PETS DELIVERY EXPERT

Bringing a dog or cat to Hong Kong

Check AFCD origin groups, permits, veterinary timing, quarantine and final-arrival clearance for ordinary dogs and cats arriving directly in Hong Kong.

Official sources open in a new tab.

By Pets Delivery Expert · Published October 14, 2026 · Planning guide

Before you start

Checked 14 October 2026. This guide covers ordinary pet dogs and cats arriving directly in Hong Kong. Your pet's origin group, health history and issued AFCD permit determine the applicable route. Obtain the permit before finalising travel. Airline acceptance is a separate check.

1. Start with the origin group

AFCD currently uses four groups. Check the current country list again when planning:

  • Group I: Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Bailiwick of Jersey.
  • Group II: Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Cayman Island, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guam, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (China), USA (Continental), Vanuatu and Virgin Islands.
  • Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland, Hungary, Lithuania, Macao (China), Malaysia and Thailand.
  • Group IIIB: countries and places outside those three lists.

Eligible direct arrivals from Group I are normally quarantine-exempt; Group II arrivals may qualify for exemption. Both depend on complete compliance. IIIA requires at least 30 days of post-arrival quarantine; IIIB requires at least 120 days. These are minimum stays, not guaranteed release dates. Group I, Group II, Group IIIA, Group IIIB.

Do not select a group solely from the departure airport. Tell AFCD about earlier residence and movements, especially if the pet has recently moved between countries. The group lists can change.

2. Check eligibility before paying for travel

The standard terms exclude Pit Bull Terriers, including American Staffordshire Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos, Fila Brazilieros and their crosses. A Staffordshire Bull Terrier requires a breed statutory declaration; AFCD may request one for other dogs. Bengal cats and their crosses need evidence of at least fifth-generation domestic ancestry. The ordinary terms do not cover Savannah cats: obtain an individual AFCD assessment rather than treating them as an ordinary domestic cat. Group I permit terms

Age limits differ. Group I and IIIB prohibit animals younger than 60 days. Group II's permit terms prohibit animals younger than five months. IIIA's vaccination and testing sequence sets the practical earliest date; do not apply the 60-day threshold as permission to travel under IIIA. All four routes exclude animals more than four weeks pregnant, and health certification asks for a female to be not pregnant or less than four weeks pregnant. Ask AFCD about any boundary case before booking. Group I, Group II, Group IIIA, Group IIIB

These requirements concern pet dogs and cats. Other species and commercial trading need their own assessment; AFCD requires an Animal Trader Licence in advance for animals imported for trading. Application guidance

3. Microchip and document identity

Have an ISO- or AVID-compliant chip that AFCD can read, and make sure the number matches the animal's records. If the chip cannot be read on arrival, the permit holder or agent must provide a reader; failure to verify identity can result in return. For IIIA, implantation must precede rabies vaccination and antibody sampling. A chip accepted for import does not necessarily satisfy Hong Kong dog-licensing requirements. Group II terms, Group IIIA terms

Certification must be in English or Chinese. Use a separate health certificate for each pet. Check owner/consignor declarations, consignee details and signatures against the permit. The consignee's name on the certificate must match the permit. With the Group I, II and IIIA templates, the owner completes Part A, the examining veterinarian Part B and the government veterinary officer Part C. Amendments need signatures and stamps. The sample certificates are valid for 14 days from the examining veterinarian’s issue date for I, II and IIIB, or seven days for IIIA; later government endorsement does not restart that clock. VC-DC1, VC-DC2, VC-DC3A, VC-DC3B

4. Use the veterinary timetable for your group

Group I: residence and routine vaccination

The pet must have lived continuously in the origin country/place for the preceding 180 days or since birth. There is also an alternative for the entire period since direct import from Hong Kong. Routine vaccination must be 14 days to one year before export (also meet the certificate’s arrival-based wording): dogs need distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus; cats need panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex. Obtain the health certificate within 14 days before export. It must certify fitness to travel, absence of clinical infectious disease and government quarantine restrictions, and the required pregnancy status. A government veterinarian signs/stamps, or a registered veterinarian signs/stamps with government endorsement. The standard Group I terms do not impose a pre-export rabies vaccination or antibody-test requirement. Group I terms, health certificate

