Moving with a dog or cat between France and Hong Kong

At a glance

Hong Kong → France

Bringing a pet from Hong Kong to France

Hong Kong is in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636. A dog or cat travelling straight from Hong Kong therefore needs no rabies antibody titre test, as long as it does not transit an unlisted country without the required declaration. It does need:

• A microchip and a valid rabies vaccination, with the primary vaccination at least 21 days old on the day of travel.
• The EU animal health certificate (the Annex III model in Regulation 2026/705), completed by a registered private vet in Hong Kong and then certified by AFCD.
• The written declaration that the move is non-commercial (plus the transit declaration where relevant).
• Arrival through a travellers' point of entry, where you declare the pet to customs before leaving the international area.

Certification by AFCD

Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department offers an official certification of the information on the EU health certificate. Your private vet fills in the certificate, signing and stamping in a colour different from the printed text. You then apply in person with the certificate, the written declaration(s), the rabies vaccination record, the dog licence, your full itinerary and the application form. The document is ready in 1 working day and is valid for 10 days from issue until arrival.

The counter is Counter 9 at the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, open Monday to Friday, 08:30–12:30 and 13:30–17:15 (hours read on 19 October 2026). AFCD notes that the private vet's certificate is normally issued within the 10 days before departure, and that from 1 October 2026 only the latest EU certificate and declaration are accepted.

France → Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong with a dog or cat

AFCD sorts countries of origin into groups. France is in Group II, together with places such as Belgium, Spain, South Korea and Taiwan; AFCD confirmed that Groups I and II stayed unchanged when it regrouped countries in December 2024. Group II means no titre test, and a pet that meets every condition is exempt from quarantine. One that does not faces at least four months of quarantine at the owner's expense, or is sent back.

First, the special permit

An AFCD special permit is mandatory and must be obtained in advance: allow 5 working days from receipt of the application and fee. It costs HK$432 for one animal and HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit (as of 19 October 2026). It is valid for 6 months for a single consignment and can be extended in 30-day steps. From abroad, you pay by Hong Kong dollar bank draft or through an agent in Hong Kong.

The permit conditions

• Age and pregnancy: no animals under 5 months, no females more than 4 weeks pregnant.
• Microchip: ISO or AVID.
• Residence: at least 180 days in France before export, or since birth, with no rabies case within 10 km during that time (certified by the official vet).
• Rabies vaccination: given between 30 days and 1 year before export, with the primary vaccination given at 90 days of age or older. An older vaccine, even one still valid in France, falls outside this window; we check with you whether a booster is needed.
• Other vaccinations, between 14 days and 1 year before export: distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus for dogs; panleukopenia and the respiratory complex for cats.
• Health certificate (AFCD form VC-DC2 or equivalent) issued no more than 14 days before export, signed by an official vet, or by a practising vet and then endorsed by an official vet. In France, official certification is the job of the DDPP or DDETSPP.
• Airline certificate required by the permit (form PC101).
• Notice to the AFCD airport office at least 24 hours before arrival.

Breeds refused

Hong Kong bans the import of the Pit Bull Terrier (including the American Staffordshire Terrier), the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro and their crosses. Savannah cats are excluded, and a Bengal needs proof that it is at least fifth generation.

After arrival

A dog aged 5 months or more needs a Hong Kong dog licence.

Microchip and vaccinations

The microchip goes in before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination. For Hong Kong the rabies window has two edges: the vaccine must be at least 30 days and no more than one year old at export. For a pet vaccinated more than a year ago with a three-year vaccine, a well-timed booster at least 30 days before departure usually solves it, as long as it is not left too late.

For France, the usual EU rule applies: a primary vaccination at least 21 days old, or a booster given while the previous vaccine was valid. Puppies and kittens cannot enter France before about 15 weeks, but Hong Kong's 5-month minimum is the stricter limit on the way out anyway.

Documents checklist

• Leaving France: AFCD special permit; VC-DC2 (or equivalent) health certificate endorsed by the DDPP; vaccination records; airline certificate (PC101); air waybill for the cargo booking; proof that AFCD was notified 24 hours before arrival.
• Leaving Hong Kong: EU animal health certificate certified by AFCD; non-commercial declaration; rabies vaccination record; dog licence; full itinerary; proof that the owner travels within 5 days before or after the pet.

