Bringing a Cat to Australia: The 180-Day Rule, Fees, and the Bengal Ban
The full process for importing a cat to Australia: microchip, rabies vaccination, the RNATT blood test and its 180-day wait, the BICON import permit fee, and quarantine at Mickleham in Victoria. Plus the 1 March 2026 Bengal cat import ban. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
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Chapters
- 0:00 Bringing a cat to Australia
- 0:12 The order matters
- 0:23 180 days
- 0:35 Import permit: $626 for your first animal
- 0:47 Before you fly
- 0:57 10 days
- 1:19 The flight to Melbourne
- 1:29 Bengal cats banned from import
- 1:42 Start early —
- 1:54 Where to read more
Transcript
Bringing a cat to Australia takes about 6 to 7 months — mostly because of one 180-day wait built into the process.
The order matters. First, an ISO microchip. Then a rabies vaccination. Then a blood test called RNATT, sent to an approved laboratory.
The 180-day wait starts from the date the laboratory receives that blood sample — not the date you sent it. Your cat can't travel until 180 days have passed.
The import permit costs $626 for your first animal — $135 lodgement plus $491 assessment — and $299 for each extra animal on the same permit.
Before you travel, your vet treats for internal and external parasites, and issues a government-endorsed health certificate for your country of export.
After landing in Melbourne, cats from approved countries need a minimum of 10 days at the Mickleham quarantine facility, in Victoria.
That 10-day stay costs about $1,974 — a $282 reservation fee, a $1,132 importation fee, plus $56 a day for 10 days.
You'll also need an IATA-compliant travel crate for the flight to Melbourne — many owners use a professional pet-transport service for this final leg.
Since 1 March 2026, Bengal cats can't be imported at all. The exemption for later-generation Bengals was revoked, and wild-cat hybrids, like Savannahs, were never allowed.
The single biggest mistake is starting too late. With a 180-day wait built in, most owners need the full 6 to 7 months from the first vet visit to touchdown in Australia.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
Short versions
- $1,974 just for cat quarantine (0:34)
- Why cat import takes 6 to 7 months (0:29)
- Bengal cats: banned from import (0:24)
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