Arrange PC101, the airline certificate, as well as veterinary/residence/vaccination certification. It is completed by the captain, delegate, airline staff or relevant party, not substituted by the owner's declaration. Group I terms, PC101

Group II: residence, rabies and local disease status

The pet must have lived continuously in the exporting country/place for at least 180 days or since birth. Certification also covers no reported rabies in any species except bats within 10 km of its residence during the preceding 180 days. Rabies vaccination must be at least 30 days and no more than one year before export; a primary vaccination must be at age 90 days or older. Attach the vaccination history. Routine dog/cat vaccinations cover the same diseases and 14-day-to-one-year window as Group I; arrange dates satisfying both the permit’s export wording and certificate’s arrival wording. The health certificate is issued within 14 days before export, with government issue or government endorsement of the registered veterinarian's certification. PC101 is also required. An antibody test is not part of the standard Group II route. Group II terms, health certificate

Avoid arranging travel exactly at a vaccine-window boundary: the sample certificate uses slightly different wording from the permit terms. An animal younger than five months needs AFCD's specific written decision; do not rely on the sample certificate's reference to quarantine for younger pets to override the permit terms. VC-DC2

Group IIIA: rabies antibody testing and at least 30 days' quarantine

Work backwards from export, allowing time for both veterinary preparation and a quarantine place:

  1. Implant the readable microchip first.
  2. Give an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine 30 days to one year before export. For the first dose, the pet must be at least 90 days old.
  3. For a primary vaccination, wait at least 30 days before blood sampling. The sample must normally be taken 90 days to one year before export. An AFCD-recognised laboratory must use FAVN or RFFIT and report at least 0.5 IU/ml. Check the laboratory against the current list attached to DC-06v03, including its status notes.
  4. Complete the routine vaccination requirements below.
  5. Obtain government-issued or government-endorsed health certification within seven days before export. IIIA certificate, IIIA terms

Rabies vaccination and blood sampling must take place in Group I, II, IIIA or Hong Kong, and be performed by a registered veterinarian licensed to practise there. The current IIIA terms do not specify a 180-day residence certificate. This does not make an unreviewed change of origin or route automatically eligible. IIIA terms, IIIA certificate

A quarantine wait can outlast a vaccination or test. If the RNATT expires, repeat it; AFCD's FAQ says another 90-day wait is unnecessary when rabies vaccination has remained current. Renew expired vaccinations within the required export windows. For a Hong Kong-resident pet returning from IIIA, the FAQ also allows the 90-day wait to be omitted if sampling occurred while resident in Hong Kong; other conditions, including quarantine, still apply. Obtain confirmation for the actual itinerary. IIIA FAQ, IIIA procedure

Group IIIB: a different route, not the IIIA testing timetable

Expect at least 120 days' quarantine. The standard terms list pre-export rabies certification as optional and do not require RNATT; that does not shorten quarantine. A readable chip and full routine vaccination are required. Reaching 60 days alone does not establish readiness: the G122 course and waiting interval must also be completed. Obtain the health certificate within 14 days before export. For this group, a government veterinarian or a registered veterinarian in the exporting country/place may issue it; the ordinary IIIB instructions do not impose the I/II/IIIA government-endorsement process. IIIB terms, IIIB certificate

Full routine vaccination for IIIA and IIIB

AFCD's G122 definition matters, particularly for puppies, kittens and lapsed vaccination histories. The primary course starts at eight weeks or older, followed by the second dose on days 15–28 after the first; the English guideline requires the pet to be more than ten weeks old for dose two. A missed interval requires the primary course to be repeated. After a completed primary course, boosters must be within 18 months or the veterinarian's shorter recommended interval; otherwise repeat the primary course. The most recent vaccination must also satisfy the 14-day-to-one-year arrival window. The group permit terms measure their corresponding window before export, so arrange dates that meet both. These vaccines cover dog distemper/hepatitis/parvovirus or cat panleucopaenia/respiratory disease complex. G122