More on certificates and endorsements: vet documents.

Rabies antibody titre test

Neither direction requires a titre test for a house move: Hong Kong does not ask for one from Group II countries, and France does not ask for one from Annex II countries.

A titre test can still be useful in one case: a pet living in Hong Kong that visits France and then goes home. AFCD runs a Residence Certification Waiver Scheme for this, based on a titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an AFCD-recognised laboratory, taken at least 30 days after vaccination and valid for one year. It waives the residence certification on return; we check with you whether it suits your trip. If the test is done in France, the laboratories approved by the French Ministry of Agriculture are ANSES Nancy, Laboratoire départemental 31 and INOVALYS; confirm that AFCD recognises them before the blood sample.

Typical timeline (France → Hong Kong)

1. Check age, breed and vaccine dates 2–3 months ahead

   5 months old on arrival, an accepted breed, a rabies vaccine less than a year old at departure.

2. Rabies booster if needed at least 30 days ahead

   Together with the other vaccines, which need to be at least 14 days old.

3. AFCD special permit 5 working days to process

   Valid for 6 months, so apply as soon as the rough date is known.

4. Cargo booking once the permit is issued

   A direct flight or an accepted routing, in an IATA-compliant crate.

5. Certificate and DDPP endorsement within 14 days of departure

   Vet examination, then the DDPP appointment.

6. Notify AFCD at the airport 24 hours before arrival

   Inspection on arrival, then the dog licence.

For an adult pet that is already vaccinated, allow roughly one to two months.

How pets travel

The permit terms leave no room: the pet arrives in Hong Kong as manifested cargo. Excess baggage and hand-carried baggage are not permitted, even if you are on the same flight.

Cathay Pacific flies direct between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Hong Kong. As of 19 October 2026, it carries animals only as cargo (its Cathay Live Animal service), and since 1 September 2025 it takes direct bookings only from forwarders and animal-transport professionals that meet its criteria. Snub-nosed breeds are accepted only from January to May and October to December, and only on certain routes out of Hong Kong (London, Melbourne, Singapore), so not between Paris and Hong Kong. Rates are not published.

Air France listed Hong Kong in its winter 2025-26 programme. Its pet page sets no Hong Kong-specific rule, but AFCD's cargo requirement applies regardless. We check the service and the cargo booking when we quote. See air cargo for pets and travel crates.

On the way back to France, Hong Kong's cargo rule no longer applies: the chosen airline's own options (cabin, hold or cargo) decide.

Airports and checks

In Hong Kong, the pet lands at Hong Kong International Airport as cargo. The AFCD airport office must have been notified at least 24 hours in advance; keep the permit and the original certificate with the cargo paperwork.

In France, the pet enters through a travellers' point of entry, which for direct flights means Paris-Charles de Gaulle. You declare it and show its certificate to customs, who check the paperwork and the microchip; no appointment is needed. A pet that does not comply can be isolated, sent back or, as a last resort, put down, at the owner's expense.

What drives the cost

Known official fees, as of 19 October 2026: the AFCD special permit costs HK$432 for one animal and HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit. AFCD also charges for certifying the EU certificate on the way back; its fee schedule has several lines and we confirm which one applies.

The rest depends on your case: vet visits and vaccines, DDPP certification (no national rate published), the crate, the cargo and forwarder charges, and a Hong Kong agent if you need one for payment or collection. Cargo usually costs more than a pet in the hold, and here it is compulsory. Our quote lists each item separately.

Common mistakes

• Booking the pet in the cabin or as baggage: Hong Kong only accepts cargo.
• Travelling with a 4-month-old puppy: Hong Kong refuses animals under 5 months.
• Relying on a rabies vaccine more than a year old, even if France still considers it valid.
• Planning a snub-nosed dog on Cathay Pacific out of Paris.
• Forgetting to notify AFCD 24 hours before arrival.
• On the way back, letting more than 10 days pass between AFCD certification and arrival in France.

Frequently asked questions

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