Taking a dog from the UK to Hong Kong in 2026
Last updated: September 24, 2026: verified against the AFCD (Hong Kong) Group I permit terms DC-01v05 and the country group list.
The United Kingdom is a Hong Kong Group I country, which is the best position you can be in: no quarantine, and no rabies blood test and no rabies vaccination to organise, which is the opposite of what most UK owners expect after reading about EU pet travel. What decides the outcome is the AFCD Special Permit, the certificates dated within 14 days, and one detail people discover too late: the dog must fly as manifested cargo, not as baggage on your own flight.
The UK is a Group I country
No quarantine, if the permit conditions are met in full. The certificate form your vet completes is VC-DC1, issued with your Special Permit.
Group I · no quarantine
The UK to Hong Kong checklist
- Special Permit from the AFCD, before anything else: form AF240 with form UN110 and a copy of your passport. HK$432 for one animal, HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit. At least 3 to 5 working days, and the permit is posted, not emailed, so add the mail time. Valid 6 months, one shipment only.
- Microchip, then vaccines: an ISO or AVID microchip readable on arrival. Then vaccination against distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus for dogs; feline panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex for cats, given not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year before export. No rabies vaccination is required from the UK, unlike Group II countries.
- Residence certificate: the trap for UK owners: continuously resident in the country of origin for the 180 days before export, or since birth. This is the clause that catches out owners who have been posted abroad. If the dog has spent time outside the UK inside the 180-day window, it no longer qualifies for Group I.
- Animal Health Certificate (form VC-DC1): dated not more than 14 days before export, certifying the animal is free of clinical signs, fit to travel and not more than 4 weeks pregnant. The microchip number on the certificate must match the number scanned on the animal.
- Airline certificate (Captain's Affidavit, form PC101): confirms the dog travelled the whole journey in its crate with no contact with other animals. In transit it must not have left the cargo transshipment area.
- Book manifested cargo from a UK airport: through a live-animal freight agent, on the fastest and most direct route. Not excess baggage, not hand-carried. Any stopover in a Group IIIA or IIIB country needs prior AFCD approval. The UK has no direct passenger-cabin route, which is the single biggest practical difference from flying to the EU.
- Notify the duty officer 24 hours before arrival, and keep the original white permit copy for collection. The airline may ask for the yellow duplicate before boarding.
- Age and breed limits: dogs and cats under 60 days old must not be imported. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crossbreeds cannot be imported into Hong Kong at all. Note the overlap with UK law: the XL Bully is banned in the UK but is not on the Hong Kong prohibited list, so an exempted XL Bully is not automatically blocked by Hong Kong, though UK exit rules still apply.
Timeline, counted backwards from the flight from the UK
What it costs from the UK
- AFCD Special Permit: HK$432 for one animal, HK$102 for each additional animal on the same permit and shipment.
- Air freight as manifested cargo from the UK: priced by weight and route by the airline or the live-animal freight agent. This is usually the largest single cost, and it is not a cabin-pet fee.
- UK vet fees: the health certificate, the vaccine update if needed, and the endorsement by an official veterinarian.
- No quarantine cost, because the UK is Group I: no quarantine and no rabies titre test.
Frequently asked questions
Do dogs from the UK need quarantine in Hong Kong?
No. The United Kingdom is a Group I country, and pets arriving directly from a Group I country are normally exempt from quarantine if the permit conditions are met in full.
Does my dog need a rabies vaccination to go from the UK to Hong Kong?
No. Rabies vaccination is not required for Group I countries, and there is no rabies blood test. This is the main difference from Group II, which covers most of the EU and the USA.
What is the 180-day residence rule?
The dog must have been continuously resident in the UK for the 180 days before export, or since birth. A dog that has been abroad inside that window loses Group I treatment, so check the rule if you have been posted overseas or have travelled with the dog.
How long before the flight should I apply for the permit from the UK?
At least 3 to 5 working days once the full file and the fee are in, and longer if you apply by post, because the permit is sent by mail and is not issued by fax or email. It is valid for 6 months and for one shipment only.
Can my dog fly from the UK as excess baggage?
No. It must travel to Hong Kong as manifested cargo, on the fastest and most direct route. Excess baggage and hand-carried baggage are not permitted, and there is no passenger-cabin option on the route.
What health certificate does my vet in the UK complete?
Form VC-DC1, the form issued with your Special Permit. It must be dated not more than 14 days before export, signed by a government veterinary officer or a registered vet endorsed by one, and cover a single animal.
What is the minimum age for a dog leaving the UK for Hong Kong?
Dogs and cats under 60 days old must not be imported.
Is an XL Bully allowed into Hong Kong from the UK?
The XL Bully is not on the Hong Kong prohibited breed list, so it is not automatically blocked by Hong Kong. But UK exit rules and any Certificate of Exemption conditions still apply, and the prohibited breeds in Hong Kong are the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crossbreeds.
Official sources
- AFCD, import of dogs and cats (country grouping and application procedure): https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/qua_ie_ipab_idc.html
- AFCD Group I permit terms (DC-01v05, PDF): https://www.afcd.gov.hk/English/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/files/DC_01v05_Terms_for_import_G1_Jun25B.pdf
- AFCD Group II permit terms (DC-02v05, PDF): https://www.afcd.gov.hk/English/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/files/DC_02v05_Terms_for_import_G2_Jun25B.pdf
- AFCD Group IIIA page (quarantine, 30 days minimum): https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/qua_ie_ipab_idc_Group_IIIa.html
- AFCD Group IIIB page (quarantine, 120 days minimum): https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/qua_ie_ipab_idc_Group_IIIb.html
PetPass Ready is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the AFCD or any government agency. The permit terms issued with your Special Permit are the controlling document. Always confirm on the official AFCD pages before you book.