If you are relocating a pet from Macau to New Zealand, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. This is one of the more demanding routes, so allow around 18-24 weeks and treat the …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Macau to New Zealand
typically takes around 18-24 weeks.
Expect 10 days of quarantine on arrival.
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 Macau to New Zealand import process
01
Before the rabies vaccination course.
Implant ISO 11784/11785 microchip.
Responsible: Vet in Macau.
02
After microchipping. The titre blood draw follows once vaccination is current.
Complete the rabies vaccination course.
Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian.
03
The sample must be collected not less than 3 months, and not more than 24 months, before the shipment date.
Draw blood for the FAVN or RFFIT titre test.
Responsible: Vet and an accredited laboratory.
04
As early as possible; quarantine space is limited.
Apply for the MPI import permit and book the 10-day quarantine facility slot.
Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent via mpi.govt.nz.
05
Coordinate ahead of the health certificate appointment.
Arrange the Macau-to-Hong Kong transfer.
Responsible: Owner and IAM-recognised vet.
06
Certificate close to departure; quarantine begins immediately on arrival.
Obtain the MPI-format health certificate and fly as manifested cargo to Auckland; complete the 10-day quarantine.
Responsible: Vet in Macau; owner and airline cargo agent.
Requirements
New Zealand entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip required, implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Vaccination course must be completed after microchipping, for the record to count towards the titre test that follows.
Rabies titre test
Required. New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) places approved countries and territories into three risk categories; Macau appears on Category 3, countries or territories where rabies is absent or well controlled, the same category as the Netherlands and Switzerland. A FAVN or RFFIT rabies-neutralising antibody titre test is required, blood sample collected not less than 3 months and not more than 24 months before shipment, minimum result 0.5 IU/mL. Source: MPI, 'Bringing cats and dogs to NZ', mpi.govt.nz, and the Category 3 country listing as referenced via aggregated secondary sources; MPI's primary country-list document could not be loaded directly during this research pass, so confirm Macau's current listing with MPI before finalising travel.
Quarantine
Mandatory minimum 10 days at an MPI-approved quarantine facility on arrival. Every Category 2 or 3 country requires this hold; only pets from Australia, MPI's sole Category 1 country, are exempt.
Import permit
Required. Must be obtained from MPI before travel, alongside a booked quarantine space, since facility capacity is limited and does not expand on demand.
Health certificate
Required in MPI's Category 3 model veterinary certificate format, issued by an IAM-recognised veterinarian shortly before travel.
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, rabies vaccination date and titre test result, reformatted to MPI's Category 3 model veterinary certificate. Source: Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais (IAM), iam.gov.mo and gov.mo.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Cross-border transfer, Macau to Hong Kong (bridge coach or ferry, including crate handling): NZD 180-420.
Airline cargo fees, Hong Kong to Auckland: NZD 3,200-5,200 depending on pet size and crate.
IATA-compliant travel crate: NZD 220-520.
Veterinary fees in Macau: microchip, vaccinations, health certificate preparation.
Pet transport agent fee, recommended given the two-jurisdiction Macau-Hong Kong handover.
Critical points
The titre blood sample must be drawn at least 3 months before shipment. Leaving this until close to the planned travel date is the most common cause of missed dates on this route.
All pets entering New Zealand from Macau must land at Auckland Airport regardless of final destination in the country, since it is the main port equipped for quarantine intake.
There is no direct flight from Macau to New Zealand. Every pet makes a Hong Kong transfer first, adding its own booking and crate handling step.
Macau's MPI Category 3 listing was confirmed via aggregated secondary sourcing rather than a directly loaded MPI country-list document during this research pass. Confirm directly with MPI before finalising travel plans.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
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 direct to Auckland, an 11-hour sector. Cathay increases its Auckland frequency with an additional seasonal service each Southern Hemisphere summer.
Cargo Only
Singapore Airlines Cargo
An alternative routing via Singapore Changi, connecting onward to Auckland if direct Hong Kong-Auckland cargo capacity is tight.
Cargo Only
China Southern Airlines
A mainland Chinese hub option via Guangzhou, useful given Macau's strong short-haul network into southern China, though it adds a second connection compared with the direct Hong Kong-Auckland sector.
Cargo Only
The rules for bringing a pet into New Zealand
New Zealand takes biosecurity seriously, and the requirements reflect that. The paperwork is exacting, so accuracy matters as much as timing.
How to keep this move on track
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. Macau sits in MPI’s Category 3, countries or territories where rabies is absent or well controlled, which still requires a FAVN or RFFIT titre test, blood sample collected 3 to 24 months before shipment, minimum result 0.5 IU/mL.
Yes, a mandatory minimum 10 days at an MPI-approved facility. Only pets from Australia, MPI’s Category 1 country, are exempt from this hold.
Yes. All pets must land at Auckland Airport, the country’s main port for animal quarantine intake, regardless of your final New Zealand destination.
No. Pets transfer overland from Macau to Hong Kong first, then fly cargo, most commonly with Cathay Pacific, direct to Auckland.
Airline guides
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Singapore Airlines Cargo
China Southern Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.