Bringing your cat from France to Hong Kong
Bringing a cat to Hong Kong from a Group II country is relatively simple: an AFCD Special Permit obtained in advance, an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination and a veterinary health certificate. No quarantine, no rabies titre.
You must obtain the AFCD Special Permit BEFORE travelling — a cat cannot be imported without it, and it must be issued before the cat is loaded onto the plane. From Group II countries (most of the EU, USA, Canada, Switzerland) there is no rabies titre test and cats are exempt from quarantine when fully compliant.
Calculate your deadlines
Enter your travel date: we work back in time to give you the deadline for each step, personalised for France → Hong Kong.
The 6 steps, in order
1. Implant an ISO-compliant microchip
Have an ISO 11784/11785 microchip implanted. It identifies your cat on the Special Permit and on the health certificate, and is checked on arrival.
2. Rabies vaccination
Vaccinate the cat against rabies after the microchip is implanted, and keep it valid through to entry.
3. AFCD Special Permit
Apply for the Special Permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) before travel. The permit is mandatory and must be in hand before the cat is loaded onto the flight.
4. Veterinary health certificate
Have the AFCD veterinary health certificate (Form VC-DC2) completed and signed by a veterinarian shortly before travel, confirming the microchip, rabies and other vaccinations, residency and good health.
5. Book the air transport (early, direct flight)
Book your cat's flight as early as possible. Cats usually travel as manifested cargo and slots are limited — this date is a comfortable recommendation to book early, not a hard deadline.
6. Travel to Hong Kong
The cat travels to Hong Kong with the Special Permit and the VC-DC2 health certificate. Compliant Group II cats are not quarantined.
From another country?
- cat Switzerland → Hong Kong
- cat Belgium → Hong Kong
- cat Luxembourg → Hong Kong
- cat Canada → Hong Kong
- cat United States → Hong Kong
- cat United Kingdom → Hong Kong
- cat Germany → Hong Kong
- cat Spain → Hong Kong
- cat Italy → Hong Kong
- cat Netherlands → Hong Kong
- cat Ireland → Hong Kong
- cat Portugal → Hong Kong
- cat Mexico → Hong Kong
- cat Argentina → Hong Kong
- cat Chile → Hong Kong
- cat Brazil → Hong Kong
- cat Colombia → Hong Kong
- cat Peru → Hong Kong
- cat Ecuador → Hong Kong
Official sources:
- AFCD — Import of dogs and cats (Group II)
- AFCD — Import of dogs and cats (overview)
- AFCD — Group II permit terms (DC-02v05)
- GovHK — bringing pets to Hong Kong
Pawscleared provides preparation guidance based on official sources. The binding conditions are those published by the AFCD. Group III (higher-risk) countries face stricter rules (titre, quarantine). Always confirm with official sources.