Why permits are a pre-booking gate
Most countries take a vaccination + health certificate + microchip stack and let the pet through on arrival. The above five destinations need to approve the import before your pet is even in the air— the cargo airline won’t load the pet without the permit number on the airway bill.
That means a permit isn’t an optional add-on. It’s the first step of the timeline, ahead of every other paperwork item. If you book a cargo flight and apply for the permit on the same day, you’re going to miss the flight. The permit lead time always dominates the timeline.
The full permit-required table
| Destination | Authority | Permit name | Lead time | Cost (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | DAFF | BICON Import Permit (cats & dogs) | 6–8 weeks (longer for Group 2/3) | AUD 430 first pet + AUD 205 additional |
| New Zealand | MPI | Import Permit (NZ Cat/Dog) | 4–8 weeks | NZD varies |
| China | GACC | Import Permit (some categories) | 2–4 weeks | RMB varies |
| Singapore | AVA / NParks | Dog Licence + Cat Licence + Import Licence | 2–6 weeks | SGD varies |
| Taiwan | BAPHIQ | Import Permit | ~2 weeks | TWD varies |
| Japan | MAFF / AQS | Notification (functionally a permit) | 40 days before flight | None |
| Hawaii | HDOA DAR | NIIP application | 30+ days before flight | $185 |
| Iceland | MAST | Import Licence | 4–6 weeks | ISK varies |
Destinations with no permit required include the entire EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea (notification only), and most of the rest of Asia + Latin America.
How the Australia BICON permit works
BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions System) is the public-facing portal where you apply for a permit to import a cat or dog into Australia. The permit is issued by DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry).
- Submit BICON application with your pet’s details, rabies vaccination history, FAVN/RNATT result, and intended arrival airport (MEL only).
- Pay the BICON fee (~AUD 430 for the first pet, AUD 205 for each additional pet).
- Wait 6–8 weeks for permit issuance.
- Permit specifies the Group(typically Group 3 for US-origin pets), the conditions, and the booking slot at the Mickleham PEQ facility that’s been reserved for your pet.
You can’t book the cargo flight until you have the permit. The permit itself is what lets the cargo airline accept the pet for the MEL flight. See our Mickleham booking-window article for the full Australia timeline.
How the New Zealand MPI permit works
Similar to Australia. New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) requires a pet-import permit before cargo. The timeline is similar — 4–8 weeks lead time, slot at the MPI quarantine facility included.
NZ’s process is closer to Australia’s than to anything else.
How the China GACC permit works
China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) requires an import permit for some pet categories. Whether you need one depends on:
- The species (cats and dogs)
- The number of pets
- The destination airport
- Whether the importer is the pet’s owner or a forwarder
For a single-pet owner-travelling case from LA to PVG/PEK, the permit may or may not be required depending on the current GACC bulletin year. The safest move: assume you need one and apply 4 weeks ahead. See our China GACC permit article for the detailed cut-list.
How the Singapore licence stack works
Singapore is unusual: there are three separate licences you may need:
- Import Licence (AVA) — for the cross-border move itself
- Dog Licence (NParks) — for keeping a dog in Singapore (HDB has breed restrictions)
- Cat Licence (NParks, if applicable)
For a US → SG move, you need at least the Import Licence. The Dog Licence depends on the breed and your housing situation. NParks publishes a breed-restriction list — restricted breeds (some terriers, some mastiffs) require additional paperwork or aren’t admissible.
Lead time: 2–6 weeks total.
Japan’s AQS notification + Hawaii’s NIIP — functionally permits
Japan requires an advance notificationto MAFF / AQS at least 40 days before the planned arrival. This isn’t called a “permit” but functionally serves the same role: AQS won’t accept the pet at the arrival inspection without the prior notification on file. Late submission triggers an extended AQS quarantine.
Hawaii’s NIIP application is the equivalent: submitted at least 30 days before arrival, with the $185 fee. Without the NIIP application on file, the pet enters mandatory 120-day quarantine at the DAR animal quarantine facility on O’ahu — which is what NIIP exists to avoid. See our HNL vs neighbour island NIIP article.
The timeline order: permit first, everything else second
A pet move to a permit-required destination follows this order:
- Months ahead — apply for the permit (6–8 weeks for AU/NZ, 2–4 for the rest)
- In parallel — schedule the rabies vaccination, microchip, and FAVN/RNATT (180-day or 6-month waits if required)
- 30 days before flight — book the cargo flight (now that the permit is in hand)
- 10 days before flight — vet exam, health certificate, USDA endorsement
- Day of flight — arrive at the cargo terminal
If you flip this — book the cargo flight first, then apply for the permit — you’ll miss the flight by weeks.
What if I’m already short on time
If your move is in less than 6 weeks and you’re going to AU or NZ: you won’t make it. The permit lead time alone exceeds your runway. The realistic options are:
- Delay the move
- House the pet in the US with a friend/family member and ship later
- Board the pet professionally in LA until paperwork catches up
If your destination’s permit is shorter (China at 2–4 weeks, Taiwan at ~2 weeks): you might still make it. Apply for the permit on day 1, then backwards-plan everything else around the permit date.