Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Ireland → Hong Kong SAR China
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
How early to start
9 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
9 weeks
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Ireland is in the group “Group I — normally no quarantine” in Hong Kong’s published list.See every group
Headlines for Hong Kong SAR China
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Import permit needed
- Quarantine possible
- Advance notice to authority
What your dog needs
Dogs
Permit
AFCD Special Permit
Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window). It's issued 5 working days after a complete application, costs HK$432 for one animal (+HK$102 per extra animal on the same permit), and is valid for 6 months for one trip.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats should not be brought into Hong Kong (either import or transshipment/transit) unless a Special Permit to do so is obtained in advance from this Department.”
“it takes 5 working days from the date of receipt of application and permit fee to the date of issue”
“Valid for 6 months and for one consignment only.”
Identification
Microchip (ISO or AVID)
Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner. From Group IIIA it must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and blood sample.
Details and the official words
“Your dog/cat must be implanted with a microchip which can be read with an AVID or ISO scanner prior to rabies vaccination and blood sampling.”
Age rule
Minimum age
Pets from Group I must be at least 60 days old; from Group II at least 5 months old. Females more than 4 weeks pregnant can't be imported.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats less than 60 days old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
“Dogs and cats less than 5 months old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
Residence rule
Residence certificate
Your pet must have lived in the country it's coming from for the 180 days before export, or since birth (or since being imported directly from Hong Kong).
Details and the official words
“during the preceding 180 days prior to export or since birth”
“has not reported any cases of rabies in any species (excluding bats) for at least 180 days prior to export to Hong Kong”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations (within the last year)
Dogs: distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus. Cats: panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex (cat flu). Given between 1 year and 14 days before export.
Details and the official words
“not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year prior to export”
Paperwork
Animal health certificate
Issued no more than 14 days before export (from Group IIIA: no more than 7 days), signed by a government vet — or by a registered vet and endorsed by a government vet. It must show the microchip number.
Details and the official words
Government stamp and signature from your Regional Veterinary Office: The most likely scenario: you and your private vet prepare the pet (vaccinations, blood tests and so on) and fill in the health certificate the destination asks for, then you bring it to your local Regional Veterinary Office for a government stamp and signature.
DAFM's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's own requirements decide.
“Dated not more than 14 days before the export”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 7 days prior to export.”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 14 days prior to export.”
“The most likely scenario is that you and your private vet will prepare the pet (vaccinations, blood tests etc.) and provide a health certificate, that you can then bring to your local Regional Veterinary Office to get a government stamp and signature”
Transport
Airline certificate (captain's affidavit)
The airline completes form PC101 confirming your pet travelled the whole way in its crate without contact with other animals (and stayed in the cargo area during any transit).
Details and the official words
“The animal has travelled the entire journey without leaving its crate and did not come into contact with any other animals.”
Notice
Notify AFCD before arrival
Tell the AFCD Duty Officer (Import & Export Section) at least 24 hours before your pet's expected arrival time.
Details and the official words
“You should notify the Duty Officer of the Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before your dog/cat’s anticipated arrival time in Hong Kong.”
On arrival
Hong Kong dog licence and rabies shot on arrival
Dogs 5 months or older get a Hong Kong dog licence and a rabies vaccination on arrival, at your cost.
Details and the official words
“all dogs over 5 months of age in Hong Kong are required by law to obtain a dog licence and vaccination against rabies.”
Notice
Contact your Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months before you travel
Contact your Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months before the trip so it can certify the documents. The department may not be able to sign your pet's documents if you contact it later.
Details and the official words
“make sure you plan well in advance and contact the Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months in advance of travel to ensure that necessary documentation can be certified by department officials”
“The department may not be able to sign documentation for your pet to travel if you have not contacted your Regional Veterinary Office at least two months in advance of travel with your pet.”
Good to know
- Pets must arrive in Hong Kong as manifested cargo — not in the cabin or as excess baggage — by the fastest, most direct route.
- AFCD: don't make final travel arrangements until your Special Permit has been granted.
- Banned in Hong Kong: Pit Bull Terrier (American Staffordshire Terrier), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terriers need a statutory declaration). Bengal cats need proof of 5th generation or later.
- Ireland does not keep the entry (certification) requirements of other countries: contact the destination country for them, then follow its instructions for the health certificate. Allow enough time for any required tests.
- No tapeworm treatment is needed to leave Ireland. A dog needs the treatment from a vet abroad before it returns to Ireland.
