Official import rules now distinguish selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, including Mainland quarantine, vaccination, testing and cargo documents.
Documents and permits
Dog / Cat · Separate cargo service
Obtain AFCD’s import/special permit before travel. Apply with identity and applicable declarations: AF301 for non-food mammals from Chinese Mainland; AF240 for the other selected origins. Group IIIA additionally needs the accepted quarantine booking and satisfactory rabies test. Travel only after the permit is granted; the conditions sent with the actual permit govern the shipment.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Use a readable ISO- or AVID-standard microchip and record its number consistently in the animal’s certificates. Provide a compatible reader if AFCD cannot read it; failure can cause return at the owner’s expense. For Group IIIA the chip must be implanted before rabies vaccination and antibody testing. Do not substitute a collar tag or an unmatched certificate number.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Ordinary pets entering by air must travel as manifested cargo on the fastest, most direct approved route, in humane, labelled transport complying with current IATA live-animal rules. Hand-carried/cabin baggage and excess baggage are not permitted under these ordinary import terms. A cargo booking and carrier acceptance remain necessary; assistance-dog exceptions need separate prior approval.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Notify AFCD’s Import & Export Duty Officer during office hours at least 24 hours before the expected arrival. For air freight use the Airport Office. This is advance arrival notice, not health-certificate validity or the duration of quarantine.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Pit Bull Terrier (including the named American Staffordshire Terrier type), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero and their crosses are prohibited. Staffordshire Bull Terrier requires a statutory breed declaration; AFCD may also request one for other dogs. Confirm breed eligibility before applying.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Bengal cats and their crosses need documentation of at least fifth-generation domestic ancestry. The standard permit terms do not apply to Savannah cats; obtain separate AFCD advice instead of treating this as ordinary-cat admission.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Dogs aged five months or older require a Hong Kong dog licence on arrival, with rabies vaccination and a locally compliant identification chip at the owner’s expense. An additional compliant chip may be implanted if the existing chip does not meet local identification law. This arrival obligation does not replace Group II/IIIA pre-export vaccination.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
For Group I/II carry an individual English or Chinese health certificate dated within 14 days before export, identifying the microchip and certifying fitness to travel, absence of clinical infectious disease and no origin-government quarantine restriction. A government veterinarian signs/stamps it, or a registered veterinarian does so with government endorsement. Use the appropriate VC-DC1/VC-DC2 or accepted equivalent; the accompanying residence/vaccine certificates also need official certification.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Certify continuous residence in the Group I origin for the 180 days before export or since birth; alternatively, certify the entire period since direct import from Hong Kong. These are residence alternatives, not a 180-day vaccination wait. A separate residence-waiver scheme is not automatically applied here.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group I: AU/NZ/JP/GB/IE/JE; standard residence certification, without automatic waiver-scheme eligibility.
Certify continuous residence in the Group II origin for at least 180 days or since birth before export. Also certify no reported rabies in any species other than bats within 10 km of the animal’s residence during the preceding 180 days. Both declarations are required in the standard branch; residence alone is insufficient.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group II: selected listed origins including continental USA; standard 180-day residence and local rabies certification.
Group II dogs and cats need rabies vaccination 30 days to one year before export; for a primary vaccination the animal must have been at least 90 days old. Attach the vaccination record to the officially certified statement. The 180-day residence condition is separate.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group II: selected listed origins including continental USA; standard 180-day residence and local rabies certification.
For Group I/II, certify vaccination 14 days to one year before export against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine parvovirus. Apply the correct species list and record it for the individual animal.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
For Group I/II, certify vaccination 14 days to one year before export against feline panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex. Apply the correct species list and record it for the individual animal.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Arrange PC101 airline certification: throughout the journey the animal stays crated without contact with other animals and, in transit, stays within the airport cargo-transfer area. For Group I obtain prior approval for stopovers in II/IIIA/IIIB; for Group II obtain prior approval for IIIA/IIIB stopovers or land conveyance to a stopover country. The captain, delegate, airline staff or relevant party completes PC101.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Group I animals imported directly are normally exempted from quarantine only when all permit conditions are met. AFCD can require quarantine or return for doubtful history, disease signs or inadequate documents. The standard permit is valid six months for one consignment, with entry by expiry; this validity is not health-certificate validity or an unconditional admission guarantee.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group I: AU/NZ/JP/GB/IE/JE; standard residence certification, without automatic waiver-scheme eligibility.
