Pet Travel From the United States to China
Travel Requirements Based on Pet Type
Carefully read ALL of the requirements related to your pet on this page.
- This page provides the most recent entry requirements and can change without notice.
- It is the responsibility of the veterinarian to make sure the pet has met all health requirements of the destination country before issuing a health certificate.
- Failure to meet the requirements may result in problems gaining certificate endorsement or difficulties upon arrival in the destination country.
- Health certificates must be legible, accurate, and complete.
***IF A PET DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW, IT MUST ENTER THROUGH A DESIGNATED PORT (as outlined in the “Pet Dogs and Cats for Entry into a Designated Port and Quarantine Required” dropdown menu), OR IT WILL BE EUTHANIZED OR RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES.***
Effective May 1, 2019, China will allow entry of U.S. pets (dogs and cats) to enter through any port of arrival in China without a quarantine, ONLY IF ALL the following conditions are met.
- Your pet must have been vaccinated at least TWICE in its lifetime, and be CURRENT on rabies vaccinations at the time of arrival in China.
- An original copy of the current rabies vaccine certificate must accompany the APHIS-endorsed health certificate, and at the time of arrival in China will need to be provided to, and may be kept by, the Quarantine Officials.
- Please travel with photocopies of your pet’s rabies vaccine certificate, as they may be requested.
- Your pet must be individually identified by microchip.
- Your pet should be implanted with an ISO compliant (11784 and 11785) microchip. ISO compliant microchips are 15 digits long.
- If your pet does not have an ISO compliant microchip, you will need to travel with a microchip reader that can read your pet’s microchip.
- Your pet must be accompanied by an original rabies titer test laboratory report which states the pet has an antibody titer of at least 0.5 IU/mL and this report must accompany the APHIS-endorsed health certificate, and at the time of arrival in China will need to be provided to, and may be kept by, the Quarantine Officials.
- Rabies testing must be performed at one of the following approved laboratories:
- DoD Food Analysis & Diagnostic Laboratory, Fort Sam Houston, TX
- Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory, Manhattan, KS
- Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology Virology Laboratory, Auburn, AL
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA
- University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Laboratory, Columbia, MO
- Testing must occur on the same day as, or any day after administration of the second rabies vaccination.
- Rabies titer test sampling date, laboratory name and test results must be recorded on the health certificate, and are considered valid for UP TO ONE YEAR after the sampling date.
NOTE: Pets originating from Hawaii or Guam are exempt from the rabies titer testing requirement.
- Only one (1) pet per traveler is allowed. The traveler’s name must be on the pet’s veterinary health certificate (Ex: Consignor’s Name) and match the name on the traveler’s passport.
- Each pet must have its own veterinary health certificate, and only one (1) pet may be listed per certificate.
- Health certificates must be issued by your USDA accredited veterinarian within 14 days of arrival in China, and be electronically endorsed by USDA-APHIS using the VEHCS system.
- Health certificates must contain all of the following information about the pet:
- Microchip number, date and location of implantation
- Date of birth or age
- Rabies vaccine information, including:
- Type (inactive, modified or recombinant)
- Date of administration
- Date of vaccine validity expiration (MUST be valid at the time of arrival in China)
- Name of the vaccine administered
- Name of the vaccine manufacturing company
- Rabies antibody titer test information, including:
- Sample collection date (MUST be within one year of the date of arrival in China)
- Name of laboratory used
- Rabies titer test results
- Attestation that the pet has undergone clinical examination and is free of signs of disease.
- Printed copies of electronically endorsed APHIS veterinary health certificates must be accompanied by an original copy of the current rabies vaccine certificate and the rabies titer laboratory report. At the time of arrival in China, all three documents will need to be provided to, and may be kept by, the Quarantine Officials.
Health certificates for pet dogs and cats to China MUST BE issued by the USDA accredited veterinarian and electronically submitted through VEHCS for digital endorsement by APHIS. A printed copy must accompany the shipment.
Health Certificate for Dog(s) (206.15 KB)- January 2026
Health Certificate for Cat(s) (204.76 KB)- January 2026
- The pet's APHIS-endorsed health certificate must be accompanied by an original copy of the current rabies vaccine certificate and the rabies titer laboratory report.
- One photocopy of the traveler’s passport is required for each pet.
- A digital photo of the pet printed on regular paper, and one photocopy, are also required.
- For large dogs it is best to have something in the photo to help judge the size of the animal.
Upon arrival, you will need to take the pet, fees, and all documents to the General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China (GACC) office at the airport and these documents may be kept by the Quarantine Officials.
