BRINGING A CAT FROMCocos (Keeling) Islands to Australia
Cat · Moving
No quarantine. Needs residence period, condition of the animal, import permit, parasite treatment, health certificate, advance notice to the authority and port of entry.
Always confirm with the destination's official authority and your airline before travelling.
Entry requirements
Import permit needed (BICON), no mandatory quarantine; preparation by a federal government employee on the islands; flights are scarce.
Only lived on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands since birth or since import from Australia, or at least 180 days there immediately before export.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Only lived on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands since birth or since import from Australia, or at least 180 days there immediately before export.
- · the cat has ever lived in a country other than Australia
Not more than 40 days pregnant, not nursing, not under quarantine restrictions.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Not more than 40 days pregnant, not nursing, not under quarantine restrictions.
Import permit applied for in BICON; most issued in 20 business days, up to 123; valid 12 months from issue and must be valid on arrival. The health certificate is Appendix 1 of the permit.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Import permit applied for in BICON; most issued in 20 business days, up to 123; valid 12 months from issue and must be valid on arrival. The health certificate is Appendix 1 of the permit.
External parasites — topical product killing ticks and fleas on contact, within 5 days before export.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
External parasites — topical product killing ticks and fleas on contact, within 5 days before export.
Internal parasites (nematodes and cestodes) by a federal government employee within 5 days before export.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Internal parasites (nematodes and cestodes) by a federal government employee within 5 days before export.
Appendix 1 of the import permit; parts 1–2 by the owner, parts 3–4 by a federal government employee (examination within 5 days before export).
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Appendix 1 of the import permit; parts 1–2 by the owner, parts 3–4 by a federal government employee (examination within 5 days before export).
E-mail the DAFF regional office of the first arrival state at least 3 days before arrival.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
E-mail the DAFF regional office of the first arrival state at least 3 days before arrival.
Direct to mainland Australia (air as manifested cargo, or private vessel); cleared at the first point of entry.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Direct to mainland Australia (air as manifested cargo, or private vessel); cleared at the first point of entry.
- Dogs from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are not covered by the guide — DAFF asks owners to contact it. — Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
- The Cocos (Keeling) Islands page does not state the import permit fee. DAFF's standard cat and dog permit fees are the likely ones: confirm with DAFF.
No quarantine
Timeline
Working out your dates…
Documents
One paper per requirement above; carry originals. 0 of 5 ready.
Official fees
The official pages we researched for this route name no fee. Vet, lab and airline charges are not covered here.
Entry points
Where a pet may enter Australia, per the rules.
- Any point of entry.List as of 2026-09-24Pets from New Zealand, Norfolk Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are cleared at any first point of entry (air or sea) — see those rules. By sea, the port must be a first point of entry for live cats and dogs.
Breed bans
Add the breed to your link (Edit route) and the checklist refuses a banned type.
- IMPORT BANSavannah cat (any serval ancestry) — and crosses
- IMPORT BANSafari cat, Chausie, Bengal cat, other domestic × wild cat hybrids — and crossesOfficial sources differ on when the Bengal ban started — DAFF guides say 1 March 2026; the DCCEEW news release (Dec 2024) says 1 March 2025 and ended the "5 generations" exemption. Either way Bengal cats cannot be imported now.DAFF's wording of the Bengal change.The New Zealand guide still says Bengal cats are banned 'except in some cases' in its list, next to the same 'no longer permitted' notice — treat Bengals as banned.
Airlines
Airline rules are separate from entry rules and change without notice — confirm in writing when you book. Only what the carriers' own pages say, read 25 Sep 2026. All airlines
- Lufthansa LHCabinYesHoldYesSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- Emirates EKCabinNoHoldYesSnub-nosedCargo: only Nov – Apr
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 45 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: not 1 May – 31 Oct
- Qantas QFCabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedNot stated
- CabinYesHoldNoSnub-nosedHold, cargo: no
- KLM KLCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no
- Air France AFCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedCargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: restricted
Announced changes
- DATE NOT ANNOUNCEDDAFF is reforming the import pathway for assistance animals to include cats (no date given).
