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Bringing a dog from the United States to Hong Kong
Step-by-step checklist
| Step | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| Special Permit — before you book anything | Apply to AFCD with Form AF240 and the UN110 declaration (fee HK$432 for one animal, HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit). Processing takes at least 3 working days — allow 5 — and the permit is valid for 6 months for one consignment only. AFCD is explicit: final travel arrangements should not be made until the permit is granted. | First — weeks ahead |
| Microchip | Implant a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner. AFCD adopted ISO 11784/11785 chips as its standard, so a standard 15-digit US chip is fine. Your dog must be at least 5 months old at import, and a female no more than 4 weeks pregnant. | Before vaccinations |
| Rabies vaccination | Given not less than 30 days and not more than 1 year before export, under AFCD's Group II permit terms (DC-02). A primary vaccination must be given at 90 days of age or older. | 30 days – 1 year before export |
| Full core vaccinations | Dogs must be fully vaccinated against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine parvovirus — again not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year before export under the permit terms. | 14 days – 1 year before export |
| Residence requirement | Your dog must have resided continuously in the United States for the 180 days immediately before export (or since birth). The health certificate also confirms the area around your premises has been free of reported rabies cases in that period. | 180 days before export |
| Health certificate + USDA endorsement | AFCD's VC-DC2 certificate, one dog per certificate, issued by a USDA-accredited vet within 14 days of departure and endorsed by USDA-APHIS (for continental US shipments, VEHCS digital endorsement is accepted). Notify AFCD's Import & Export duty officer at least 24 hours before arrival, and the airline completes a captain's affidavit (Form PC101) confirming your dog stayed crated for the whole journey. | Final 14 days |
Your preparation timeline
- 1~6 months out — The 180-day US residence clock is already running — keep your dog in the US
- 2~1 month out — Apply for the AFCD Special Permit (AF240 + UN110); do not book flights until it is granted
- 3Final 14 days — VC-DC2 health certificate issued and USDA-endorsed, one dog per certificate
- 4Final 24 hours — Notify AFCD's duty officer of the arrival; dog travels as manifested cargo
- 5Arrival — Inspection at Hong Kong International Airport — no quarantine if the permit terms are fully met
Costs you can plan for
AFCD publishes its fees: HK$432 for the first animal on a Special Permit and HK$102 for each additional animal in the same shipment. Dogs over 5 months old are licensed and rabies-vaccinated on arrival at the permittee's expense. If a dog ever falls into quarantine for missing documents, boarding is at the owner's expense — AFCD warns it can run to a minimum of 4 months — so the US-side costs (vaccinations, USDA endorsement, cargo freight) are the ones to budget, and cargo freight is usually the largest.
Questions people ask about this route
Does my dog need a rabies titer (blood) test for Hong Kong?
No. A titer test is not part of the Group II permit terms that cover the continental US — it applies to higher-risk groups. For a US dog the rabies requirement is the vaccination itself, given 30 days to 1 year before export.
Can my dog fly in the cabin to Hong Kong?
No. Under the Group II permit terms, dogs and cats must be transported to Hong Kong as manifested cargo. In-cabin and checked-baggage carriage are not permitted for pet imports on this route.
Are any dog breeds banned in Hong Kong?
Yes. AFCD prohibits the import or transhipment of the Pit Bull Terrier (including the American Staffordshire Terrier), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro, and any crosses of them. A Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs a statutory declaration with the application. Ask AFCD before applying if your dog's breed is anywhere near these lines.
How long is the Special Permit valid, and how long does it take?
The permit is valid for 6 months and covers one consignment only. AFCD's stated processing time is at least 3 working days once the application and fee are received — its own guidance works out to about 5 working days from receipt to issue, before any mailing time, so apply well ahead.
Related guides
- Bringing a cat from the United States to Hong Kong
- 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
- USDA APHIS — Pet travel from the US to Hong Kong
- Hong Kong AFCD — Import of dogs and cats from Group II countries/places
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.