Taking your dog or cat from Macau to France comes down to good timing and the right paperwork. Around 18-24 weeks is sensible here, with a few steps that must happen in a strict …
Rabies vaccinationRequired. A primary vaccination is valid …
Rabies titre testRequired. Macau does not appear on …
QuarantineNo routine quarantine for a pet arriving …
Import permitNo formal import permit, but the pet …
Health certificateEU non-commercial movement Animal Health …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Macau to France
typically takes around 18-24 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The import process, in full
1
Early, ideally before any vaccination booster is due.
Confirm the ISO microchip is implanted and scannable.
Responsible: Vet in Macau.
2
At least 21 days before travel, and at least 30 days before the titre blood draw.
Confirm the rabies vaccination is current.
Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian.
3
At least 30 days post-vaccination, at an EU-approved laboratory.
Draw blood for the rabies antibody titre test.
Responsible: Vet and an approved laboratory.
4
Runs in parallel with transfer and flight planning.
Wait out the three-month period from the blood draw date.
Responsible: Owner.
5
2-4 weeks before travel.
Arrange the Macau-to-Hong Kong transfer and book onward cargo to Paris.
Responsible: Owner or agent.
6
Within 10 days of travel.
Obtain the EU Animal Health Certificate from an official veterinarian.
Responsible: Vet in Macau.
7
Booked ahead; checked on landing.
Confirm the designated Traveller's Point of Entry in France and the SIVEP document check on arrival.
Responsible: Owner or agent; SIVEP officer in France.
Checklist
What your pet needs
Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 compliant, implanted before the rabies vaccination is given.
Rabies vaccination
Required. A primary vaccination is valid for entry from 21 days after it's given; the vaccination must be current throughout.
Rabies titre test
Required. Macau does not appear on either part of the EU's list of rabies-risk-exempt territories, unlike its neighbour Hong Kong, which is listed. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination at an EU-approved laboratory, minimum result 0.5 IU/mL, then a wait of three months from the blood draw date before entry into France. Source: European Commission, Food Safety, 'Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country', food.ec.europa.eu, and Commission Implementing Regulation listing territories exempt from titration (formerly Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, continued under the framework introduced by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, in force since 22 April 2026), 2026.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for a pet arriving with complete, compliant documentation. Entry is controlled through a document and identity check, not a holding period.
Import permit
No formal import permit, but the pet must arrive through a designated Traveller's Point of Entry with on-site veterinary control, such as Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, Nice or Marseille-Provence.
Health certificate
EU non-commercial movement Animal Health Certificate, completed by an official veterinarian, issued within 10 days of travel.
Export permit
No separate export permit for a personal pet dog or cat leaving Macau, beyond the standard health certificate process handled by IAM.
Veterinary inspection
Pre-export check by an IAM-recognised veterinarian, confirming the microchip reads correctly and the vaccination record is current before the certificate is issued.
Government endorsement
Health certificate signed by an IAM-recognised veterinary surgeon shortly before departure.
Health certificate
Official veterinary Health Certificate of Animal, recording microchip number, rabies vaccination date and titre test result, reformatted to meet the EU's non-commercial movement certificate for an unlisted third country.
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We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Macau to France move gets missed.
Pet Transport Global
Airlines
Carriers on this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Pets transfer overland from Macau to Hong Kong International Airport, roughly an hour across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge or by ferry, then fly Cathay Pacific Cargo direct to Paris CDG.
Cargo Only
Air France Cargo
An alternative for the Hong Kong-to-Paris leg once the Macau transfer is complete. France's national carrier, with strong import handling on arrival at CDG.
Cargo Only
Emirates SkyCargo
A longer routing via Dubai (DXB) into Paris, useful backup capacity if direct HKG-CDG cargo space is tight.
Cargo Only
Costs
What this route typically costs
Health certificate and IAM paperwork in Macau: MOP 400-900.
Rabies titre test and laboratory fee in Macau: MOP 1,200-2,000.
Cross-border transfer, Macau to Hong Kong (bridge coach or ferry, including crate handling): EUR 100-300.
Cargo fee, Hong Kong to Paris CDG: EUR 1,700-3,000 depending on crate size and season.
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 140-400.
Total typical range: EUR 2,400-4,400 over 4-6 months.
Critical points
Macau doesn't share Hong Kong's easier EU status. Hong Kong is listed as exempt from the rabies titre test; Macau isn't, so the full test and three-month wait apply regardless of the short ferry ride between the two.
There is no direct flight from Macau to France. Every pet makes a Hong Kong transfer first, and that leg needs its own booking and crate handling.
Arriving at an airport that isn't a designated Traveller's Point of Entry risks the pet being refused entry or held for a document check it can't pass on the spot. Book through CDG, Orly or one of the other approved airports.
Don't add a tapeworm treatment for this route by mistake. It's required for onward UK, Irish, Maltese, Norwegian or Finnish travel, not for entry into mainland France itself.
Meeting France's entry requirements
The requirements for France are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.
Advice worth following
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
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.
FAQ
Common questions
No. Hong Kong is listed as exempt from the titre test under the EU’s rabies-risk country lists. Macau does not appear on either part of that list, so the full titre test and three-month wait apply to a Macau-origin pet entering France.
No routine quarantine applies to a pet arriving with complete, compliant documentation. Entry is controlled through a document and identity check at a designated Traveller’s Point of Entry rather than a holding period.
No. Mainland France doesn’t require the Echinococcus multilocularis treatment for entry. It only applies if the pet is travelling onward to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland after France.
No. Pets transfer overland from Macau to Hong Kong, around an hour by bridge coach or ferry, then fly cargo, most commonly with Cathay Pacific or Air France, direct to Paris Charles de Gaulle.
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