Return trip to Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Entry back into the Cocos (Keeling) Islands from Australia is not researched yet.
Questions about Australia
Answered in plain words from the authorities' own pages, each linked to its source.
01How much does it cost to bring a cat or dog to Australia?
The department estimates about AUD 3,114 for one cat or dog that spends the minimum 10 days in quarantine. For one that spends the minimum 30 days, the estimate is AUD 4,234.
02How long will my pet have to stay in quarantine in Australia?
Every cat and dog spends at least 10 - 30 days, and up to 180 days, at the Mickleham post entry quarantine facility in Melbourne. The stay can be longer if problems come up that raise the biosecurity risk.
03Can my cat or dog fly to Australia in the cabin with me?
No. Cats and dogs have to fly to Australia as manifest cargo, which means the animal can be traced.
04Which Australian airport does my pet have to arrive at?
Your pet has to fly directly into Melbourne International Airport, where the department takes it to the quarantine facility. It cannot land at a different Australian airport and then continue to Melbourne on a domestic flight.
05Can I bring a Bengal, Savannah or other hybrid cat to Australia?
No. Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, cats that are crosses between domestic and wild cats are banned. This includes Savannah, Safari, Chausie and Bengal cats. When you apply for the permit, you must give your cat's breed and sign a declaration that it is not an ineligible breed.
06How early should I start preparing my pet for the move to Australia?
The department recommends starting at least 7 months before export if you are exporting from a category 3 country. From a category 2 country, where no rabies preparations are needed, it recommends starting at least 6 months ahead.
07What kind of microchip does my pet need for Australia?
The microchip must be readable by an ISO compatible reader, and its number should be 10 or 15 digits long. Chip numbers that start with 999 are not accepted, and neither are 9-digit AVID chips.
08Can I bring my pet to Australia from a country that isn't on the approved list?
Possibly. Your pet must first live without a break in an approved Group 1, 2 or 3 country for 180 days or more right before export. It must also fully meet all other import conditions for that approved country.
09What does my pet need to qualify for the shortest (10-day) quarantine?
To qualify for the minimum 10-day quarantine, the competent authority of the export country must check your pet's identity before blood is drawn for the RNAT (rabies antibody) test.
10Which flea and tick treatments are accepted for Australia?
The product has to kill fleas and ticks on contact. Tablets like NexGard or Bravecto don't count, because they only work after the parasite has bitten. Tick collars are also refused, because they can come off and some weather makes them less effective.
11My pet is returning to Australia — can it skip the 180-day waiting period?
An exemption may be considered in only one case. The pet must have had an RNATT result of 0.5IU/ml or higher before it left Australia. It must also be coming back from an approved country within 12 months of that test's blood sample date. No other circumstances qualify.
What they actually checked at the border
Reports from people who made this trip, read by a person before publishing.
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Share your tripSources
Every requirement above comes from one of these pages. Last researched 25 Sep 2026. Seen a change? Tell us.
- How to bring your cat to Australia from Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Group 1 territory) (opens official site)Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · used for: residence period, condition of the animal, import permit, parasite treatment, health certificate, advance notice to the authority, port of entry, quarantine, notes, this route · checked 25 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-06-11
- Glossary of terms for import of cats and dogs to Australia (Group 1/2/3 lists, definitions) (opens official site)Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · used for: which origins the rule covers, this route · checked 25 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-07-22
- How to bring your cat or dog to Australia from New Zealand (Group 1 country) (opens official site)Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · used for: entry points, this route · checked 25 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-06-26
- List of Specimens taken to be Suitable for Live Import (EPBC Act s 303EB), Part 1 — domestic dog and cat (opens official site)Federal Register of Legislation (instrument prepared by DCCEEW) · used for: breed bans · checked 24 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-01-28
- How to bring your cat or dog to Australia from Norfolk Island (Group 1 country) (opens official site)Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · used for: breed bans · checked 25 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-06-11
- Cats and dogs returning to Australia (opens official site)Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · used for: announced changes, leaving with the pet · checked 25 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-04-21
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