5. Apply and, where required, reserve quarantine

For the ordinary overseas route use AF240, with applicant identification; use UN110 if another person applies for the owner. Mainland imports use AF301. An application is not an issued permit. The application forms say permits normally cover one consignment and are valid for six months; quarantine allocation and the actual permit may restrict when the pet can arrive. AF240, AF301, UN110

For IIIA, submit the permit application, PC100, vaccination records, satisfactory RNATT report, identification and any application authorisation. AFCD accepts these initial documents by email, post or in person. Once complete and accepted, the pet enters the government quarantine waiting list. Alternatively, approach the licensed centre using AFCD's application reference. Complete the permit process with the allocated government import timeslot or licensed-centre confirmation; government admission also needs UN111. IIIA procedure

IIIB follows the same reservation-before-final-permit structure, with its own vaccination documents rather than the IIIA RNATT package. For both IIIA and IIIB, the applicant arranges onward transport under AFCD escort to the quarantine centre. IIIB procedure

The current PC100 lists Hong Kong and Kowloon government Animal Management Centres and SPCA's licensed centre in Tsing Yi. Once you notify AFCD of a confirmed licensed-centre booking, your government waiting-list place is cancelled. Check email for an offered timeslot; PC100 says an accepted government booking is reserved for one week. Obtain current availability rather than treating an average wait as a booking. PC100

AFCD's group pages describe permit processing as at least three working days, with five working days from receipt of the application and fee to issue. Allow extra time for incomplete documents, quarantine allocation and post. Permits are collected or mailed, not sent by fax or email. For Special Permits, keep the white original for arrival clearance; the carrier may need the yellow duplicate. Do not finalise travel until the permit is granted. Group I procedure, Group II procedure

6. Mainland and Macao direct-entry differences

Mainland belongs to IIIA from 3 June 2025. Meeting the IIIA requirements means at least 30 days' quarantine, not quarantine exemption. Use AF301 and the specific GACC-agreed animal health certificate issued by a government veterinary officer; do not assume the general IIIA sample replaces it. Mainland pets may use Hong Kong International Airport or a land border control point. Specify the selected point on the application; land arrival must be between 09:00 and 17:00. Mainland arrangements

Macao's IIIA terms additionally permit land arrival through the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge: 09:00–19:00 Monday–Friday excluding public holidays, and 09:00–17:00 weekends/public holidays. Sea arrival is limited to the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal, Western District Public Cargo Working Area, New Yau Ma Tei Public Cargo Working Area or Rambler Channel Public Cargo Working Area, between 08:30 and 17:00. An appropriate crate is required. Confirm the selected entry arrangements with AFCD before travel. DC-06v03

7. Prepare the original-document pack

For an ordinary air arrival, book manifested cargo, obtain the air-waybill number and confirm the cargo terminal with the airline. Excess or hand-carried baggage is outside the ordinary permitted route. Use appropriate IATA-compliant transport arrangements. Arrival preparation, AF240

Keep the original permit available for the person clearing the animal. Bring original health and vaccination records, the group-specific residence/rabies certification and airline certificate where applicable. For IIIA, the arrival checklist asks for the original RNATT report. Its permit terms allow the original or a copy certified by a registered veterinarian; taking the original avoids depending on that distinction, and any planned substitute should be cleared with AFCD. For IIIB, bring the original vaccination record and original health certificate. IIIA procedure, IIIA terms, IIIB procedure, collection

AFCD offers free prior document checking: send the prepared health documents before shipment and follow up for confirmation. This does not waive mandatory IIIA/IIIB quarantine. Prior checking

Notify AFCD during office hours at least 24 hours before anticipated arrival. For air freight: +852 2182 1001, foii_airport@afcd.gov.hk. For the IIIA land/sea branch: Border Office +852 2673 4443, mktais@afcd.gov.hk, or Urban Office +852 2150 7053. Group I terms, IIIA terms

