How long does it take to move a dog or cat to the UAE or Dubai?

Moving a pet to the UAE takes 16 to 20 weeks if the RNATT titre test is required (which depends on the origin country's rabies risk classification per WOAH). If the RNATT is not required, the process takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks. The main steps are: microchip, rabies vaccination, RNATT blood test (if required, then 90-day wait), MOCCAE UAE import permit (allow 2–4 weeks), and official health certificate endorsed by the origin country's veterinary authority within 10 days of travel.

Planning Guide Updated June 2026 ⏱ 12 min read

How Long Does Pet Relocation Take? The Honest Timeline by Country [2026]

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Australia?

Moving a pet to Australia takes a minimum of 7 to 9 months from the start of the process. The main constraint is the mandatory RNATT (Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test) — pets from Group 3 countries (including most of Europe, USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan, UAE, and South Africa) must wait 180 days after a passing blood test result before they can enter Australia. On top of this, an import permit takes 4–8 weeks to process, and the Mickleham Quarantine Facility (Melbourne) must be pre-booked and pre-paid before travel. If the pet comes from a non-approved country (e.g. Brazil or Angola), it must first spend time in an approved staging country, adding 9–18 months to the total timeline.

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Japan?

Moving a pet to Japan takes a minimum of 7 to 8 months. Japan requires a two-step rabies vaccination protocol (second vaccine at least 30 days after the first), followed by the RNATT blood test. The pet must then wait 180 days from the date of blood sampling before entering Japan. Additionally, advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) must be submitted at least 40 days before arrival, and a health certificate must be sent to AQS for pre-verification. Any documentation deficiency can result in detention of up to 180 days in Japan at the owner's expense.

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to the UK?

Moving a pet to the UK takes 4 to 6 weeks from the start of the process, assuming the pet's rabies vaccination is not current. The main steps are: microchip implantation, rabies vaccination (minimum 21 days before travel), an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an Official Veterinarian within 10 days of travel, and tapeworm treatment for dogs within 1–5 days before arrival. There is no RNATT requirement for pets entering the UK from EU countries and most approved countries. If the rabies vaccination is already current, the process can be completed in 3–4 weeks.

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Singapore?

Moving a pet to Singapore takes 16 to 20 weeks. The main constraint is the RNATT (Rabies Titre Test) — a mandatory 90-day wait applies after a passing blood test result. Additionally, an AVS import licence must be obtained before travel (allow 2–4 weeks), and from 1 April 2026, import clearance must be managed by an AVS-approved pet agent (self-clearance is no longer permitted). The breed must also be verified against Singapore's approved breed list before any other step is taken.

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to New Zealand?

Moving a pet to New Zealand takes 6 to 7 months (24–28 weeks) from Group 3 countries including most of Europe, USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan, UAE, and South Africa. The RNATT is mandatory with a 90-day wait. An MPI import permit takes 4–8 weeks. A 10-day quarantine at an MPI-approved facility is mandatory and must be pre-booked. For pets from non-approved countries (most of Africa, South America, Asia), direct import is not permitted — the pet must first be relocated to an approved country, adding significant time to the overall process.

Q: How long does it take to move a dog or cat to the USA?

Moving a pet to the USA takes 3 to 5 weeks from the start of the process, assuming the rabies vaccination is current. The key steps are: valid rabies vaccination, CDC Dog Import Form submission (mandatory for all dogs), health certificate issued by a licensed vet within 10 days of travel, and USDA APHIS endorsement of the health certificate (allow 3–5 working days). There is no RNATT requirement for travel to the USA. If the rabies vaccination is not current, add 3–5 weeks for the vaccination and the 30-day post-vaccination waiting period.

Q: What makes pet relocation take longer than expected?