Any pet that cannot meet those requirements MUST enter China through one of the designated ports listed below, and will be required to complete a 30-day post-arrival quarantine:
Port Name | Customs Name |
Beijing Capital Airport | Capital Airport Customs |
Beijing West Railway Station | Beijing West Railway Station Customs |
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport | Hongqiao International Airport Customs |
Shanghai Pudong International Airport | Pudong International Airport Customs |
Shanghai Railway Station | Station Customs |
Shanghai International Passenger Transport Center | Pujiang Customs |
Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal | Wusong Customs |
Urumqi Diwopu International Airport | Urumqi Airport Customs |
Alashankou | Alashankou Customs |
Guangzhou Baiyun Airport | Guangzhou Customs |
- Your pet must be current on rabies vaccinations at the time of arrival in China.
- An original copy of the current rabies vaccine certificate will need to be provided to, and may be kept by, the Quarantine Officials upon arrival in China.
- Please travel with photocopies of your pet’s rabies vaccine certificate, as they may be requested.
- Only one (1) pet per traveler is allowed. The traveler’s name must be on the pet’s veterinary health certificate (Ex: Consignor’s Name) and match the name on the traveler’s passport.
- Each pet must have its own veterinary health certificate, and only one (1) pet may be listed per certificate.
- Health certificates must be issued by your USDA accredited veterinarian within 14 days of arrival in China, and be electronically endorsed by USDA-APHIS using the VEHCS system.
- Health certificates must contain all of the following information about the pet:
- Date of birth or age
- Rabies vaccine information, including:
- Type (inactive, modified or recombinant)
- Date of administration
- Date of vaccine validity expiration
- Name of the vaccine administered
- Name of the vaccine manufacturing company
- Attestation that the pet has undergone clinical examination and is free of signs of disease.
Health certificates for pet dogs and cats to China MUST BE issued by the USDA accredited veterinarian and electronically submitted through VEHCS for digital endorsement by APHIS. A printed copy must accompany the shipment.
Health Certificate for Dog(s) (206.15 KB)- January 2026
Health Certificate for Cat(s) (204.76 KB)- January 2026
- Chinese Customs needs to be notified of your pet’s arrival in advance of travel.
- On arrival, you will need to take the pet, fees, and certificates to the General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China (GACC) office at the airport.
- The pet is required to complete a 30-day quarantine in the GACC designated facility.
- During quarantine, if clinical symptoms are observed, pets will be required to have an examination and undergo laboratory testing.
- The pet will be released only after the pet is determined to be healthy and has passed the required testing.
- Learn more about quarantine.
For pet travel requirements not listed, APHIS has not been officially informed by the foreign country about the requirements for your pet’s travel. We recommend that you contact a government official of the country you are traveling to for more information.
Country of Destination Contact Information
Countries Participating in the European Union
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Northern Ireland*
Norway**
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland**
* Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (UK), but will continue to follow European Union (EU) requirements even though the UK is no longer part of the EU.
** Norway and Switzerland are not part of the EU but have adopted EU legislation for import of most species of live animals.
Important Travel Considerations
Considerations for airline travel and cruises:
Airlines and shipping lines have their own policies and requirements for transporting pets. Check with your airline or shipping representative to determine what requirements they may have.
Learn how you can improve the safety of dogs and cats during air travel.
If pets or support animals accompany you on a cruise, you must comply with entry rules for every country or port where your pet or support animal exits the ship.
Will you be returning to the United States with your pet?
View APHIS Requirements
ALERT: CDC is the primary authority for dog imports. For requirements or questions about dogs entering or returning to the United States, visit the CDC website.
If you are transiting (passing through) the European Union:
If your pet is traveling through (transiting) a country in the European Union (EU) on the way to a third, non-EU country, you will also need a transit health certificate for your pet for the EU. The transit health certificate will be the same as if your pet’s final destination was the EU country. Use the information and steps above under “Travel Requirements Based on Pet Type” to determine which health certificate should be used. View a list of EU countries.
Need Help?
Still Have Questions?
USDA-Accredited Veterinarians
Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian for questions about your destination country's entry requirements for pets (including any needed vaccinations, tests, or treatments); issuance of health certificates; and status updates on certificate endorsement.
Find a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian
APHIS Endorsement Offices
Contact APHIS Veterinary Export Trade Services if you have questions about endorsing an international pet health certificate. For quickest help, see tips for pet owners and accredited veterinarians.
Looking for Another Country?
Find your destination country requirements by using the dropdown menu below. If your country is not listed in the menu, visit Pet Travel: Unknown Requirements.