8. Arrival clearance and quarantine care

At the correct cargo terminal, the collector presents the original permit, air-waybill number, identification and supporting records to the airline or ground handler. Collect the release documents and original health papers, then follow the terminal's collection process. AFCD checks the documentation and animal. Release to the owner depends on compliance and whether quarantine is required; do not plan on immediate collection at landing. Collection instructions

If someone clears the pet for the permit holder, use PC111. The representative must be at least 18, carry valid identification, the original permit and a copy of the permit holder's ID. The holder completes Part I; Part II is completed at clearance under AFCD's instructions. UN110 for applying does not replace this clearance authorisation. The holder remains responsible for compliance. PC111

For government quarantine, complete UN111 honestly, including existing medical conditions and medication needs. Nominate a private veterinarian or clinic for urgent care. Government staff make regular checks but do not provide veterinary treatment or hands-on medication care; the owner arranges and pays for it. UN111

Government centres provide cleaning, security and feeding; arrange exercise, grooming and veterinary care separately. Register any authorised visitors, keep your contact details current and nominate a representative if away from Hong Kong. The centre sends a release-date notice when the pet is ready, and fees must be settled before release. Licensed-centre care, visits and release arrangements should be confirmed directly with that centre. Government quarantine guide

9. Budget and dog licensing

Verified AFCD charges at this check:

  • Special Permit: HK$432 for one animal, plus HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit in one shipment. Group II procedure
  • AF301 Mainland Import Permit: the linked form states issue is free. This does not waive quarantine or other charges. AF301
  • Government quarantine: HK$90 per dog per day or part-day; HK$46 per cat per day or part-day. Private veterinary, grooming and other services are additional. Confirm current rates. Government quarantine guide
  • Arrival dog licensing: HK$80. Dogs aged five months or older are licensed and vaccinated against rabies on arrival; a conforming licensing chip is implanted if the existing one does not meet Hong Kong's legal identification requirements. Arrival licensing

These are not all-in relocation prices. Airline, terminal, transport, veterinary and licensed-centre charges need separate quotations. Special-permit application fees are not refundable once the permit is approved. AF240

After arrival, keep the dog licence valid: it lasts three years and renewal involves rabies revaccination. Notify AFCD in writing within five days of a change of address. Follow AFCD’s change-of-keeper procedure when ownership changes. A younger imported dog needs its first licence by five months. Ask AFCD how to register the keeper if you do not yet hold a Hong Kong identity card; its domestic licensing FAQ specifies an individual with HKID. AFCD dog licensing

10. Returning Hong Kong pets

Leaving Hong Kong does not remove the need for an advance return permit. For a short Group II visit, AFCD has a Residence Certification Waiver scheme prepared before departure from Hong Kong. It requires a satisfactory pre-departure antibody test and additional documentation; the waiver must be checked and stamped at the airport on departure or it becomes void. It waives the 180-day residence requirement, not the rest of the import conditions. The waiver has its own certificate and return-date conditions; follow its separate instructions rather than using the ordinary timetable above. Group I direct-return residence wording and the IIIA Hong Kong-sampling exception are different arrangements. Residence waiver scheme, IIIA FAQ

If your facts do not fit the ordinary route, contact AFCD at icsenquiry@afcd.gov.hk or +852 1823 before committing to travel. Follow the terms issued with your actual permit. Incomplete or inconsistent paperwork can lead to detention, longer quarantine, return and additional costs.

Source check: 14 October 2026. AFCD’s currently linked forms have revision dates spanning 2016–2026; the checking date is not their issue date. The issued permit controls. Transit, assistance-dog and private-aircraft cases are outside this ordinary direct-arrival guide. Export-country certification procedures must also be checked for the individual move.

Official sources and scope

Published October 14, 2026. Sources checked October 14, 2026. This is a planning overview for dogs and cats, not the full veterinary checklist. Use the current species-specific instructions, exporting-authority guidance and individual permit conditions.

Let’s plan your pet’s journey.

Share your route, dates and pet’s details for a transport proposal.

Get a quote on WhatsApp