The most common reasons pet relocation takes longer than expected are: (1) RNATT required but not started early enough — the 180-day wait (Australia, Japan) or 90-day wait (New Zealand, Singapore, UAE) cannot be shortened; (2) Failed RNATT — if the blood test result is below 0.5 IU/ml, the process restarts from re-vaccination, adding 3–6 months; (3) Vaccination given before microchip — this invalidates the vaccination for most destinations and the protocol must restart; (4) Import permit delays — some countries have permit processing times of 4–8 weeks; (5) Staging country required — if the pet's origin country is not on the approved list for Australia or New Zealand, it must first relocate to an approved country, adding months or years; (6) Breed restrictions discovered late — checking breed eligibility at the end of the process, not the beginning.

The most common mistake in international pet relocation is starting too late. People book flights, hand in their notice, sign a lease — and then discover their pet needs 6 months of preparation before it can enter the destination country. The honest answer to "how long does this take?" depends entirely on where you're going. This guide gives you the real numbers for 20+ countries, what drives each timeline, and what can make it longer.

What's Your Exact Timeline?

Use the Pet Travel Checker to get a step-by-step plan for your specific origin, destination, and pet type.

Check My Route → Get a Quote

Quick Reference: Minimum Timeline by Destination

These are the minimum timelines — assuming a healthy pet, no complications, first-attempt RNATT pass, and all vaccinations starting from zero. If your pet's rabies vaccination is already current, the timeline may be shorter for some destinations.

Destination	Minimum Timeline	RNATT Wait	Quarantine	Main Driver	Difficulty
🇦🇺 Australia	7–9 months	180 days	10 days (mandatory)	180-day RNATT wait + quarantine booking	Complex
🇯🇵 Japan	7–8 months	180 days	None (if docs correct)	2 vaccinations + 180-day RNATT wait + 40-day AQS notification	Complex
🇳🇿 New Zealand	6–7 months	90 days	10 days (mandatory)	RNATT + import permit (4–8 weeks) + quarantine booking	Complex
🇸🇬 Singapore	4–5 months	90 days	None	RNATT 90-day wait + AVS import licence	Difficult
🇦🇪 UAE (if RNATT required)	4–5 months	90 days	None	RNATT 90-day wait + MOCCAE import permit	Difficult
🇧🇭 Bahrain	5–6 months	90 days	None	RNATT + import permit	Difficult
🇿🇦 South Africa	8–12 weeks	None	Possible 14 days	AICP permit (30 working days) + sterilisation requirement for dogs	Difficult
🇹🇭 Thailand	4–6 weeks	None	None	DLD import permit (~7 working days)	Difficult
🇦🇪 UAE (if RNATT not required)	6–8 weeks	None	None	MOCCAE import permit + health cert	Difficult
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	6–8 weeks	None	Possible	Import permit (Director of Vet Services, Harare) + Interterritorial Movement Permit	Difficult
🇬🇧 UK	4–6 weeks	None	None	AHC + tapeworm treatment (dogs)	Moderate
🇺🇸 USA	3–5 weeks	None	None	USDA APHIS endorsement	Moderate
🇨🇦 Canada	4–6 weeks	None	None	Health cert + official endorsement	Moderate
🇩🇪 Germany / 🇫🇷 France / EU	3–4 weeks*	None	None	EU Pet Passport — if already valid: immediate	Moderate
🇮🇪 Ireland	4–6 weeks	None	None	AHC (same as UK process) + tapeworm (dogs)	Moderate
🇧🇷 Brazil	6–8 weeks	None	None	MAPA import permit + health cert in Portuguese	Difficult
🇦🇷 Argentina	4–6 weeks	None	None	CVI must be in Spanish + SENASA requirements	Moderate
🇲🇾 Malaysia	6–10 weeks	None	7 days (possible)	DVS import permit + rabies-free country requirements	Difficult

* EU residents with a valid EU Pet Passport can travel between EU member states immediately. 3–4 weeks applies if the rabies vaccination is not current. Non-EU pets entering the EU from high-risk countries may require RNATT — adding 90 days.