Group II animals may be exempted from quarantine only when all permit conditions are met. AFCD can require quarantine or return for doubtful history, disease signs or inadequate documents. The standard permit is valid six months for one consignment, with entry by expiry; this validity is not health-certificate validity or an unconditional admission guarantee.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group II: selected listed origins including continental USA; standard 180-day residence and local rabies certification.
After microchipping, give an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine 30 days to one year before export; primary vaccination requires at least 90 days of age. Vaccination and antibody blood sampling must be done by a veterinarian licensed in Group I, II, IIIA or Hong Kong. Keep the matching vaccination record.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Use an AFCD-recognised laboratory for FAVN or RFFIT, with result at least 0.5 IU/mL. The sample must be collected 90 days to one year before export; after a primary rabies dose wait at least 30 days before sampling. The report needs sampling date and microchip number; attach original or registered-veterinarian-certified copy. These are sample-to-export and vaccine-to-sample intervals, not a wait starting on the laboratory report date.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Complete the G122 full-vaccination schedule for canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine parvovirus. The most recent qualifying vaccination must meet both the permit’s 14-days-to-one-year pre-export window and G122’s corresponding pre-arrival window.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Complete the G122 full-vaccination schedule for feline panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex. The most recent qualifying vaccination must meet both the permit’s 14-days-to-one-year pre-export window and G122’s corresponding pre-arrival window.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
For the non-rabies diseases, G122 primary vaccination requires two doses, the second on days 15–28 after the first, with the first at eight weeks or older. Have the veterinarian check the second-dose age requirement against G122; current adulthood alone does not validate an earlier course. Boosters must follow within 18 months or the veterinarian’s shorter interval; a missed interval requires repeating the primary course. Submit record copies for booking/permit approval. Rabies follows separate rules.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Carry an individual English/Chinese health certificate issued within seven days before export, with matching chip, fitness and disease/quarantine declarations. For Malaysia it must be government-issued or registered-veterinarian-issued with government endorsement. For Chinese Mainland use the specific GACC-agreed certificate issued by a government veterinary officer; a generic privately issued endorsed form is not substituted. Confirm the relevant regional GACC issuance procedure.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Submit permit and PC100 quarantine-booking forms with vaccine records, satisfactory RNATT report and identity. Obtain a government or licensed quarantine place, then complete the permit; for government quarantine enter within AFCD’s assigned import period. Waiting for a space is separate from the post-arrival quarantine, and vaccine/test windows must still be valid at export. Do not finalise travel before permit grant.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Group IIIA requires at least 30 days of post-arrival quarantine at an AFCD Animal Management Centre or licensed quarantine centre, at the applicant’s expense; AFCD can extend it. The applicant arranges transfer from the border under official escort. The Mainland’s shorter arrangement began 3 June 2025, but still requires compliance and is not a quarantine exemption.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
For arrival clearance bring the original issued import/special permit, vaccination record, RNATT report and officially issued/endorsed health certificate. The permit terms accept a registered-veterinarian-certified copy of the laboratory report, while the application page asks for the original: carrying the original satisfies both. Match each animal’s chip throughout and keep the certificate requirements for Mainland distinct.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
Rules depend on the route, animal and operating carrier. Confirm your own journey with the relevant authority and airline.
Applicable conditions
Confirm the actual permit, carrier route and residence evidence before booking. Other origins/Group IIIB, residence-waiver applicants, expired-test repeat exemptions, young/pregnant animals, Savannah cats, assistance dogs, land/sea and transit-only cases require separate assessment. These ordinary adult cargo records do not grant those exceptions. Newer permit conditions and current AFCD grouping take priority over a generic collected reference.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate.
Rules depend on the route, animal and operating carrier. Confirm your own journey with the relevant authority and airline.
Applicable conditions
G122’s Chinese text says the animal reaches ten weeks at the second primary dose, while its English text says more than ten weeks. If the historical second dose was given exactly at ten weeks, obtain AFCD confirmation; this boundary is not treated as automatically valid. This concerns the non-rabies full-vaccination course, not rabies primary age or a universal import-age limit.
Healthy adult private dogs/cats, without sale/ownership transfer, on an approved ordinary-pet air-import journey as manifested cargo. US means continental USA only; CN means Chinese Mainland only. Residence, route and the actual issued permit must qualify. This collection covers selected Group I, II and IIIA origins, not all countries, land/sea travel, transit-only movements, young/pregnant animals or assistance-dog exceptions. Airline acceptance is separate. Group IIIA: Chinese Mainland or Malaysia, with valid vaccine/test windows, accepted quarantine booking and issued permit.
