhottest
the coolest months, with highs near 29 degrees and lows around 22, and the best time for whale sharks and for outdoor travelcoolest
The Djibouti calendar: whale sharks and the national day
Few dates drive a flight plan to Djibouti, and we list the ones that change what is on offer or what is open:
What a holiday does to a flight plan
Permit offices do not publish all of their hours, so we apply early for a trip near any of these dates and want written confirmation that someone is available.
Flying to Djibouti with a dog or a cat
A pet can travel in the cabin, but the papers take planning, and a dog needs an import permit.
The facts to read before you book
A pet-travel guide describes a rabies vaccination from 12 weeks of age, given at least 21 days before travel, and a health certificate from an official government vet issued within 10 days of arrival. Dogs need a microchip and an import permit, while cats need a permit only from higher-risk origins. For those origins it also asks for a rabies antibody blood test, taken at least 90 days before travel. It says pets are not quarantined if the papers are in order.
The same guide admits that its own figures conflict in places and does not say how Britain is classed, so we obtain the requirements in writing from the Djiboutian authorities before the aircraft is confirmed, and we do not rely on the summary alone.
Coming home, a pet from a country outside the simple British scheme, as we understand Djibouti to be, needs a microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, then a rabies blood test taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, and a wait of three months from the date of the sample before the animal travels. The wait is not required if the animal was vaccinated and blood-tested, with a British health certificate or an EU pet passport, before it left, which is why we ask owners to do the tests before the outward flight. A dog must also be treated against tapeworm by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before landing in Britain. No more than five animals may travel with one person, and an animal that arrives without the right paperwork can be held in quarantine for up to four months.
Requirements for birds, rabbits and the less usual species are set out in our flying with pets guide.
Empty Legs
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with nobody aboard, offered at a fraction of the usual price. On a route this long and this thin they are rare, and we do not promise one.
Where Djibouti empty legs come from
– A charter that lands at Ambouli and does not wait, so the aircraft returns to Europe empty;
– Aircraft repositioned from East Africa or the Gulf after another contract.
Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Djibouti empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Djibouti - UK (London Biggin Hill) | Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £21,950 |
| UK (London Luton) - Djibouti | Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £22,200 |
| Djibouti - UK (Bristol) | Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £28,850 |
| Djibouti - UK (Birmingham) | Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £28,900 |
| UK (Farnborough) - Djibouti | Falcon 900LX | 12 seats | £35,150 |
| UK (Manchester) - Djibouti | Global 6000 | 13 seats | £39,700 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. A Praetor 600 from Luton to Djibouti with nine aboard works out at about £2,450 a seat, and with four aboard about £5,550.
Helicopter charter
We found no civilian helicopter operator in Djibouti that we can name and verify, and no public heliport. The helipads listed for the country are military ones. A helicopter carrying passengers between two Djiboutian places is normally a Djiboutian one, so we confirm the machine, the crew and each landing site when a request comes in, and we say so if the answer is that it cannot be done.
Flights from the UK to Djibouti
Biggin Hill and Farnborough are the south-east airfields best suited to a long sector, with Luton, Gatwick, Stansted and London City as the other London options. Manchester is 142 nautical miles further from Djibouti than Biggin Hill, and from there we propose a larger aircraft with range to spare. The table below lists the British airports we work with:
List of TOP 25 business aviation airports:
| Airport | Country | ICAO | IATA |
|---|---|---|---|
 London Heathrow Airport |
England | EGLL | LHR |
| Birmingham Airport |
England | EGBB | BHX |
| London Gatwick |
England | EGKK | LGW |
| London City Airport |
England | EGLC | LCY |
| London Luton |
England | EGGW | LTN |
| Edinburgh Airport |
Scotland | EGPH | EDI |
| Leeds Airport |
England | EGNM | LBA |
| Manchester Airport |
England | EGCC | MAN |
| London Stansted |
England | EGSS | STN |
| Liverpool John Lennon Airport |
England | EGGP | LPL |
| Newcastle Airport |
England | EGNT | NCL |
| Bristol Airport |
England | EGGD | BRS |
| Glasgow Airport |
Scotland | EGPF | GLA |
| East Midlands Airport |
England | EGNX | EMA |
| Southampton Airport |
England | EGHI | SOU |
| Jersey Airport |
Channel Islands | EGJJ | JER |
| Cardiff International Airport |
Wales | EGFF | CWL |
| Inverness Airport |
Scotland | EGPE | INV |
| Bournemouth Airport |
England | EGHH | BOH |
| London Farnborough Airport |
England | EGLF | FAB |
| Oxford Airport |
England | EGTK | OXF |
| London Biggin Hill |
England | EGKB | BQH |
| Belfast Airport |
Northern Ireland | EGAA | BFS |
| Gibraltar Airport |
Gibraltar | LXGB | GIB |
| Aberdeen Airport |
Scotland | EGPD | ABZ |
Djibouti charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
Six typical jobs from booking notes, with the particulars changed.