The Two Types of Pet Relocation: RNATT vs. No RNATT

The single biggest factor in how long your relocation will take is whether the destination country requires the RNATT (Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test). This divides all international pet relocations into two fundamentally different timelines.

🔬

RNATT Required

4–9 months

Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, UAE (if applicable), Bahrain

The RNATT waiting period (180 or 90 days) is non-negotiable and cannot be shortened. Everything else is secondary.

📋

No RNATT Required

3–12 weeks

UK, USA, Canada, EU countries, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and most others

Timeline driven by import permit processing and health certificate timing. Much more manageable.

Destinations Requiring the RNATT: Detailed Timelines

🇦🇺 Australia — Minimum 7 to 9 Months

Australia has the most demanding pet import process in the world — not just because of the 180-day RNATT wait, but because of the additional layers: import permit, quarantine booking, and strict approved-country groups.

1

Microchip + Rabies vaccination
Microchip must be implanted before vaccination. Both done at the same vet visit or shortly after.

Day 0
2

RNATT blood sampling
Blood drawn after vaccination course complete. Can be same day as final vaccination.

Day 0 (clock starts here)
3

RNATT result confirmed ≥ 0.5 IU/ml
Result from approved lab — typically 2–3 weeks after blood draw.

~Day 14–21
4

Apply for import permit + book Mickleham quarantine
Permit from Australian Government DAFF (4–8 weeks processing). Quarantine must be pre-booked and pre-paid — only one facility in Australia (Melbourne).

Start as early as possible during the 180-day wait
5

180-day wait elapses
Pet cannot enter Australia until Day 180 from blood sampling. No exceptions.

Day 180 (earliest possible arrival)
6

Health certificate + official endorsement
Issued within 10 days before travel. Official endorsement takes 5–10 working days.

Within 10 days before departure
7

10-day quarantine at Mickleham (Melbourne)
Mandatory for all pets. Pets arriving at other airports are transported to Melbourne for quarantine.

After arrival — 10 days

🇯🇵 Japan — Minimum 7 to 8 Months

Japan is uniquely strict in requiring two rabies vaccinations before the RNATT blood test — the second must be at least 30 days after the first. The 180-day wait then begins from the blood sampling date. Any documentation deficiency discovered on arrival results in detention for up to 180 days at the owner's cost.

Milestone	Timing
Microchip + first rabies vaccination	Day 0
Second rabies vaccination	Day 30 or later
RNATT blood sampling (can be same day as 2nd vaccine)	Day 30+ (clock starts)
RNATT result confirmed ≥ 0.5 IU/ml	~Day 44–60
Submit advance notification to AQS	At least 40 days before arrival
Clinical inspection by vet	Within 10 days before departure
Official health certificate endorsed	Within 10 days before departure
Earliest possible arrival in Japan	Day 180 from blood sampling

Japan: arriving before Day 180 = automatic detention

If a pet arrives in Japan before the 180-day period has fully elapsed, it is detained at an AQS facility for the remaining days. The owner pays all costs — boarding, feeding, veterinary care. This can be extremely expensive. The only solution is rigorous timeline planning before departure.

🇳🇿 New Zealand — Minimum 6 to 7 Months

New Zealand has a 90-day RNATT wait (shorter than Australia), but adds a mandatory 10-day quarantine at an MPI-approved facility — which must be pre-booked in advance, as spaces are limited. The import permit process takes 4–8 weeks on top of the 90-day wait.

🇸🇬 Singapore — Minimum 4 to 5 Months

Singapore's 90-day RNATT wait is the main constraint. Unlike Australia and New Zealand, there is no quarantine if all conditions are met. The AVS import licence takes 2–4 weeks to process. From 1 April 2026, import clearance must be handled by an AVS-approved pet agent — self-clearance is no longer permitted.

