New Zealand to Macau: The Cleanest Rabies Record on This Site
If you are relocating a pet from New Zealand to Macau, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Give yourself close to 8-12 weeks so none of the fixed waiting periods catch you out. Pets …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from New Zealand to Macau
typically takes around 8-12 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The New Zealand to Macau import process
01
Before the rabies vaccination, first step in the sequence.
Implant the ISO microchip.
Responsible: Vet in New Zealand.
02
After the microchip.
Administer or confirm the rabies vaccination.
Responsible: Veterinarian in New Zealand.
03
Allow several weeks; MPI's official vets process these.
Apply for the AWEC and, where applicable, the official assurance export certificate against Macau's OMAR.
Responsible: Owner, via an MPI-listed veterinary practice.
04
Optional; confirm directly with IAM first.
Discuss with your vet whether a precautionary titre test is worth running, given New Zealand's rabies-free record is not named by IAM but reads favourably against its own criterion.
Responsible: Owner, vet and IAM.
05
2-3 weeks before travel; valid only 30 days once issued.
Apply for the IAM Import Licence for Live Animals (PS-1092).
Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent, via gov.mo.
06
2-4 weeks before travel.
Book cargo to Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific and arrange the cross-border transfer into Macau.
Responsible: Owner or agent.
07
Certificate close to departure; inspection booked at least 1 working day ahead.
Obtain the final health certificate and confirm the IAM arrival inspection slot.
Responsible: Vet in New Zealand; IAM in Macau.
Requirements
Macau entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 compliant, implanted before the rabies vaccination is given.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Given after the microchip, current and clearly dated on the health record.
Rabies titre test
IAM's default position treats the rabies titre test as necessary unless a pet arrives from a country or territory with no rabies incidents in the past two years. New Zealand has never recorded a case of rabies, a cleaner record than almost any other origin on this site, which reads favourably against IAM's own stated criterion. No source checked for this guide names New Zealand on a published IAM exemption list, though, so this is a strong likelihood rather than a confirmed line item. Confirm directly with IAM before relying on skipping the test. Source: Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais (IAM) pre-entry inspection requirements, as summarised via PetTravel.com and gov.mo, 2026.
Quarantine
No mandatory quarantine for pets that meet the pre-entry requirements and pass an on-arrival inspection by an IAM veterinary surgeon. IAM dropped the previous 30-day mandatory quarantine for compliant dogs and cats in a policy update that took effect around June 2026.
Import permit
Import Licence for Live Animals (PS-1092), applied for through the Macao SAR Government Portal. IAM typically issues the licence within 3 working days, valid for 30 days once granted.
Health certificate
Official veterinary Health Certificate of Animal (form referenced as PS-1086 on the Macao SAR Government Portal), issued shortly before travel and covering microchip, vaccination and, if applicable, titre test results.
Leaving New Zealand
Export requirements
Export permit
An Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC) is generally required for live animal exports from New Zealand, unless a legal exemption applies. Where Macau has an Overseas Market Access Requirement (OMAR) on file, an official assurance export certificate confirming the pet meets it is also needed.
Health certificate
Official veterinary health certificate issued or endorsed by an MPI official veterinarian, reformatted to meet Macau's IAM entry requirements before departure. Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), mpi.govt.nz, 'Requirement documents for pets leaving NZ'.
Costs
What this route typically costs
AWEC and MPI export certificate paperwork: NZD 150-350.
Health certificate and veterinary fees in New Zealand: NZD 120-280.
IAM Import Licence (PS-1092) application fee: modest, typically under NZD 80 equivalent.
Cargo fee, Auckland to Hong Kong: NZD 3,200-5,200 depending on crate size and season.
Cross-border transfer, Hong Kong to Macau (bridge coach or ferry, including crate handling): NZD 170-400.
IATA-compliant travel crate: NZD 220-520.
Total typical range: NZD 3,900-6,700 over 8-12 weeks, assuming the titre test isn't required.
Critical points
New Zealand isn't named on any published IAM exemption list checked for this guide, despite never having recorded a rabies case. Confirm directly with IAM before booking against a titre-free timeline.
There is no direct cargo flight from New Zealand to Macau. Every routing adds a Hong Kong transfer leg, with its own booking and crate handling.
The PS-1092 import licence is only valid for 30 days once issued. Apply against a confirmed travel date, not a provisional one.
MPI's own export process, the AWEC and any OMAR-specific official assurance, needs its own lead time and should not be left until the final weeks before departure.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Cathay Pacific
No direct cargo service from New Zealand into Macau. Pets fly Auckland to Hong Kong (HKG) with Cathay Pacific, an 11-hour direct sector, then transfer by road across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge or by ferry to clear IAM inspection.
Cargo Only
Singapore Airlines
An alternative routing via Singapore Changi, connecting onward towards Macau if direct Auckland-Hong Kong cargo capacity is tight.
Cargo Only
China Southern Airlines
A mainland Chinese hub option via Guangzhou, a workable backup given Macau's dense short-haul air links into southern China.
Cargo Only
Macau import rules, explained
Macau has a clear set of import requirements that are manageable with some planning. Follow them in order and keep an eye on the dates that cannot move.
Practical tips for this move
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
Likely not, given New Zealand has never recorded a rabies case, a record that matches IAM’s own stated exemption criterion. This isn’t confirmed by name on a published IAM list in any source checked for this guide, though, so confirm directly with IAM before booking against a titre-free timeline.
An Animal Welfare Export Certificate through an MPI-listed veterinary practice, and, where Macau has an Overseas Market Access Requirement on file, an official assurance certificate confirming the pet meets it. Start this well ahead of the flight.
Not for a pet that meets the pre-entry requirements. IAM dropped its mandatory 30-day quarantine for compliant dogs and cats in a policy change that took effect around June 2026.
No. Pets fly Auckland to Hong Kong, most commonly with Cathay Pacific, then cross into Macau by road over the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge or by ferry.
Airline guides
Cathay Pacific
Singapore Airlines
China Southern Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.