Dog or cat from Vietnam to Kenya: official requirements

1. Get ready

   1. IdentificationEntering Kenya

      Microchip (or other permanent identification)

      Your pet must be identified by a permanent mark such as a microchip, and its number must be on the veterinary certificate. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      Details and the official words

      “Were identified by a permanent mark (such as a microchip) and their identification number shall be stated in the certificate or had any other adequate identification; and”

   2. VaccinationEntering Kenya

      Rabies vaccination: first one at 3 months or older, at least 6 months before shipment

      Your pet's first (primary) rabies vaccination must be given when it is at least 3 months old, and at least 6 months (and at most 1 year) before shipment; a booster must be given at most 1 year before shipment. Use an inactivated vaccine or a recombinant vaccine. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      Details and the official words

      “Not less than 6 months and not more than one year prior to shipment in the case of a primary vaccination, which should have been carried out when the animals were at least 3 months old;”

      “With an inactivated virus vaccine or with a recombinant vaccine expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein; and”

   3. VaccinationEntering Kenya

      Rabies vaccination within the last year

      The latest rabies vaccination (the first one, or the last booster) must be at most 1 year before shipment. If it will be older on the day your pet leaves, give a booster before then.

      Details and the official words

      Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.

      “Not more than one year prior to shipment in the case of a booster vaccination;”

   4. Blood testEntering Kenya

      Rabies blood test, 3 to 24 months before shipment

      Your pet needs a rabies antibody test (as set out in the World Organisation for Animal Health manual) with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken between 24 months and 3 months before shipment. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      Details and the official words

      “Were subjected not less than 3 months and not more than 24 months prior to shipment to an antibody test as prescribed in the OIE Terrestrial Manual with a positive result equivalent to at least 0.5 IU/ml;”

2. In the days before you travel

   1. PermitEntering Kenya

      Import permit (VS01) from the Directorate of Veterinary Services

      Apply online on KenTrade's Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP) for the import permit for dogs and cats (VS01), with a copy of your pet's vaccination certificate from its country of origin, and pay the processing fee (up to KES 500 per animal). The permit covers one consignment and travels with your pet. The permit conditions say it is valid for at most 30 days; KenTrade's page says 90 days. The plan uses 30 days.

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      Processing fee: KES 0 to 500 per animal (KenTrade's estimate), paid by M-PESA or at a bank.

      The application also asks for a Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) number.

      “This import permit shall be valid for a maximum of thirty (30) days and shall only be for one consignment.”

      “This import permit shall accompany the animal during importation.”

      “The import permit is processed through the Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP), and is issued per consignment. The permit is valid for a period of ninety (90) days.”

      “Vaccination certificate (copy)”

      “KES 0 - KES 500 per animal”

   2. PaperworkVietnam and Kenya

      International veterinary certificate, dated at most 48 hours before departure

      Your pet travels with an international veterinary certificate, dated no more than 48 hours before it boards, stating that it showed no sign of rabies (on the day of shipment and in the 48 hours before) and is clinically free of other contagious and infectious diseases and of internal and external parasites. It also states the microchip number and the rabies vaccination and blood test.

      Details and the official words

      Export quarantine certificate (form 13a): The quarantine office examines your pet, checks it against the dossier and carries out the checks the destination (or you) ask for. If no samples need testing, it issues the export quarantine certificate (form 13a) within 1 working day of the quarantine; if samples are tested, within 5 working days. At the border where you leave, the quarantine office checks the certificate and confirms it.

      “No canine or feline animal shall be imported into Kenya from any country unless accompanied by an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animal:”

      “Showed no clinical sign of rabies on the day of shipment;”

      “Showed no clinical sign of rabies within 48 hours of shipment;”

      “Is clinically free of symptoms of any other contagious and infectious disease and internal and external parasites, the certificate being dated not more than 48 hours before embarkation;”

      “which must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate from the country of origin to ascertain that the animals are healthy and disease free.”