🇦🇪 UAE — 4 to 5 Months (if RNATT required) / 6–8 Weeks (if not)

Whether the RNATT is required for UAE travel depends on your origin country's rabies classification per WOAH WAHIS. If your country is low-risk or rabies-free, the process is straightforward (6–8 weeks). If RNATT is required, add 90 days plus the MOCCAE permit processing time.

Destinations Without RNATT: Simpler Timelines

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — 4 to 6 Weeks

The UK does not require the RNATT. The key steps are: microchip before vaccination, rabies vaccination (minimum 21 days before travel), and an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued within 10 days of travel. Dogs also require tapeworm treatment 1–5 days before arrival. If the pet's rabies vaccination is already current and within validity, the process can be completed in 3–4 weeks.

🇺🇸 USA — 3 to 5 Weeks

No RNATT, no quarantine, no import permit. The rate-limiting step is the USDA APHIS endorsement of the health certificate — allow 3–5 working days. A CDC Dog Import Form must also be submitted online before travel. If rabies is not current, add 3–5 weeks for vaccination and the 30-day post-vaccination wait.

🇩🇪🇫🇷🇪🇸 EU Member States — Immediate to 4 Weeks

For pets already in the EU with a valid EU Pet Passport: travel between EU member states is essentially immediate — no RNATT, no quarantine, no permit. If the rabies vaccination needs to be administered or renewed, add 3–4 weeks (21-day minimum post-vaccination wait). Pets entering the EU from non-EU countries classified as high-risk for rabies may require the RNATT, adding 90 days.

🇿🇦 South Africa — 8 to 12 Weeks

South Africa doesn't require the RNATT but has its own complicating factor: the Animal Improvement Compliance Permit (AICP) for dogs, which takes approximately 30 working days to process. Dogs must also be sterilised before import — if sterilisation hasn't been done, it must be carried out in South Africa after arrival, which needs to be coordinated with the agent and DALRRD in advance. Start the AICP application at the same time as you begin the veterinary process.

What Makes the Timeline Longer Than Expected

Failed RNATT. If the blood test result is below 0.5 IU/ml, the vaccination protocol must be reviewed, the pet re-vaccinated, and the test repeated. The 180 or 90-day wait only starts from the new passing result. A failed test typically adds 3–6 months.
Vaccination given before microchip. This invalidates the vaccination for most destinations. The correct sequence — microchip first, then vaccination — must be restarted. Adds 3–6 weeks minimum.
Staging country required. Pets from non-approved countries for Australia or New Zealand (e.g. Brazil, Angola, India, China) cannot travel directly. They must first relocate to an approved country, establish residency, complete all requirements from there, and then travel. This adds 9–18 months to the total timeline.
Import permit delays. Some countries' permit offices experience processing delays, particularly for South Africa (AICP), Thailand (DLD), and Zimbabwe. Apply early.
Quarantine facility unavailability. Mickleham (Australia) and New Zealand's MPI quarantine have limited spaces. Not pre-booking early enough can delay the travel date by weeks.
Breed restriction discovered late. If a breed is prohibited at the destination and this is only discovered after the relocation process has started, the process stops entirely. Check breed eligibility before anything else.
Rabies booster lapses after RNATT. If a rabies booster falls out of date after a passing RNATT result, the titre test may be invalidated and retesting required.

Starting from Scratch vs. Pet Already Compliant

The timelines above assume a pet starting from zero — no microchip, no vaccination, no previous RNATT. If your pet is already partially or fully compliant, the timeline may be significantly shorter:

Pet's Current Status	Impact on Timeline
Microchipped + rabies current + RNATT pass within last 2 years (Japan) / within validity (AU, NZ)	Only the waiting period applies — if the 90 or 180 days have already elapsed from the RNATT blood date, the pet may be ready to travel almost immediately (subject to permit and health cert)
Microchipped + rabies current + no RNATT done	Start RNATT blood test now → 90-day or 180-day clock begins
Microchipped + rabies lapsed	Revaccinate → restart vaccination waiting period → then RNATT
No microchip + no vaccinations	Full process from Day 0 — use the timelines in the master table above
Microchip implanted after vaccination	Vaccination does not count → must revaccinate after microchip → restart from correct sequence

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Australia?

