Pet Transport from China to Australia: The Stepping-Stone Route

DAFF groups approved source countries into categories (Groups 1-6) based on animal disease status and biosecurity equivalence. Countries not appearing in any group cannot be source countries for Australian pet imports, regardless of the individual animal’s vaccination history. China, along with India and several other high-rabies-risk countries, does not appear in any DAFF group. The policy reflects a biosecurity assessment of China’s overall animal disease environment, not of individual animals.

Once your pet has genuinely lived in Singapore for at least 6 months, met Singapore’s own import conditions, and completed the required titre test and waiting period, it can be imported into Australia as a Singapore-resident pet. The China origin is no longer relevant at that point. Vaccination records and titre test results from China carry forward, which means starting the titre test blood draw before you leave China can significantly shorten the overall timeline.

For comparison: the China-to-New Zealand route (also not a direct pathway) requires an RNATT titre test, a 180-day post-titre wait, and 10-day quarantine at the Levin facility in New Zealand. This is broadly similar in complexity and timeline to the Singapore-Australia pathway, making Singapore the more practical first step for most owners.

When your pet arrives in Singapore from China, it enters mandatory 30-day quarantine at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC) in Changi. China is a Schedule III country under Singapore AVS rules, meaning all pets from China serve 30 days in AQC. During this period, pets are vaccinated against rabies on arrival and monitored throughout. You can visit your pet during quarantine, subject to AQC booking rules. Cost is approximately SGD 1,500-3,000 for 30 days, paid by the owner.

Before the China-to-Singapore leg, you need a GACC export permit and GACC-endorsed health certificate from China, and a Singapore import permit. From 1 April 2026, only AVS-recognised pet agents are permitted to handle clearance at Changi Airfreight Centre (where the Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine Station is located). Pet owners cannot manage this step themselves. Use an AVS-approved agent for this step. Source: AVS, avs.nparks.gov.sg.

The titre test blood draw for Australian entry can be done before leaving China at a DAFF-approved laboratory, with the 180-day wait running from that blood draw date. Doing the blood draw in China means the wait period runs during Singapore residency, potentially saving months on the total timeline. If you have not drawn blood before leaving China, do so immediately after the AQC quarantine ends.

Once your pet has completed at least 6 months of genuine Singapore residency, passed the titre test with the 180-day wait elapsed, and has an AVS-endorsed DAFF-format health certificate, you can apply for the DAFF import permit and arrange the Singapore-to-Melbourne leg.

The health certificate for the Australian leg must be in DAFF’s exact format for Singapore as the country of export. It is issued by an official veterinarian in Singapore, endorsed by AVS, and must be within 14 days of the Melbourne arrival date. Using the wrong format is the most common documentation error on this route. The DAFF-format health certificate is not the same as a general Singapore export certificate.

On arrival in Melbourne, all pets serve mandatory 10-day quarantine at the Mickleham PEQ facility in Victoria. Entry via Melbourne International Airport is compulsory. No other Australian airports accept live animal imports. Quarantine costs approximately AUD 2,000-4,500 for 10 days, paid by the owner. Your pet will be examined throughout and released once all conditions are met and the 10-day period is complete.