New Zealand's Category 3 process applies the same rabies timeline to cats and dogs from the US: microchip, a primary rabies vaccination 6–12 months before travel, an RNATT titer test, an import permit, and a minimum 10-day quarantine at an MPI-approved facility via Auckland or Christchurch. The difference is the disease panel — cats have none of it.
Minimum lead time: about 6 months (180 days). The binding constraint is the same as for dogs: a primary rabies vaccination must be 6–12 months old on travel day. But cats skip heartworm, leptospirosis, Babesia and Brucella testing entirely.
Going on vacation, not moving? The same timeline still applies. New Zealand makes no exception for tourists or short stays — these rules apply to every dog and cat entering the country, so a two-week holiday needs the same months of preparation as a permanent move. There is no short-stay shortcut.
The requirements, in order
Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.
- ISO microchip implanted & scannedISO 11784/11785 microchip, implanted and scanned to verify identity BEFORE any vaccination, test or treatment for import. It anchors everything — each later step must be preceded by a chip scan.
- Rabies vaccination — the 6-month clockInactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine, given at 3 months of age or older, after the microchip. A primary (first) vaccination must be given no less than 6 months and no more than 12 months before travel — this is the single longest lead time in the whole process. A booster counts only if given before the previous shot expired.If your dog's rabies coverage ever lapsed, the next shot is a 'primary' again and restarts the 6-month clock. Keep vaccination continuous from the RNATT draw onward.
- RNATT blood draw (rabies titer test)Rabies antibody titre test (FAVN or RFFIT, result ≥ 0.5 IU/ml) at an approved lab. MPI recommends drawing 3–4 weeks after the primary vaccination. The sample must be taken no less than 3 months and no more than 24 months before departure (the 2021 standard; the 2026 standard narrows this to 12 months).A result below 0.5 IU/ml means re-vaccinate and re-test 3–4 weeks later. This sits inside the 6-month vaccine window, so it rarely drives the timeline.
- Book an MPI-approved quarantine facilityBook your pet's minimum-10-day stay at an approved facility in Auckland or Christchurch. You need the booking confirmation letter to apply for the import permit, and popular facilities fill up — book well ahead.
- Apply for the import permit (APIPS)Apply online once your quarantine booking is in hand and the Official Veterinarian Declaration is endorsed by USDA APHIS. MPI needs at least 30 working days (about 6 weeks) to process it, counted from when all documentation is correct.
- 21-day respiratory-disease clean period beginsFor at least the 21 days before shipment, your pet must show no clinical signs of infectious respiratory disease and not be kept where other cats/dogs show such signs. This is a declaration on the certificate — no lapses in the final three weeks.
- External parasite treatment #1 (fleas & ticks)First of two treatments effective against fleas and ticks, given in the 30 days before flying and at least 14 days before the second.
- Internal parasite treatment #1 (worms)First of two treatments effective against nematodes and cestodes, given 30 days before flying and at least 14 days before the second.
- Internal parasite treatment #2 (worms)Second worming treatment, at least 14 days after the first and in the 4 days before flying.
- External parasite treatment #2 (fleas & ticks)Second flea/tick treatment, at least 14 days after the first and in the 2 days before flying — combined with the final vet exam.
- Final vet exam + Certificates A & BA veterinarian performs the final pre-export clinical exam in the 2 days before shipment (entire dogs are also checked for CTVT). Model Veterinary Certificate A (USDA-accredited vet) and Certificate B (endorsed by USDA APHIS via VEHCS) are completed here.
What cats skip
Cats do not need the heartworm test and preventive, the leptospirosis test or doxycycline course, the Babesia gibsoni test, the Brucella canis test, or the entire-dog genital (CTVT) exam. Cats keep the shared core: microchip, rabies (6-month window), RNATT titer, paired internal and external parasite treatments, the import permit (book quarantine before applying), the final vet exam and Certificates A & B, and the 10-day quarantine. The planner shows exactly the cat steps.
A rules change is underway
New Zealand's 2026 Import Health Standard is phasing in (both the 2021 and 2026 standards are accepted until 1 April 2027). The main changes: the RNATT window narrows from 24 to 12 months, and a new pre-export identity check by an official vet phases in from October 2026. This page is dated on the 2021 standard — check the "last verified" stamp for travel near or after April 2027.
Official sources
These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.
- MPI — Step-by-step guide to bringing cats and dogs to NZ (2021 process)
- MPI — Bringing your dog to New Zealand (Category 3 support document & checklist)
- MPI — Bringing your cat to New Zealand (Category 3 support document & checklist)
- USDA APHIS — Pet travel from the US to New Zealand
Rather have a professional handle the whole move? Pet relocation companies manage the vet visits, paperwork, and bookings end-to-end. (Referral placement — link to relocation partner here.)
Traveling internationally with a pet? Vet visits abroad are out-of-network by definition. (Pet insurance affiliate placement here.)
FAQ
- How long does it take to bring a cat from the US to New Zealand?
- About 6 months minimum, driven by the rule that a primary rabies vaccination must be 6–12 months old on travel day, plus a 10-day quarantine after arrival. If your cat already has an unbroken vaccination history and valid titer, the remaining work is much shorter. The planner computes your dates.
- Which requirements do cats skip versus dogs?
- Cats skip every dog-only disease test — heartworm, leptospirosis, Babesia and Brucella — and the CTVT exam. They keep microchip, rabies, titer, parasite treatments, permit and quarantine.
- Do cats still quarantine in New Zealand?
- Yes — a minimum of 10 days at an MPI-approved facility, entering via Auckland or Christchurch. Book it before applying for the import permit.
Other cat routes
- USA → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- USA → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- USA → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · no quarantine
- USA → France (EU)3–4 weeks lead · category-1 breed ban
- USA → Portugal (EU)3–4 weeks lead · 48h arrival notice
- USA → Germany (EU)3–4 weeks lead · breed import ban
- USA → Italy (EU)3–4 weeks lead · no breed bans
- USA → United Kingdom~3 weeks lead · no quarantine if compliant
- UK → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- UK → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- UK → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · AHC, not a passport
- Canada → USANo waiting period · just the CDC form + 6-month age
- Canada → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- Canada → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- Canada → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · AHC, not a passport
- USA → MexicoNo waiting period · screwworm cert for dogs (Aug 2026)
- USA → Dominican Republic~1 month lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Brazil~3 weeks lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Colombia~3 weeks lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Argentina~3 weeks lead · no permit, no quarantine
- USA → Cayman Islands~3 months lead · titer test, no quarantine option