Macau to China: A Direct Flight, But Not a Simple Border

Shipping a dog or cat from Macau to China rewards owners who start planning early. There is a fair amount of paperwork here, so plan on around 10-14 weeks. Factor in 30 days of quarantine at the …

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10-14

Weeks lead time needed

Start this early minimum

30 days

Quarantine on arrival

High

Route complexity

Airlines on this route

Lead time needed

10-14 weeks

Quarantine

30 days

Route complexity

High

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Macau to China typically takes around 10-14 weeks. Expect 30 days of quarantine on arrival.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The Macau to China import process

Before any vaccination.

Implant the 15-digit ISO microchip.

Responsible: Vet in Macau.

At least 30 days before travel, within the past 12 months.

Administer or confirm the rabies vaccination.

Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian.

Early, since this affects the rest of the schedule.

Confirm Macau's GACC-designated status directly with GACC or a licensed agent before assuming the titre test is waived.

Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent.

Apply as early as possible; allow up to 4 months as the cautious default.

Apply for the GACC Import Permit.

Responsible: Owner or a licensed pet relocation company.

Ahead of booking flights, given quarantine space is limited.

Book the quarantine facility slot at the destination city and confirm the approved entry port.

Responsible: Owner or agent, via the GACC-approved facility.

Certificate within 14 days of travel.

Obtain the final health certificate and fly Air Macau, China Southern or China Eastern direct into the approved city.

Responsible: Vet in Macau; owner or agent.

Requirements

China entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

15-digit ISO-compliant microchip required, implanted before any vaccination.

Rabies vaccination

Required, administered at least 30 days before travel but within the past 12 months. Minimum age 3 months at first vaccination.

Rabies titre test

Macau appears on the aggregated list of GACC-designated low-rabies-risk countries and territories referenced by secondary sources, alongside Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, which would waive the FAVN titre test required for pets from most other origins. This could not be verified against a primary GACC document during this research pass, since english.customs.gov.cn returned access issues. Treat the test as likely waived but confirm current status directly with GACC or a licensed China-side agent before ruling it out entirely. Source: GACC-designated country listings as referenced via PetTravel.com, 2026, and via General Administration of Customs of China, english.customs.gov.cn.

Quarantine

Mandatory regardless of designated-country status: 30 days for dogs, 7 days for cats from approved origins, at a GACC-approved quarantine facility, entirely at the owner's cost. Source: GACC quarantine and supervision rules for pets entering China.

Import permit

GACC Import Permit required before travel. Apply through official channels or a licensed pet relocation company. Allow up to 4 months as the safe planning assumption, though a shorter lead time may apply for a designated-list origin like Macau; this was not independently confirmed.

Health certificate

Official Veterinary Health Certificate issued by an official government veterinarian, endorsed by the relevant national veterinary authority, valid for entry within 14 days of issue. Must include microchip, vaccination records and, if applicable, titre test results.

Leaving Macau

Export requirements

Export permit

No separate export permit for a personal pet dog or cat leaving Macau, beyond the standard health certificate process handled by IAM.

Health certificate

Official veterinary Health Certificate of Animal, issued by an IAM-recognised veterinarian shortly before travel, recording microchip number and rabies vaccination date, reformatted to GACC's entry certificate requirements. Source: Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais (IAM), iam.gov.mo and gov.mo.

Costs

What this route typically costs

Health certificate and IAM paperwork in Macau: MOP 400-900.

Rabies titre test and laboratory fee, if required pending GACC confirmation: MOP 1,200-2,000.

GACC import permit application, typically arranged through a licensed agent: CNY 800-2,500.

Direct flight fare or cargo fee, Macau to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou: CNY 1,500-4,500 depending on routing and crate size.

IATA-compliant travel crate: CNY 500-1,600.

30-day (dog) or 7-day (cat) GACC-approved quarantine facility, owner-paid: CNY 3,000-8,000.

Total typical range: CNY 6,000-17,000 over 10-14 weeks of preparation, plus the quarantine period itself after arrival.

Critical points

Macau's designated status on GACC's low-risk list was confirmed only through secondary sources during this research pass, not a directly loaded primary GACC document. Confirm current status before ruling out the titre test.

Quarantine is mandatory regardless of Macau's designated status: 30 days for dogs, 7 days for cats, at the owner's cost, entirely separate from any titre test exemption.

Beijing and Shanghai each apply their own municipal breed restrictions on top of GACC's national rules. Check your pet's breed against the destination city's own list before booking, not after.

IAM has said it is discussing broader pet border-crossing rules with mainland authorities, and a limited land-crossing allowance already exists via Hengqin Port for residents of Macau's New Neighbourhood development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone. This does not currently extend to the general public moving a pet between Macau and the rest of mainland China; the air route above remains the assumed default outside that specific resident scheme. Source: macaonews.org, reporting comments from IAM president José Fonseca Tavares.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
Air Macau	The one genuinely direct option on this site's Macau routes. Air Macau flies year-round to Beijing, Shanghai (both airports), Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou and a long list of other mainland cities, with no Hong Kong transfer required. Confirm pet cabin and hold policy and crate limits directly, since short-haul regional carriers vary their rules more often than long-haul cargo specialists do.	Cabin and Cargo
China Southern Airlines	Also connects Macau to multiple GACC-approved mainland cities, a workable alternative if Air Macau capacity or scheduling doesn't fit.	Cabin and Cargo
China Eastern Airlines	Serves the Shanghai side of this corridor specifically, one of GACC's principal approved entry points.	Cabin and Cargo

China entry requirements at a glance

Bringing a pet into China involves a fair amount of documentation. Keep everything organised and check each item against the current requirements before you book.

Getting the details right

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

Yes, and it’s the exception among Macau routes on this site. Air Macau, China Southern and China Eastern all fly direct from Macau International Airport into Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other mainland cities, with no Hong Kong transfer needed.

Likely not, since Macau appears to sit on GACC’s list of designated, lower-risk origins in the secondary sources checked for this guide. This wasn’t confirmed against a primary GACC document during this research pass, so confirm current status with GACC or a licensed agent.

Yes. Quarantine is mandatory for all pets entering mainland China, 30 days for dogs and 7 days for cats at a GACC-approved facility, owner-paid, whether or not the titre test is waived.

Check the city’s own rules first. Beijing bans many breeds over 35cm at the shoulder within its urban districts, and Shanghai runs a separate restricted breed list, both on top of GACC’s national import rules.

Only if you’re a resident of the Macau New Neighbourhood development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, where a limited allowance lets residents bring one dog or one cat across Hengqin Port. This doesn’t currently extend to the general public; most owners should plan around the air route into an approved GACC port instead.

Airline guides

Air Macau
China Southern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines

Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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