Minimum 7 to 9 months. The 180-day RNATT wait is the main constraint. On top of this: import permit (4–8 weeks), Mickleham quarantine booking (mandatory, must be pre-booked), and health certificate within 10 days of travel. If coming from a non-approved country, add staging time — up to 18 months total.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Japan?

Minimum 7 to 8 months. Japan requires two rabies vaccinations (second at least 30 days after the first), then the RNATT blood test, then a 180-day wait from the blood sampling date. AQS advance notification must be submitted at least 40 days before arrival. Documentation errors result in detention up to 180 days at the owner's expense.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to the UK?

4 to 6 weeks if the rabies vaccination is not current. No RNATT required. Main steps: microchip, rabies vaccination (21-day wait), Animal Health Certificate (AHC) within 10 days of travel, tapeworm treatment for dogs 1–5 days before arrival. If rabies vaccination is already current, process may be completed in 3–4 weeks.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Dubai / UAE?

16–20 weeks if the RNATT is required (90-day wait applies if your origin country is classified as rabies-risk by WOAH). 6–8 weeks if the RNATT is not required. Always verify your country's WOAH classification. MOCCAE import permit takes 2–4 weeks and must be in place before travel.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to Singapore?

16–20 weeks. RNATT is mandatory — 90-day wait. AVS import licence takes 2–4 weeks. From April 2026, import clearance must be handled by an AVS-approved agent. Always verify your breed is on Singapore's approved breed list before starting.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to New Zealand?

6 to 7 months from Group 3 countries (EU, USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan, UAE, South Africa). RNATT mandatory with 90-day wait. MPI import permit takes 4–8 weeks. 10-day quarantine is mandatory and must be pre-booked. Direct flights from most countries don't exist — multi-leg routing adds complexity.

How long does it take to move a dog or cat to the USA?

3 to 5 weeks. No RNATT, no quarantine, no import permit. CDC Dog Import Form required for dogs. USDA APHIS endorsement of health certificate takes 3–5 working days. If rabies vaccination is not current, add 3–5 weeks for vaccination and the 30-day post-vaccination wait.

What makes pet relocation take longer than expected?

The most common causes: (1) RNATT not started early enough — the 90 or 180-day wait cannot be compressed; (2) failed RNATT — adds 3–6 months; (3) vaccination given before microchip — invalidates the vaccination, process restarts; (4) staging country required for AU/NZ — adds months or years; (5) import permit delays; (6) breed restriction discovered too late.

Know Your Timeline Before You Start

Get a personalised relocation plan for your specific route, pet, and timeline — including every step, in the right order, with the right timing.

Get a Free Quote → Check My Route

Official Resources

🇦🇺 Australia —Australian Government DAFF — Importing Cats and Dogs
🇯🇵 Japan —MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — Import Requirements
🇳🇿 New Zealand —MPI New Zealand — Importing Cats and Dogs
🇸🇬 Singapore —AVS Singapore — Pet Import Requirements
🇦🇪 UAE —UAE MOCCAE — Pet Import Permit
🇬🇧 UK —UK Government — Bringing Pets to Great Britain
🇺🇸 USA —USDA APHIS — Traveling with Pets

Disclaimer: Timelines shown are minimum estimates based on data available as of June 2026, assuming no complications, a healthy pet, and all vaccinations starting from zero. Actual timelines vary based on origin country, pet history, permit processing times, and laboratory availability. Requirements change frequently without notice. Always verify current requirements with a certified pet relocation specialist and the relevant government authority before making any travel arrangements. The Pet Travel accepts no liability for decisions made based on this content.