AustraliaAustralia maintains the world’s strictest biosecurity. Pets from Vietnam cannot enter Australia directly and must be imported through a Group 2 or Group 3 country
Last updated 14 Oct 2026i
DAFF enforces a strict policy. Direct import from Vietnam is impossible due to its “Non-Approved” status.
Vietnam is “Non-Approved.” Pets must transit via a Group 2/3 country (e.g. Singapore) for 180 days.
The pet must live in the transit country for 180 days from the official Identity Verification there, entirely outside Vietnam (Group 3 hubs add an RNATT wait).
All pets must stay at the Mickleham facility in Melbourne for 10–30 days upon arrival.
Every procedure must be performed in an approved transit country and verified by an official government veterinarian.
A 15-digit ISO-compliant (11784/11785) Pet Microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine. The chip must be verified and scannable at every official step.
Performed by a government vet in the transit country; it starts the 180-day residency clock. Via a Group 3 hub it must come before the RNATT blood draw, or quarantine defaults to 30 days.
Not required by Australia via Group 2 hubs such as Singapore (Singapore’s own entry rules still need one, done in Vietnam). Via a Group 3 hub: blood drawn in the transit country, tested by a DAFF-approved lab; a passing Rabies Titer Test (≥0.5 IU/mL) starts a 180-day countdown from the date the lab receives the sample.
Apply via BICON during the 180-day residency (Group 3 hubs: after the RNATT result confirms ≥0.5 IU/mL). Standard processing is 20-40 business days.
Testing for Brucella canis, Leishmania, and Leptospirosis required within 45 days of export; dogs leaving Singapore also need the Canine Influenza (CIV) vaccine. (Ehrlichia canis testing was removed from DAFF’s requirements in November 2022.)
Pets MUST enter Australia via Melbourne (MEL) as Manifested Cargo. Cabin or checked baggage is strictly prohibited.
Mandatory physical residency in a Group 2/3 country for 180 consecutive days. Returning to Vietnam resets the countdown to zero.
All pets must stay at the government facility for 10-30 days. Learn the Mickleham Quarantine Release Process at Melbourne (MEL).
The expert protocol for pets from Vietnam. Precision timing is required at every stage.
Microchip & Vaccine
In Vietnam: implant the ISO chip, then core and rabies vaccines. Singapore (the usual hub) also requires its own RNATT blood test, drawn in Vietnam at least 90 days before the flight to Singapore.
Relocation to Transit Hub
Ship pet to an approved hub. Daisy normally uses Singapore (Group 2), where the pet first completes a 30-day AQC quarantine under Singapore’s own rules.
Official Identity Verification
A government vet scans the chip: this is Day 0 of the 180-day residency, not the arrival date. Via a Group 3 hub such as Taiwan, an RNATT blood draw follows on a separate visit, and the 180-day wait also counts from the date the lab receives that sample.
BICON Permit Application
Apply for the Import Permit via BICON (Group 3 hubs: after the RNATT result); allow 20–40 business days. This document dictates the final tests and treatments required for your specific pet.
180-Day Biological Wait
The pet must remain healthy in the transit country. Refer to the Quarantine Health & Nutrition Checklist for core health guide.
Pre-Export Health Tests
Dogs complete Leptospirosis, Brucella and Leishmania tests; dogs leaving Singapore also need the CIV vaccine. Both cats and dogs begin the strict external/internal parasite protocol.
Mickleham Booking
Book the quarantine slot in Melbourne. Final government health certificate signed within 5 days of your pet’s flight.
Arrival & Quarantine
Arrival as Manifested Cargo. Immediate transfer to Mickleham for 10-30 days. Final release after biosecurity clearance.
These common errors result in immediate deportation or cost thousands in extended quarantine.
Without an official identity check, the 180-day residency never starts. Via a Group 3 hub it must also come before the RNATT blood draw — otherwise Australia defaults your pet to a 30-day quarantine stay, costing an extra ~$1,060 AUD.
Residency counts from the identity check, not the arrival date. Via a Group 3 hub, the RNATT wait counts from the date the laboratory receives the blood sample — not the draw date. The two dates typically differ by 3–7 days, so owners who count from the draw date routinely miscalculate their earliest export day.
Strict Ban: Pit Bull Terriers, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, and Presa Canario.
Banned: Savannah, Safari, Chausie, and (as of 01 March 2026) Bengal cats of all generations — the previous F5+ exemption no longer applies.
Applied to every pet flying the Australia route.
Eight weeks and fully weaned is the floor for carriage, and some airlines set it higher. Pregnant animals are not accepted.
IATA and IPATA both advise against sedation, and a pet known to be sedated can be refused at the counter. Crate conditioning on a six-week schedule does that work instead.
See how we handled a real relocation case for a pet traveling between Vietnam and Australia.
A cat flown from Sydney to Vietnam alone, as manifest cargo, under Australia’s government-mandated cargo-only export rule — with nobody on the ground but the paperwork to vouch for her.
Specialized handling for the Non-Approved Country pathway via Singapore or Taiwan.
Australia is a high-cost destination with complex pricing breakdown
Last updated 14 Oct 2026
Compiled by our specialists from the regulations in force on the date above, for reference only. Rules may change after this date. Please verify with the competent authorities or contact us for the most accurate information.