Moving a dog or cat from Madagascar to Australia is very doable with the right preparation. Give yourself close to 30-36 weeks, as several stages run on fixed clocks that no agent can shorten. Factor in 10 days of quarantine at the …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Madagascar to Australia
typically takes around 30-36 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 Madagascar to Australia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm Seychelles as the staging country, given its Group 3 status and the fact that Emirates already flies the Antananarivo-Mahe sector six times weekly.
Responsible: Owner
Before any other preparation begins.
2
DSV-endorsed export health certificate, microchip and initial vaccination arranged for the Madagascar-to-Seychelles move.
Responsible: Owner and a DSV-registered vet in Antananarivo
4-6 weeks before the staging country flight.
3
Pet arrives in Seychelles on Emirates EK707 and the 180 consecutive days of residency begin.
Responsible: Owner
Day one of the residency clock.
4
Rabies vaccination (or booster) given in Seychelles, then the RNATT blood draw as soon as the post-vaccination gap allows, aiming to start the 180-day lab wait early in the residency.
Responsible: Seychellois vet and a DAFF-approved laboratory
Within the first weeks of residency, not at the end of it.
5
Apply for the DAFF import permit via BICON and book the Mickleham quarantine slot.
Responsible: Owner
During the residency, once the titre result is confirmed passing.
6
Travel Mahe to Dubai to Melbourne, Sydney or Perth on Emirates, and complete the mandatory 10-day Mickleham quarantine.
Responsible: Emirates and DAFF
After the 180 days clear, on a weekday arrival.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Australia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required.
Rabies vaccination
Not administered in Madagascar for this route. The pet is vaccinated, or revaccinated, once resident in Seychelles, since Australia only recognises a vaccination given in a DAFF-approved country.
Rabies titre test
Required. A Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) at a DAFF-approved laboratory, minimum 0.5 IU/ml, drawn during the Seychelles residency. DAFF's RNATT guidance sets a 180-day wait from the date the laboratory receives the sample, so timing the blood draw early in the residency window matters: draw it as soon as the standard post-vaccination gap allows, and the lab wait and the residency clock largely run together rather than stacking end to end. Source: DAFF, agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs/rabies-neutralising-antibody, 2026.
Quarantine
Mandatory minimum 10-day quarantine at Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility, Melbourne, for weekday arrivals only.
Import permit
DAFF import permit applied for through BICON during the Seychelles residency period, not before it starts.
Health certificate
DAFF-format health certificate, issued within 5 days of departure from Seychelles, not from Madagascar.
Costs
What this route typically costs
DSV-endorsed export certificate and Madagascar vet fees for the initial move: fee not published in a fixed schedule; confirm directly with DSV.
Seychelles residency living costs over 180 days: highly variable, budget separately from transport costs.
RNATT titre test: Seychelles' own veterinary service does not appear to run a DAFF-recognised laboratory, so the blood sample typically travels to an accredited lab in South Africa or the UK. Test and courier: USD 150-300.
DAFF import permit via BICON: AUD 420.
Mickleham 10-day quarantine: AUD 1,800-3,500.
Cargo fares, Antananarivo to Mahe, then Mahe to Perth or Melbourne via Dubai on Emirates: USD 2,000-4,200 across both bookings.
Total direct transport and processing costs, excluding Seychelles living costs: USD 4,000-7,500.
Critical points to read before you book
Madagascar has no path to a direct Australia import. Every plan starts with at least 180 consecutive days of residency in a DAFF-approved country, and that clock cannot be shortened by paying an agent more.
Seychelles' advantage over most non-approved African origins is that Emirates already flies the exact first leg, six days a week, so there is no wasted detour to a third continent just to start the residency.
Draw the RNATT blood early in the Seychelles residency, not near the end of it. DAFF counts the 180-day titre wait from the date the lab receives the sample, so getting the timing wrong turns two overlapping waits into two sequential ones.
Mickleham only receives pets on weekdays. Book the final Mahe-Dubai-Australia leg so it lands Monday to Thursday.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
EMIRATES
Emirates
Flies EK707/708, Dubai to Antananarivo via Mahe, Seychelles, six days a week (Sunday, Tuesday to Saturday), with roughly 22 tonnes of weekly belly-hold cargo capacity on the Antananarivo sector alone. The Antananarivo-Mahe leg starts the 180-day residency; a separate Mahe-Dubai cargo booking on the same carrier, taken once the residency and titre requirements clear, continues the journey.
Cargo Only
EMIRATES
Emirates SkyCargo
Once resident in Seychelles, Emirates connects Dubai onward to Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, giving the second half of this route a single-carrier finish rather than an interline handover between unrelated airlines.
Cargo Only
What Australia requires
Getting a pet into Australia means meeting a demanding set of rules with no shortcuts. Start from the earliest deadline and work forward from there.
Avoiding the common mistakes
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about Madagascar to Australia pet transport
No. Madagascar is a DAFF non-approved country, so direct export to Australia is not permitted. The pet must complete at least 180 consecutive days of residency in a DAFF-approved country first. Source: DAFF, agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/risk-analysis/animal/dogs_and_cats, checked 20 July 2026.
Seychelles is DAFF Group 3 approved, and Emirates already flies the Antananarivo-Mahe sector six days a week as part of its Dubai-Mahe-Antananarivo service. That means the 180-day residency clock starts on a flight most owners are already looking at, rather than a separate long-haul detour to reach an approved country.
Yes. A rabies neutralising antibody titre test is required during the residency, with a 180-day wait counted from the date the lab receives the sample. Drawing the blood early in the residency, rather than near the end, lets that wait run alongside the 180-day residency requirement instead of extending the total timeline.
A minimum of 10 days at Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Melbourne, weekday arrivals only. Time the final Mahe-Dubai-Australia flight on Emirates so it lands Monday to Thursday.
The Direction des Services Veterinaires (DSV), part of the Ministere de l’Agriculture et de l’Elevage in Antananarivo. The process isn’t published in English with a fixed fee or turnaround time, so contact DSV directly before booking the Seychelles leg.
Airline guides
Emirates
Emirates SkyCargo
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.