🇻🇳 Pet relocation · rules before flights
Moving pets to Vietnam
Vietnam has a specific border-quarantine procedure for small numbers of pets travelling with a person. It may look lighter than a commercial import, but the original government export certificate, health record and arrival inspection still need to line up.
Last verified 12 September 2026
The short answer
Can families move a dog or cat to Vietnam?
Vietnam's national public-service procedure says an owner carrying no more than two animals for family pet, travel, work or transit purposes can register directly with the border animal-quarantine authority. Officials check the original quarantine certificate from the exporting country and clinically inspect the animal. Larger, unaccompanied or commercial movements need the appropriate full import route.
The official route
Keep the move inside the accompanied-pet route
The simplified public-service procedure is defined by the number of animals, purpose and accompaniment. Confirm it for the exact airport and journey before booking.
Confirm the movement qualifies
Ask the border quarantine office whether the owner, number of pets, purpose and arrival point fit the accompanied-person procedure.
Make one reliable animal record
Use a readable microchip, consistent description and complete vaccine history even where the public procedure does not list a chip as its only required document.
Obtain the government certificate
Arrange the origin country's export process so the competent veterinary authority issues the original certificate accepted by Vietnam.
Secure every operating segment
Get written carrier acceptance and check whether a transit or recheck turns a simple route into a separate import or transfer process.
Present the pet for inspection
Register with the animal-quarantine authority at the border, show the original certificate and allow time for clinical inspection or further action if a disease concern appears.
Chip · vaccines · permission · certificate
Make each requirement prove the same journey
Rules can change with origin, disease status, port and travel date. Use the official position below as your starting point, then have the destination authority and departure-country veterinary authority confirm the exact file in writing.
Microchip
Not the sole document listed on the accompanied-pet serviceStill use an ISO-readable chip for identity, export-country, airline and future onward-travel needs; place the number throughout the file.
Vaccinations
Keep rabies and core records currentAsk the origin authority and Vietnamese border office which diseases, timings and attestations apply to the origin and travel date.
Import/quarantine registration
Direct at the border for the defined ≤2-pet routeConfirm the route in advance. Do not assume it covers three or more pets, unaccompanied cargo, resale or breeding.
Export-country certificate
Original requiredObtain the certificate from the competent authority in the departure country and carry any English/Vietnamese translation requested.
Build the travel file
Keep originals, scans and names in step
Read the chip before clinical work begins. The pet description, owner or consignee, dates, route and microchip number should agree across government, veterinary and airline records.
Pet record
- Microchip evidence and physical description
- Rabies and core vaccination history
- Recent clinical record, treatments and any test results
Official movement
- Original quarantine/export certificate from the departure country
- Written confirmation of the correct Vietnamese arrival procedure
- Owner passport and evidence the movement is personal rather than commercial
Travel and landing
- Operating-airline confirmation for each flight
- Transit authority confirmation where needed
- Vietnam contact, pet-friendly transfer and local veterinary appointment
Quarantine and release risk
Plan for the outcome—not only the best case
“No routine quarantine” never means automatic entry. An officer can still inspect, test, detain or refuse an animal when health, identity or paperwork does not meet the current conditions.
Healthy accompanied pet
The official procedure describes document review and clinical inspection rather than automatic routine quarantine for every compliant pet on the defined route.
Vaccination or clinical gap
Officials may vaccinate an animal lacking protection against dangerous infectious disease or take samples where disease is suspected.
Outside the simplified scope
More than two pets, unaccompanied movement, commercial purpose or missing original evidence can require a different process and may delay or prevent release.
Airline and transit planning
A legal pet can still be refused at check-in
Government import permission, export certification and airline acceptance are separate approvals. Build the route around the animal—not around the cheapest passenger fare.
Read IATA pet guidanceOperating airline
Confirm cabin, accompanied-baggage or cargo acceptance for the pet, crate, breed, temperature, aircraft and every segment. A codeshare marketing carrier cannot answer for the operator.
Travel container
Measure the standing animal, follow the operating carrier's current IATA-based container specification and practise calm crate time well before departure.
Transit and disruption
Check the scheduled transit and every realistic diversion. Ask who handles the pet if a connection is missed, the flight changes aircraft or cargo cannot be transferred airside.
Welfare plan
Discuss fitness to fly with the vet, avoid routine sedation, plan water and feeding, and choose a route that limits heat exposure, handling stages and long layovers.
Breed, species and local restrictions
Check every layer that can say no
A border authority, transit country, airline, local council, building manager or landlord can each apply a different rule. Exotic pets need species-specific CITES and wildlife checks rather than a dog-and-cat checklist.
The number matters
The accompanied-person procedure is expressly limited to no more than two animals. Ask for the correct full route before moving a larger household group.
Heat and ground handling
Confirm where pets are collected at the airport and how long the crate may be exposed. Arrange direct, air-conditioned transport.
Housing and neighbourhood fit
Building rules, landlord consent, lift access, noise and safe outdoor space may matter more day-to-day than the border process.
The first 24 hours
Make arrival calm after a complicated journey
Keep the collection plan simple, leave time for official checks and make one adult responsible for documents while another watches the animal.
Find border quarantine
Know the office, opening arrangements and document presentation point for the actual airport and arrival time.
Present the original certificate
Keep the government export/quarantine certificate and full health file with the travelling adult.
Allow for clinical inspection
Do not book a tight onward connection or handover while an official check remains outstanding.
Settle before domestic travel
If another Vietnamese flight or long road journey follows, confirm the carrier and any domestic movement paperwork separately.
Continue the family plan
Connect the pet route to the home and daily routine
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Common questions
Questions about moving pets to Vietnam
How early should we start planning a pet move to Vietnam?
Start several months before the family flight. Vaccination sequences, antibody tests, permits, government-endorsed certificates, quarantine reservations and airline capacity run on different clocks. The route should be checked before any non-refundable ticket is booked.
Can a normal vet issue every document?
A private vet can usually implant or scan a microchip, vaccinate and prepare clinical records. The final export or health certificate may need endorsement or issue by the competent government veterinary authority in the departure country. Confirm that distinction early.
Can our pet travel on the same flight as us?
Sometimes, but cabin, accompanied-baggage and cargo options depend on the operating airline, aircraft, route, pet size and local rules. Ask the operating carrier for written acceptance for every flight segment, not only the ticketing airline.
Should we sedate our pet for the flight?
IATA advises against routine sedation or tranquilisation because of possible adverse effects in transport. Discuss welfare and any medical need with the treating vet and carrier; never medicate solely to make airline acceptance easier.
What if our route changes after the permit is issued?
Stop and recheck the import authority, export authority and airline. A different date, port, transit country, flight number or consignee can invalidate a permit, certificate or quarantine reservation.
Do transit-country rules matter if we stay airside?
They can. A through-airside transfer is not automatically exempt from animal-health, customs or airline-transfer controls, especially when bags or cargo must be collected. Get confirmation for each transit and contingency airport.
Are airline breed restrictions the same as government import restrictions?
No. A country may admit a breed that an airline refuses to carry, while housing, local licensing or insurer rules can add further restrictions. Check all four layers separately.
What should be arranged for the first day?
Confirm who meets the pet, where inspection or quarantine happens, how the crate is collected, pet-friendly transport, a secure home, water and familiar food, and a local vet who can help if the animal is unwell after travel.