Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia

Importation of cats and dogs from Middle East conflict-affected areas

If you and your pets are currently impacted by the Middle East conflict, please contact the department for advice on your specific situation, by phone on 1800 900 090 or via email at imports@aff.gov.au.

Cats and dogs which do not meet Australia’s import requirements pose a biosecurity risk to Australia and Australia’s import requirements for cats and dogs from Middle Eastern countries have not changed.

Cats and dogs must arrive in Australia with a valid biosecurity import permit and meet all import requirements.

Australia is free from many animal diseases. We help protect this status with strict conditions for cat and dog imports.

Be aware of the many steps to import a cat or dog to Australia. You will need to meet all import conditions and prepare well ahead of your travel date.

Our detailed step-by-step guides can help you meet all import conditions.

Need to know

  • This is a complex process. We recommend you use an experienced pet transport agent or shipper.
  • Allow at least 6 months to complete all steps in the import process.
  • Fees apply for our services, such as permit assessment and quarantine in Australia.
  • Some countries are not approved for cat or dog imports to Australia. You will need to complete all steps in an approved country.

Find the right step-by-step guide

These guides are to import cats or dogs (or frozen canine semen) from approved countries.

If your country is not in this list, it means it is not approved. You will need to choose an approved country to reside in while completing all import steps. Read the detail in the relevant guide.

Cats and dogs must be accompanied by a county-specific veterinary health certificate when imported to Australia.

We have negotiated these certificates directly with most approved exporting countries. If we have not negotiated a certificate with an approved country, you cannot export your cat or dog to Australia from that country.

These approved countries do not currently have a certificate in place.

Group 2: Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Iceland, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Tuvalu, and Wallis & Futuna.

Group 3: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Seychelles, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Virgin Islands British.

You plan to import a cat from New Zealand

We classify New Zealand as a Group 1 country. This means it is approved for cat imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from New Zealand.

You plan to import a cat from Norfolk Island

We classify Norfolk Island as a Group 1 region. This means it is approved for cat imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from Norfolk Island.

You plan to import a cat from Cocos (Keeling) Islands

We classify Cocos (Keeling) Islands as a Group 1 region. This means it is approved for cat imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

You plan to import a cat from a Group 2 country

This means your country is approved for cat imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this is a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from a Group 2 country.

You plan to import a cat from a Group 3 country

This means your country is approved for cat imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this is a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from a Group 3 country.

You plan to import a cat from a country not in this list.

This means it’s NOT an approved country for cat imports to Australia.

Import via an approved country

You will need to import via one of the countries on this list. They are the approved countries of export.

To import your cat via an approved country, you will need to:

  • spend at least 180 days in the approved country
  • meet all conditions for importing from that country.

Details of this process are in the relevant step-by-step guide. Find a suitable country in the list and read the step-by-step guide in full.

You plan to import a dog from New Zealand

We classify New Zealand as a Group 1 country. This means it is approved for dog imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing dogs from New Zealand.

You plan to import a dog from Norfolk Island

We classify Norfolk Island as a Group 1 region. This means it is approved for dog imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing cats from Norfolk Island.

We do NOT accept dog imports from Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

You will need to import via one of the countries on this list. They are the approved countries of export.

To import your dog via an approved country, you will need to:

  • spend at least 180 days in the approved country
  • meet all conditions for importing from that country.

Details of this process are in the relevant step-by-step guide. Find a suitable country in the list and read the step-by-step guide in full.

You plan to import a dog from a Group 2 country

This means your country is approved for dog imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this is a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing dogs from a Group 2 country.

You plan to import a dog from a Group 3 country

This means your country is approved for dog imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this is a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing dogs from a Group 3 country.

You plan to import a dog from a country not in this list.

This means it’s NOT an approved country for dog imports to Australia.

Import via an approved country

You will need to import via one of the countries on this list. They are the approved countries of export.

To import your dog via an approved country, you will need to:

  • spend at least 180 days in the approved country
  • meet all conditions for importing from that country.

Details of this process are in the relevant step-by-step guide. Find a suitable country in the list and read the step-by-step guide in full.

You plan to import canine semen from New Zealand

New Zealand is approved for canine semen imports to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing frozen canine semen from New Zealand.

You plan to import canine semen from an approved country

This means your country is approved for imports of frozen canine semen to Australia. You will need to make sure you understand and meet all import conditions.

It’s important to plan early, as this may be a long process.

Read the step-by-step guide to importing frozen canine semen from an approved country.

You plan to import canine semen from a country NOT in this list.

This means it’s NOT an approved country for canine semen imports to Australia.

Check your country’s status from the list. Then follow the relevant step-by-step guide in the guided process.

Group 1

New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Cocos Island.

Group 2

American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Kiribati, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga (Kingdom of), Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna.

Group 3

Antigua & Barbuda , Argentina, Austria, Bahamas , Belgium, Bermuda , Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia (Republic of), Cyprus (Republic of), Czechia (Czech Republic), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar , Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland (Republic of), Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica , Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Serbia, Seychelles , Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa (Republic of), South Korea (Republic of), Spain (including Canary and Balearic Islands), St. Kitts & Nevis , St. Lucia , St. Vincent & Grenadines , Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago , United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America (excluding Guam and Hawaii), Uruguay, Virgin Islands (British) , Virgin Islands (United States of America).

Canine semen

American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Kiribati, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga (Kingdom of), Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia (Republic of), Cyprus (Republic of), Czechia (Czech Republic), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland (Republic of), Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa (Republic of), South Korea (Republic of), Spain (including Canary and Balearic Islands), St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America (excluding Guam and Hawaii), Uruguay, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (United States of America).