TLDR: New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries requires a minimum of 30 working days to process a pet import permit application. The USDA quotes a 20-day processing timeframe, but that figure does not apply to New Zealand. Owners who plan their move around 20 days can miss their travel window entirely before they realize the permit has not been approved.
The gap between those two numbers is not a minor scheduling detail. It is the difference between a move that goes ahead on time and one that has to be rescheduled.
New Zealand pet import permits are issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries, known as MPI. MPI is the New Zealand government agency responsible for biosecurity and import approvals. The permit must be approved before your pet can travel.
The permit application is submitted online. MPI reviews the application against New Zealand's import requirements and issues approval when all conditions are met.
The USDA publishes a 20-day processing timeframe for certain documentation related to international pet travel. That figure is sometimes applied to New Zealand permit applications by owners or advisors who are not familiar with MPI's separate requirements.
MPI's processing time is 30 working days, not 20. These are working days, not calendar days, which means weekends and public holidays do not count toward the total.
If the permit application is submitted too close to the travel date, MPI will still require its full processing window. The permit will not be expedited to accommodate a booking that was made before the permit was approved.
If the permit is not approved before your pet's scheduled departure, your pet cannot travel.
The permit application should be submitted as early as possible in the preparation process, well before the 30 working day minimum. Submitting early leaves room for MPI to request additional information if needed without putting the travel date at risk.
Do not wait until other preparation steps are complete before applying for the permit. The permit application can run in parallel with vaccination, titre testing, and parasite treatment timelines. Treating it as a separate track that needs its own lead time is the safest approach.
The import permit is one of the first steps that needs to be initiated for a New Zealand move, and it is one of the most commonly started too late. If you want help managing the permit application alongside the rest of your pet's preparation timeline, our team handles the full process. Get a free quote to start planning.
MPI requires a minimum of 30 working days to process a pet import permit application. Working days do not include weekends or public holidays.
The USDA publishes a 20-day processing timeframe that applies to certain international pet travel documentation. That figure does not apply to New Zealand's MPI permit. Using the USDA's 20-day figure when planning a New Zealand move will leave you short of the time MPI requires.
There is no expedited pathway. MPI's stated minimum is 30 working days. Submit well in advance to leave room for any additional information requests.
Submit as early as possible in the preparation process. The permit application can run in parallel with vaccination, titre testing, and parasite treatment timelines. Do not wait until other steps are complete before applying, as the 30 working day minimum needs its own lead time from the start.