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Bringing a dog from Hong Kong to the United States
Step-by-step checklist
| Step | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the 6-month history clean | The low-risk route depends on where your dog has been, not just where it lives: if your dog has been in mainland China or any other CDC high-risk country in the past 6 months, the high-risk rules take over. Keep boarding, vet and travel records that show a Hong Kong-only history. | 6 months before entry |
| Microchip | Your dog must have a microchip that a universal scanner can read. CDC sets no chip-before-vaccination order rule on the low-risk route, but the chip must be scannable on arrival. | Before travel |
| CDC Dog Import Form | Free and online, one per dog. The receipt is emailed after you verify your email address, is valid for 6 months, and covers multiple entries from the same departure country. Show it to the airline before boarding and to officers on arrival, printed or on your phone. | A few days before travel |
| Health and airline requirements | Your dog must appear healthy on arrival. CDC requires no general health certificate on this route, but airlines commonly ask for a recent vet health certificate — and if you want an official one, Hong Kong's AFCD issues or endorses animal health certificates (generally valid 10 days). Check your airline and your destination state's rules. | Booking stage |
Your preparation timeline
- 1Any time — Confirm the chip scans; keep Hong Kong residency records for the past 6 months
- 2A few days out — Submit the CDC Dog Import Form and save the emailed receipt
- 3Travel day — Receipt shown to the airline at check-in
- 4Arrival — Any US port of entry; healthy dogs go straight through
Costs you can plan for
The Dog Import Form is free and there is no CDC fee on this route. Your costs are veterinary (any airline-requested health certificate; an AFCD official certificate or endorsement if you choose one), plus air transport.
Questions people ask about this route
Does my Hong Kong dog need a rabies titer for the US?
No. Hong Kong is treated as low-risk by CDC, so no titer, no vaccination certification form and no facility reservation are required — just the Dog Import Form receipt, a scannable chip, at least 6 months of age, and a healthy appearance on arrival.
Can we enter at any airport?
Yes. The 8-airport restriction applies only to the high-risk route. Low-risk dogs can arrive at any US port of entry.
Is a Hong Kong dog licence or AFCD certificate required by the US?
No. US federal requirements on this route are only the CDC form, chip, age and health. HK dog licensing is a Hong Kong legal matter, and an AFCD health certificate is optional for the US — though your airline may want a vet certificate of its own.
Related guides
- Bringing a cat from Hong Kong to the United States
- Rabies titer tests (FAVN / RNATT): validity and waiting periods by country
- How many days before travel do you need a pet health certificate?
- Pet quarantine by country: how long, where, and how to avoid it
- Microchip before or after rabies vaccination?
- How far in advance should you start preparing?
Official sources for this page
- CDC — Dog import from rabies-free and low-risk countries
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (Hong Kong exclusion)
- AFCD Hong Kong — Issue or official endorsement of an animal health certificate
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.
Want a professional to run this route for you?
Licensed pet relocation companies handle permits, vet paperwork and flights daily. We are adding vetted partners for this route — check back soon.