Hong Kong - Pet Paperwork

All certificates must be completed in either English or Chinese!
Before arriving in Hong Kong, you must secure a Special Permit to bring your pet with you. The application for this  permit is made on Form AF240. You can download the form from: www.afcd.gov.hk , clicking on the Quarantine and Pesticides, Pet Animals, and then downloading the form. Be sure to read the information on dangerous dogs if you're importing a dog. There are restrictions on Pit bull terriors, Dogo Argintinos, Fila Brazilieros, and Japanese Tosas. You can also e-mail the Import Control Section at:  [email protected] for any specific questions, or call + 852 2150 7070. 
Or you can write to:

Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices
5 Floor, No. 303
Cheung Sha Wan Road
Permit Unit
Kowloon
Hong Kong
China SAR

There is also a form available by using their fax-on-demand service.  Call + 852 2708 8885 ext. 2291 and then type in your fax number. I’m not sure if this works outside of Hong Kong or just inside Hong Kong. The computer will call you back and sending a fax of all the importing regulations and a form to fill in to get the Special Permit needed for importing a pet. 

The fee for one animal is HK$432 and HK$102 for each additional animal. It usually takes 5 working days to issue a permit. The permit, once received, is valid for 90 days. The fees should be paid by a bank draft, drawn from a bank in Hong Kong,  in Hong Kong currency payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”

• Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices
  5 Floor, No. 303
  Cheung Sha Wan Road
  Permit Unit
  Kowloon
  Hong Kong
  China SAR
  Tel: + 852 2150 7070
  Fax: + 852 2708 8885 ext. 2291 than typ ein your fax number
  email: [email protected] 

Transporting Your Pet
Once you have your Special Permit and all the necessary veterinary documents to bring your pet into Hong Kong, you will need to ship your pet. There are some important rules that need to be followed when exporting your pet. 

For group I and II countries, you must have an Airline Certification or Captain’s Affidavit. This will certify that the animal has travelled the whole journey on the aircraft without leaving the aircraft along the way and/or without any stopping/changing over in a country of lower health status; and were not in contact with any other animals. Pets must be transported by most direct route as MANIFEST CARGO, and if travelling by air they must be covered by an air waybill.  Their container must be suitable for humane transportation. Contact your airline for information on this.  

• If your pet is arriving by air, you must NOTIFY THE ACTUAL ARRIVAL DETAILS TO AFCD IMPORT CONTROL OFFICERS AT THE AIRPORT AT LEAST 2 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE PET.  Call + 852 2182 1001 or + 852 2182 1002 to notify them. You should make sure that the Animal Quarantine section will be open when your pet arrives!!!
• Talk to the cargo handling agents of the airline concerned for the clearance of your pet. Obtain from them the Airway Bill, Shipment Release Form, and Airline Certification. 
• Present these documents to the AFCD Import Control Officers for documentations clearance and inspection.
• Present the Shipment Release Form to the Supervisor of your cargo handling agent to get your pet.
• Take your pet to the relevant AFCD Offices for a health check.
• If everything is in order, your pet will get to go home with you!  Be sure to have your dog licensed as they must be licensed in Hong Kong. 

All this information was obtained from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department’s  Guide to Import and Export of Pet Animals and Birds. I would recommend asking for a copy or downloading it from the site listed in the beginning. 

See also the section on Quarantine!

Quarantine requirements
There is no quarantine in Hong Kong if pet paperwork has been completed properly.

Group I Countries
Dogs and cats imported directly from Australia, Hawaii, Fiji, Ireland, New Zealand, and the U.K are normally exempted from quarantine, subject to full compliance with the permit conditions. The animals must have the proper documents showing vaccines. They should also have a veterinary health certificate (dated less than 14 days before departure) that certifies the animal is free from infectious or contagious disease, is healthy to travel, and is either not pregnant or less than 4 weeks pregnant. The vet should also be able to issue a residence certificate to show that the animal has been continuously residing in the country during the preceding 6 months or since birth.

Group II Countries
Animals from these areas MAY BE exempt from quarantine provided the animals comply fully with the permit conditions.  The animals must have the proper documents showing vaccines. They should also have a veterinary health certificate (dated less than 14 days before departure) that certifies the animal is free from infectious or contagious disease, is healthy to travel, and is either not pregnant or less than 4 weeks pregnant. The vet should also be able to issue a residence certificate to show that the animal has been continuously residing in the country during the preceding 6 monthsor since birth AND that there has been no case of rabies reported in that country (or area,) during the past 6 months.

Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guam, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Norway, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Protugal, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, USA (Continental), Vanuatu, Virgin Islands.

Group III Countries
All animals from group III countries will be subject to a minimum 4-month quarantine period at the owners expense. The animals need a veterinary health certificate dated not more than 14 days before departure, signed and stamped by the government veterinary authorities or by a qualified vet surgeon of the exporting country.  A residence certificate is not needed. An anti-rabies vaccination certificate is desirable.  Remember that the certificate should be in English or Chinese.

Transporting your pet
Once you have your Special Permit and all the necessary veterinary documents to bring your pet into Hong Kong, you will need to ship your pet. There are some important rules that need to be followed when exporting your pet. 

For group I and II countries, you must have an Airline Certification or Captain’s Affidavit.  This will certify that the animal has traveled the whole journey on the aircraft without leaving the aircraft along the way and/or without any stopping/changing over in a country of lower health status; and were not in contact with any other animals.  Pets must be transported by most direct route as MANIFEST CARGO, and if traveling by air they must be covered by an air waybill.  Their container must be suitable for humane transportation.  Contact your airline for information on this.

• If your pet is arriving by air, you must NOTIFY THE ACTUAL ARRIVAL DETAILS TO AFCD IMPORT CONTROL OFFICERS AT THE AIRPORT AT LEAST 2 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE PET.  Call + 852 2182 1001 or + 852 2182 1002 to notify them. You should make sure that the Animal Quarantine section will be open when your pet arrives!!!
• Talk to the cargo handling agents of the airline concerned for the clearance of your pet. Obtain from them the Airway Bill, Shipment Release Form, and Airline Certification. 
• Present these documents to the AFCD Import Control Officers for documentations clearance and inspection.
• Present the Shipment Release Form to the Supervisor of your cargo handling agent to get your pet.
• Take your pet to the relevant AFCD Offices for a health check.
• If everything is in order, your pet will get to go home with you!  Be sure to have your dog licensed as they must be licensed in Hong Kong. 

All this information was obtained from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department’s  Guide to Import and Export of Pet Animals and Birds. I would recommend asking for a copy or downloading it from the site:  www.afcd.gov.hk/quarantine/text/lsk/import/dogcat.htm