2025/02/17
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Animal Health Certificate

Adobe Acrobat e-FormiAM Smart iAM Smart

 

ISSUE OR OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE

General Information

In order to assist pet owners and local exporters in meeting veterinary health requirements of the destination countries/places, this Department provides the following services to facilitate the export of live animals:

  • Issue of an Official Animal Health Certificate
  • Official Certification of Information on an Animal Health Certificate issued by a registered veterinary surgeon
  • Official Endorsement of an Animal Health Certificate issued by a registered veterinary surgeon


Find out more about export of dogs and cats to the following countries:


How To Apply

Below is a general guide if you are planning to export your animal from Hong Kong:

  1. Check the import requirements of the destination country/place
    • You should contact the government authority of the destination country/place and the airline or shipping company for details of the import requirements.
    • You may need to apply for an import permit/licence from the destination country/place.
  2. Decide if your dog or cat will return to Hong Kong
    • If you will bring your dog or cat back to Hong Kong, certain steps need to be completed before export. Click here for further information.
  3. Prepare your animal for export
    • Make sure all import requirements are met. These may include microchipping, vaccination, rabies neutralizing antibody titre test, medical treatment and physical examination, etc. at the stipulated time.
    • Arrange transportation service for your animal according to the import requirements.
    • As the process can be complex, you may consider contacting a private veterinary surgeon and/or a pet travel agency to discuss and plan for the export.
    • If your cat is a Bengal cat, Savannah cat, or any cat of their crossbreeds, documentation certifying that the cat is of 5th or above 5th generations of domestic ancestry and not controlled under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, Cap. 586 should be provided.
  4. Submit an application to AFCD for the appropriate certification service
    • An application must be submitted in person using the form "Application for Animal Health Certificate"   e-FormiAM Smart. The form can also be obtained from our office. See Where to apply below.
    • Fees must be paid at the time of application. Fees are charged in accordance with the Fees Schedule.
    • The type of certification service required will depend on the requirement of the destination country/place.
    • To apply for the Official Endorsement/Official Certification of Information on an Animal Health Certificate issued by a registered veterinary surgeon, you will need to submit a completed animal health certificate issued by a registered veterinary surgeon (normally issued within 10 days prior to departure, or as specified by the destination country/place), vaccination records, dog licence (for dog only), import permit (if any) and other supporting original documents at the time of application.
    • If the destination country/place specifically requires an Official Veterinary Examination of your animal, you may apply for an Official Animal Health Certificate. You will need to bring your dog/cat to our office and a Government Veterinary Officer will perform a health inspection on the animal before the issue of such certificate. You must make an appointment at least 10 working days prior to the expected date of inspection. Please contact 2150 7062 for making an appointment.
  5. Collect the Official Animal Health Certificate or Official Endorsement/Official Certification of Information on an Animal Health Certificate
    • If all import requirements are met and the supporting documents are available, the certification document is ready for collection in the following timeframe:
      1. Official Animal Health Certificate: two working days;
      2. Official Endorsement/Official Certification of Information on an Animal Health Certificate: one working day.
    • Applications that are submitted in the morning session will be ready for collection in the morning of the next working day. The same principle applies to applications submitted in the afternoon session.
    • The period of validity of the animal health certificate will depend on the regulations of the destination country/place. In general, it is valid for 10 days from the date of issue.


Tips for proper completion of the Animal Health Certificate issued by a Registered Veterinary Surgeon

  • All required details should be filled in accurately and legibly and should correspond to the information on the supporting documentation.
  • Timing of vaccinations, blood tests, treatments and examinations, etc. must meet the requirements of the destination country/place.
  • Correction fluid/tape should not be used. Any mistakes should be crossed out, corrected, initialled and stamped by the issuing veterinary surgeon.
  • The full name of the veterinary surgeon (as it appears in the register of veterinary surgeons) should be used.
  • Any notes for completion of the certificate should be carefully followed.  For example, some countries/places require the ink colour of the signature and stamp to be different from that of the printing.


Where To Apply

Application must be submitted in person to:
Certification Desk (Counter No. 9), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department,
5th Floor, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong


Office Hours

Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 noon, 1:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
(Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.)


Attention

 

Note: If the animal species and their parts or derivatives to be exported are controlled under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, Cap. 586, the exporter must also apply appropriate CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) export permit from this Department.