      “Kiểm tra lâm sàng đối với động vật; kiểm tra thực trạng hàng hóa đối với sản phẩm động vật; đối chiếu thông tin lô hàng với hồ sơ kiểm dịch;”

      “Thực hiện kiểm tra các nội dung vệ sinh thú y theo yêu cầu của nước nhập khẩu hoặc chủ hàng;”

      “Đối với lô hàng không phải lấy mẫu xét nghiệm: Trong thời hạn 01 ngày làm việc kể từ ngày bắt đầu thực hiện kiểm dịch, nếu đáp ứng yêu cầu kiểm dịch, Cơ quan kiểm dịch động vật cửa khẩu cấp Giấy chứng nhận kiểm dịch động vật xuất khẩu theo mẫu 13a”

      “Đối với lô hàng phải lấy mẫu xét nghiệm: Trong thời hạn 05 ngày làm việc kể từ ngày bắt đầu thực hiện kiểm dịch”

      “Xác nhận đã kiểm tra vào Giấy chứng nhận kiểm dịch hoặc thực hiện cấp đổi Giấy chứng nhận kiểm dịch xuất khẩu theo yêu cầu của chủ hàng.”

   3. Official stampLeaving Vietnam

      Register your pet for export quarantine before you leave

      Before departure, send the registration dossier to the regional animal health sub-department (Chi cục Chăn nuôi và Thú y vùng) or the provincial veterinary authority it has delegated: the export quarantine registration form (form 2a), the destination's written veterinary requirements if any, and the destination's certificate model if any. You can send it through the National Single Window, the public service portal, by post, by email, by fax or in person (after an email or fax, send the original). The office checks the dossier within 1 working day and tells you when and where the quarantine will take place.

      Details and the official words

      “Trước khi xuất khẩu động vật, sản phẩm động vật có yêu cầu kiểm dịch, chủ hàng gửi 01 bộ hồ sơ đăng ký kiểm dịch theo quy định tại Điều 7 Thông tư này đến Chi cục Chăn nuôi và Thú y vùng hoặc Cơ quan quản lý chuyên ngành Thú y cấp tỉnh được Cục Chăn nuôi và Thú y ủy quyền”

      “qua Cổng thông tin một cửa quốc gia hoặc Cổng dịch vụ công hoặc qua dịch vụ bưu chính công ích hoặc gửi qua thư điện tử, fax hoặc gửi trực tiếp. Trường hợp gửi hồ sơ đăng ký qua thư điện tử, fax, sau đó chủ hàng phải gửi bản chính.”

      “Đơn đăng ký kiểm dịch động vật xuất khẩu theo mẫu 2a quy định tại Phụ lục V ban hành kèm theo Thông tư này.”

      “Văn bản thể hiện yêu cầu nội dung vệ sinh thú y của nước nhập khẩu hoặc chủ hàng (nếu có).”

      “Mẫu Giấy chứng nhận kiểm dịch của Cơ quan có thẩm quyền của nước nhập khẩu (nếu có).”

      “Trong thời hạn 01 ngày làm việc kể từ ngày nhận được hồ sơ đăng ký, Cơ quan kiểm dịch động vật cửa khẩu xem xét tính đầy đủ, hợp lệ của hồ sơ.”

3. Travel day and arrival

   1. TransportEntering Kenya

      Fly as manifest cargo, not in the cabin or as checked baggage

      Your pet must travel to Kenya as manifest cargo in the aircraft's freight compartment, not in the passenger cabin or as excess baggage. Book this with your airline.

      Details and the official words

      “Animals entering Kenya should travel as Manifest Cargo and use the Freight Compartment of the aircraft. They should not travel as baggage-cargo or in passenger cabins.”

   2. TransportEntering Kenya

      Certificate from the captain that your pet stayed on board and apart

      Your pet needs a certificate from the captain of the aircraft (or ship, or the driver) stating that it didn't leave the craft between boarding and arrival in Kenya and was kept apart from other dogs and cats throughout the journey. Ask your airline's cargo office to provide it.

      Details and the official words

      “The animal shall be accompanied by a certificate from the captain of the ship or aircraft or driver of a vessel in which the animal traveled to Kenya certifying that the animal has not left the vessel between the place of embarkation and the place of entry into Kenya, and has been isolated from all other canine and feline animals throughout the journey.”

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Vietnam.

The trip back asks for 3 steps: quarantine (health) certificate from the exporting country, declare your pet at the border animal quarantine office and health certificate from a vet registered with the Kenya Veterinary Board.