- Make sure your pet qualifies to return to Ireland: the same rules apply to re-enter from a non-EU country whether the pet usually lives there or is an Irish pet that was there briefly on holiday.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
What your cat needs
Cats
Permit
AFCD Special Permit
Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window). It's issued 5 working days after a complete application, costs HK$432 for one animal (+HK$102 per extra animal on the same permit), and is valid for 6 months for one trip.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats should not be brought into Hong Kong (either import or transshipment/transit) unless a Special Permit to do so is obtained in advance from this Department.”
“it takes 5 working days from the date of receipt of application and permit fee to the date of issue”
“Valid for 6 months and for one consignment only.”
Identification
Microchip (ISO or AVID)
Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner. From Group IIIA it must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and blood sample.
Details and the official words
“Your dog/cat must be implanted with a microchip which can be read with an AVID or ISO scanner prior to rabies vaccination and blood sampling.”
Age rule
Minimum age
Pets from Group I must be at least 60 days old; from Group II at least 5 months old. Females more than 4 weeks pregnant can't be imported.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats less than 60 days old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
“Dogs and cats less than 5 months old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
Residence rule
Residence certificate
Your pet must have lived in the country it's coming from for the 180 days before export, or since birth (or since being imported directly from Hong Kong).
Details and the official words
“during the preceding 180 days prior to export or since birth”
“has not reported any cases of rabies in any species (excluding bats) for at least 180 days prior to export to Hong Kong”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations (within the last year)
Dogs: distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus. Cats: panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex (cat flu). Given between 1 year and 14 days before export.
Details and the official words
“not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year prior to export”
Paperwork
Animal health certificate
Issued no more than 14 days before export (from Group IIIA: no more than 7 days), signed by a government vet — or by a registered vet and endorsed by a government vet. It must show the microchip number.
Details and the official words
Government stamp and signature from your Regional Veterinary Office: The most likely scenario: you and your private vet prepare the pet (vaccinations, blood tests and so on) and fill in the health certificate the destination asks for, then you bring it to your local Regional Veterinary Office for a government stamp and signature.
DAFM's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's own requirements decide.
“Dated not more than 14 days before the export”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 7 days prior to export.”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 14 days prior to export.”
“The most likely scenario is that you and your private vet will prepare the pet (vaccinations, blood tests etc.) and provide a health certificate, that you can then bring to your local Regional Veterinary Office to get a government stamp and signature”
Transport
Airline certificate (captain's affidavit)
The airline completes form PC101 confirming your pet travelled the whole way in its crate without contact with other animals (and stayed in the cargo area during any transit).
Details and the official words
“The animal has travelled the entire journey without leaving its crate and did not come into contact with any other animals.”
Notice
Notify AFCD before arrival
Tell the AFCD Duty Officer (Import & Export Section) at least 24 hours before your pet's expected arrival time.
Details and the official words
“You should notify the Duty Officer of the Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before your dog/cat’s anticipated arrival time in Hong Kong.”
Notice
Contact your Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months before you travel
Contact your Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months before the trip so it can certify the documents. The department may not be able to sign your pet's documents if you contact it later.
Details and the official words
“make sure you plan well in advance and contact the Regional Veterinary Office at least 2 months in advance of travel to ensure that necessary documentation can be certified by department officials”
“The department may not be able to sign documentation for your pet to travel if you have not contacted your Regional Veterinary Office at least two months in advance of travel with your pet.”
Good to know
- Pets must arrive in Hong Kong as manifested cargo — not in the cabin or as excess baggage — by the fastest, most direct route.
- AFCD: don't make final travel arrangements until your Special Permit has been granted.
- Banned in Hong Kong: Pit Bull Terrier (American Staffordshire Terrier), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terriers need a statutory declaration). Bengal cats need proof of 5th generation or later.
- Ireland does not keep the entry (certification) requirements of other countries: contact the destination country for them, then follow its instructions for the health certificate. Allow enough time for any required tests.
- No tapeworm treatment is needed to leave Ireland. A dog needs the treatment from a vet abroad before it returns to Ireland.
- Make sure your pet qualifies to return to Ireland: the same rules apply to re-enter from a non-EU country whether the pet usually lives there or is an Irish pet that was there briefly on holiday.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Government fees we know of
- AFCD Special Permit432 HKD (+102 per extra pet)
Vet, lab and courier costs are not included. The final amount can depend on how many tests or pets are on the certificate.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Ireland to Hong Kong SAR China?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into Hong Kong SAR China?
Yes: Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window).
Will my dog be quarantined in Hong Kong SAR China?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner.