Bringing a Dog or Cat into Mainland China

Mainland China permits a traveler to bring one dog or cat per person per entry under the passenger-pet route. The pet needs an electronic microchip, an official animal-health/quarantine certificate from the exporting country or region, and a valid rabies vaccination certificate. Whether 30-day quarantine can be avoided depends on origin, documents, test laboratory and the on-arrival inspection.

The controlling national baseline is GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019. Customs says designated-country pets with a valid chip can be exempt after passing inspection; non-designated-country pets also need a rabies-antibody report from a laboratory accepted by GACC, with a result above 0.5 IU/ml, to qualify for the exemption. Lists can change, so retrieve the current attachments from GACC rather than using a copied blog list.

This guide concerns passenger entry to mainland China. Hong Kong and Macao have separate import systems. Airline acceptance and city dog-licensing rules are separate from border quarantine.

Start with the quarantine branch

From a designated country or region

Prepare the valid microchip, official health/quarantine certificate and rabies vaccination certificate. If the documents and on-site inspection pass, the pet can qualify for release without isolation.

From a non-designated country or region

Prepare the same documents plus a rabies-antibody test from a laboratory on the current GACC accepted list. The report must meet the official threshold and match the pet's microchip identity. Do not assume any accredited veterinary laboratory is accepted by China.

If the pet does not qualify for exemption

The national announcement provides for 30-day quarantine at a designated facility. A pet requiring quarantine must enter through a port with the required facility. Choosing a convenient direct flight is not enough; verify that the current arrival port can process the case.

Missing required certificates, exceeding the one-pet limit, entering at an unsuitable port when quarantine is required, or failing quarantine can lead to return or destruction under the announcement. Resolve uncertainty before boarding.

Build the document packet in this order

1. Microchip first. Use an internationally readable chip and make sure every later document carries the identical number.
2. Rabies vaccination. Keep the full certificate, manufacturer/batch details and validity dates. Ask the exporting authority which timing and endorsement it requires for China.
3. Rabies-antibody test when required. Use the latest GACC accepted-laboratory list and keep the original report.
4. Official health/quarantine certificate. A private veterinarian may prepare the exam, but the final certificate must be issued or endorsed as required by the exporting country's competent authority.
5. China entry form and copies. Carry originals plus paper and encrypted digital copies; never rely on a phone as the only record.

The carrier name, passport, pet description, chip and certificate details must agree. A typo in the chip number can break the entire chain.

Confirm three authorities, not one

• China Customs/GACC: document, test and port quarantine rules.
• Exporting-country authority: certificate format, examination window and official endorsement.
• Airline: route, breed, season, crate, in-cabin/hold/cargo and check-in deadline.

Get written confirmation for the exact flight. Codeshare partners can apply different animal policies, and a connection may trigger transit-country rules even when the pet never leaves the airport.

Arrival workflow

Declare the pet to Customs and present the original packet. Staff will scan or verify the chip, review documents and conduct the on-site inspection.

Pre-declare online. Owners who brought dogs and cats into Beijing and other airports in 2026 recommend filing the declaration before landing in the official Customs WeChat mini-program 海关进出境人员指尖服务, under 宠物申报 (pet declaration). Do it somewhere with a good signal: if an upload stalls you must start again.

What the form asks for.

• Arrival airport, flight and date, plus addresses abroad and in China.
• Breed, sex, birth date and color, copied from the health certificate.
• Whether you come from a designated country.
• The 15-digit chip number.
• The rabies vaccination date and manufacturer.
• For non-designated countries, the antibody test's blood-sampling date, titer and laboratory.
• Separate photos of the health certificate, vaccination record and titer report.

At the airport.

1. After immigration, go to the red "goods to declare" channel beside baggage reclaim.
2. Fill in the red baggage declaration form and the separate pet information form that staff hand out. Keep photos of every document on your phone to copy from.
3. Officers move you to a side room, scan the chip and keep some paper originals.

On-site paper declaration is still possible, but pre-declaring is faster. Carry originals, not copies: several ports reject photocopies. Allow a long connection buffer and do not book a same-day domestic train that assumes instant release.

Carry water arrangements, an absorbent liner, waste bags, harness/leash and a secure travel crate. Do not sedate an animal for flight unless the treating veterinarian and carrier explicitly approve it. Senior, pregnant, nursing or medically fragile pets need a welfare decision as well as legal compliance.

After border release

Border clearance does not override local rules. Before choosing a home or hotel, check:

• whether the property accepts the species, size and breed;
• local dog-registration, vaccination and leash rules;
• breed or height restrictions in the destination city;
• nearby veterinary clinics and emergency hours;
• rail, metro and domestic-flight pet policies for onward travel.

Passenger high-speed rail is generally not a simple pet-carry-on option, so do not build a multi-city itinerary before confirming lawful onward transport. Pet-friendly claims on rental platforms should be confirmed in writing.

Timeline

Start several months before travel. Chip and vaccination history may need to precede the antibody test; laboratory turnaround and government endorsement take time. Recheck the official list and airline policy once before booking and again before the certificate appointment.

Final rule

Do not treat a social-media checklist or relocation agent's promise as border authorization. Match the current GACC rule, exporting authority and airline in writing for the same pet, route and date.