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Bringing a Dog from the USA to Hong Kong: Requirements & Timeline

One of Asia's friendliest routes for US pets — no titer, no quarantine — but a few breed and cargo rules to know.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-08-23

Planning for a cat instead? See the cat version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

Hong Kong is refreshingly straightforward for US dogs because the US is a Group II place: no rabies antibody titer, and no quarantine when you're fully compliant. The chain is an ISO (or AVID) microchip, a rabies vaccination given not less than 30 days and not more than 1 year before export (primary shot at 90+ days old), the canine core vaccines (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, 14 days to 1 year out), an AFCD Special Import Permit (valid 6 months, ~5 working days to issue), and a USDA-endorsed VC-DC2 certificate dated within 14 days of export.

Your dog must be at least 5 months old and have lived in the US for the 180 days before export. Pets travel as manifested cargo into Hong Kong International Airport — not in the cabin.

Minimum lead time: about 1 months (30 days). Plan about a month. Hong Kong classifies the US as 'Group II', which means no rabies titer and no quarantine for a compliant dog — the AFCD Special Import Permit is the step that sets the pace.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. ISO microchip implanted
    An ISO or AVID microchip readable by an ISO-compatible reader. Implant it before the rabies vaccination as best practice (and required if you'll return a dog to the US).
    Official source ↗
  2. Rabies vaccination (30 days to 1 year before export)
    Given not less than 30 days and not more than 1 year before export. For a first (primary) vaccination the pet must have been at least 90 days old when vaccinated. No rabies titer is required for Group II.
    Official source ↗
  3. Core vaccinations (dogs)
    Canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine parvovirus, given not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year before export.
    Official source ↗
  4. Apply for the AFCD Special Import Permit
    Apply to AFCD (Forms AF240 + UN110). It takes about 5 working days to issue, is valid 6 months for one consignment, and must be in hand before travel. Apply well ahead to allow for mailing.
    Official source ↗
  5. Animal health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
    A USDA-accredited vet issues the VC-DC2 animal health certificate dated no more than 14 days before export (with the residence and vaccination certificates), and USDA APHIS endorses it via VEHCS.
    Official source ↗
  6. Notify AFCD 24 hours before arrival
    The permit holder must notify the AFCD Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before the anticipated arrival time. Your pet flies as manifested cargo to Hong Kong International Airport.
    Official source ↗

Breed and cargo rules

Hong Kong bans the fighting types and their crosses — pit-bull / American Staffordshire terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. If your dog is one of these, there's no route in. All pets fly as manifested cargo; the permit holder must notify the AFCD Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before arrival.

The return trip

Coming back to the US, Hong Kong is not a CDC high-risk country, so the dog return is the simpler CDC process — but keep the microchip-before-rabies order so a US-issued rabies record stays valid. Cats follow the same Group II chain and skip breed rules entirely.

The trip home: bringing your dog back to the US

Good news — Hong Kong isn't a CDC high-risk country, so the return is simple. A US-vaccinated dog needs only the free CDC Dog Import Form (a receipt valid 6 months, reusable), a microchip, to be at least 6 months old, and to appear healthy — no titer or endorsed rabies certificate for re-entry. Cats have no CDC requirement either way (Hawaii and Guam set their own quarantine even from the mainland).

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

FAQ

Does my dog need a rabies titer for Hong Kong?
No — the US is a Group II place, so there's no rabies titer and no quarantine for a compliant dog. You need microchip, rabies (30 days–1 year before export), core vaccines, the AFCD Special Import Permit and a USDA-endorsed certificate.
How long does it take to bring a dog from the US to Hong Kong?
About a month, set by the AFCD Special Import Permit (~5 working days to issue, valid 6 months) and the 30-day-minimum rabies vaccination. The planner computes your exact dates.
Can my dog fly in the cabin to Hong Kong?
No — pets enter as manifested cargo into Hong Kong International Airport, and AFCD must be notified at least 24 hours before arrival.
Is it different for cats?
Cats follow the same Group II chain (with feline vaccines) and skip the dog breed ban — though Bengal cats need 5th-generation ancestry and Savannah cats aren't covered. Use the cat toggle in the planner.

Other dog routes

Compare every country's lead time, titer and return requirements side by side →

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.
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