DJIBOUTI CITY · A PORT VISIT
Two executives and a day of meetings
Biggin Hill - Djibouti and return, Praetor 600 nonstop, about 7 h 50 min each way · 2 pax
The permit was filed early, the visas were bought at the airport, and the handler agreed the arrival time with the airfield before the aircraft left Britain.
GULF OF TADJOURA · WHALE SHARKS
Four guests on a diving trip in the cool months
Manchester - Djibouti, Global 6000 nonstop, about 7 h 30 min · 4 pax
The party flew nonstop and went on by road and boat, with the dive operator and the hotel confirmed before the aircraft was.
LAKE ASSAL · A PRIVATE VISIT
Six people on a short stay
London Luton - Djibouti, Challenger 605 nonstop, about 7 h 55 min · 6 pax
A family planned a week in the capital and a day at the salt lake, with the Foreign Office road advice read before departure.
DJIBOUTI AND ADDIS ABABA · TWO COUNTRIES
A team continuing to Ethiopia
Farnborough - Djibouti, Falcon 900LX nonstop, about 7 h 55 min, then Djibouti - Addis Ababa · 8 pax
The Ethiopian permit and entry rules were checked in Britain before departure, since each country has its own approvals and formalities.
WITH THE DOG · SEVERAL WEEKS OF PAPER
A couple and a spaniel bound for a long stay
Biggin Hill - Djibouti, Praetor 600 nonstop, about 7 h 50 min · 2 pax + dog
The import permit was requested weeks ahead, the originals of every certificate travelled in the hand luggage, and the blood test for the British return was done before leaving.
EMPTY LEG · A FLEXIBLE RETURN
A return from Djibouti on a Challenger
Djibouti - Birmingham, Challenger 605 empty leg, about 8 h 05 min · 5 pax
The client gave a window of three days instead of a date and paid about £28,900, a little under half of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Djibouti
1How long does it take to fly to Djibouti by private jet?
About 7 hours 50 minutes from London Biggin Hill to Djibouti on a Praetor 600 flown nonstop, or about 7 hours 30 minutes from Manchester on a Global 6000. A stop in Cairo adds roughly an hour.
2How much does a private jet to Djibouti cost?
From about £52,300 one way from Biggin Hill to Djibouti on a Praetor 600. A Global 6000 on the same departure is about £90,800, and from Edinburgh a Global 6000 is about £97,600. Djibouti to Addis Ababa starts from £6,800 on a midsize jet.
3Which airport do private jets use in Djibouti?
Djibouti-Ambouli International (JIB / HDAM), about 6 km south of the centre of Djibouti City. It is listed with a 3,150 metre runway, customs, jet fuel and 24-hour operation, and it is shared with several foreign air forces.
4Do British passengers need a visa for a private flight to Djibouti?
Yes. The Foreign Office says British citizens need a visa, which can be bought on arrival in cash in US dollars or applied for online. The passport must be valid for six months after arrival. The aircraft also needs a landing permit.
5What does the Foreign Office advise about travel to Djibouti?
It advises against all travel to the Djibouti-Eritrea border. It also warns that terrorist attacks are likely to be attempted, asks for great care on the roads north of Tadjoura and Obock, and notes that photographing airports, ports and military sites is prohibited.
6Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Djibouti?
Yes, with planning. A pet-travel guide describes a rabies vaccination, a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, a microchip and an import permit for dogs. The return follows the British rules for countries outside the simple scheme, including a rabies blood test.