As the pet care industry flourishes, dog parenting and cat companionship have evolved into mainstream social trends. An increasing number of pet owners are now considering international travel with their animal companions. Therefore, ensuring safe and compliant international pet relocation requires careful preparation. Next, let's take a look at what you should know about the cross-border pet travel guidelines.
I. Exit Procedures for Pets
(I) Application Submission
Pet owners or authorized agents must file declarations with local customs authorities 7-14 days prior to departure.
(II) Documentation Review
Customs officials will verify all submitted documents. If the documents meet requirements, the application will be accepted on-site; otherwise, the applicant will receive a comprehensive list of deficiencies.
(III) On-site Quarantine
Following document verification, customs officers will cross-check the pet's physical details with application records and perform clinical examinations.
(IV) Certification Issuance
Upon successful document verification and health clearance, customs will issue an official Animal Health Certificate. This certificate serves as the official authorization for international pet transportation.
II. Entry Requirements for Pets
China only allows dogs or cats as live animals for entry, limited to 1 pet per person per entry. In order to fully and accurately grasp the situation of pets brought into China by passengers, the pet owners shall declare their pets on site after entering China, fill in the "Information Registration Form for Pet Dogs and Cats Brought into China", submit the Animal Health Certificate and Vaccination Certificate, read the pet chip, check the above information, and release, return or destroy the pet within a time limit according to the results of on-site quarantine and isolation quarantine.
III. Required Documentation for Pet Exit
(I) Valid Rabies Immunization Documentation: Certification confirming current rabies vaccination status
(II) Owner's Travel Credentials: Government-issued identification matching travel authorization documents (ID card, passport, Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, etc.)
(III) Provide required proofs according to destination country's quarantine requirements for cross-border pet travel.
1. Compliant microchip implantation.
2. Rabies antibody test report. According to the requirements of the destination country/region, the serum antibody titer is greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml. Check whether the interval between the date of blood drawing and the dates of vaccination and departure meets the requirements.
IV. Microchip Specifications
Implanted microchips must comply with ISO standards 11784 & 11785. The 15-digit numeric code must only contain numbers and be machine-readable. If the chip does not meet the above standards, a reader-writer that can read the implanted chip shall be provided.
V. Co-Travel Requirements
In general, pets should leave the country together with their owners. In case of special circumstances, the pet can leave China by consignment within the validity period of the "Animal Health Certificate" and other relevant materials.
VI. Fee Structure for Animal Health Certification
No government-issued fees apply for Animal Health Certificate processing.
VII. Requirements for Entry of Pets from Different Countries and Regions
As the quarantine requirements for entry pets in different countries and regions may be updated at any time, the following is for reference only:
Canada/Russia: Rabies vaccination proof.
South Africa/UAE/Malaysia/Indonesia/India/Thailand: Rabies vaccination proof + microchip implantation.
South Korea: Rabies vaccination proof; rabies antibody titer test report (issued by a laboratory recognized by South Korea); microchip implantation.
Singapore: Rabies vaccination proof; rabies antibody titer test report; microchip implantation; in vitro and in vivo deworming.
Japan: Rabies vaccination proof; rabies antibody titer test report; microchip implantation.
Australia: Rabies vaccination proof; rabies antibody titer test report; microchip implantation; in vitro and in vivo deworming.
EU: Rabies vaccination proof; rabies antibody titer test report (issued by a laboratory recognized by EU); microchip implantation; in vitro and in vivo deworming.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of this website. The Chinese version shall prevail.