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Bringing a dog from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom

Good news: Hong Kong is a listed country for Great Britain, so this is one of the classic easy long-haul pet routes. Your dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination (then a 21-day wait after the first one), a tapeworm treatment in the last 5 days, and a Great Britain pet health certificate officially certified by Hong Kong's AFCD. No blood test, no import permit, and no quarantine if the paperwork is right.

21 days

Minimum wait

After a primary rabies vaccination

None

Titer test

Hong Kong is a listed country

None

Quarantine if compliant

Up to 4 months if rules are broken

10 days

Cert window

Arrive within 10 days of certification

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Dog · Hong Kong → the United Kingdom
Step	What to do	When
Microchip	ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit) microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination — AFCD states this order explicitly for UK-bound pets. If the chip is not ISO standard, travel with your own reader.	Before vaccination
Rabies vaccination	At 12 weeks of age or older. After a first (primary) vaccination at least 21 full days must pass before travel; boosters must be in date.	≥21 days before travel
No titer test	Hong Kong is a 'listed' country for Great Britain, so no rabies blood test and no 3-month wait apply — as long as the journey does not transit a non-listed country in a way that breaks the listed-country conditions (AFCD flags transit through unapproved countries as a titer trigger).	—
GB pet health certificate + AFCD certification	A registered Hong Kong vet examines your dog and issues the certificate in the UK format; AFCD then officially certifies it (submit in person at the Cheung Sha Wan office; certification takes about one working day). The certificate must cover arrival within 10 days of issue. You also sign the declaration that your dog is not for sale or rehoming.	Final 10 days
Tapeworm treatment	A vet-administered treatment containing praziquantel, given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you enter Great Britain, recorded with date and time on the health certificate.	24–120 hours before entry
Approved route & carrier	You must travel on an approved route with an approved company. On a plane your dog travels as cargo unless it is a recognised assistance dog or you charter a private plane.	Booking stage

Your preparation timeline

1Any time — Microchip in place before vaccination (Hong Kong dogs are chipped under local law in any case)
2≥21 days out — Primary rabies vaccination if this is the first after chipping
3Final 10 days — Vet issues the UK-format certificate; AFCD certifies it (about 1 working day)
4Final 24–120 hours — Tapeworm treatment, recorded on the certificate
5Arrival — Carrier checks the chip and certificate; compliant dogs go straight home

The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Missing the tapeworm window. 24–120 hours is counted to your arrival in GB, not your departure from Hong Kong — on a 12-hour flight with a layover, a treatment given '5 days before' can quietly fall out of range, and a dog that misses the window can be quarantined at your expense.

Costs you can plan for

The UK publishes no government fee for the pet health certificate. On the Hong Kong side you pay your vet's charges plus AFCD's fee for the official certification service (see AFCD's current fee table). Quarantine, if the rules are missed, is at your expense for up to 4 months — the expensive scenario on this route, not the paperwork.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

Does my dog need a pet passport?

No. From Hong Kong the only accepted travel document is the Great Britain pet health certificate in UK format, officially certified by AFCD.

Why does a dog from mainland China need a blood test but mine doesn't?

Great Britain lists Hong Kong but not mainland China. Listed-country pets skip the titer test and the 3-month wait; non-listed-country pets must complete both.

Are any dog breeds banned?

Yes — it is illegal to own Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully types in the UK; 'type' is judged by appearance, and a banned type cannot be brought in without a Certificate of Exemption.

What if I bring my dog back to Hong Kong later?

Hong Kong's own import rules apply on return: an AFCD permit arranged in advance and the conditions on it — AFCD warns that returning dogs and cats can face quarantine of up to 6 months if the return conditions are not set up before departure. Read AFCD's return guidance before you leave.

Related guides

✓ Last verified: 2026-11-12

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

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