Lead time needed
22-28 weeks
Quarantine
14 days
Route complexity
Very High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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Home/Routes/Hong Kong to Iceland
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Pet Transport from Hong Kong to Iceland

A move from Hong Kong to Iceland with a dog or cat is mostly about preparing the documents in the right order. Give yourself close to 22-28 weeks, as several stages run on fixed clocks that no agent can shorten. Your pet will spend 14 days in quarantine after …

In short: Preparing to move a pet from Hong Kong to Iceland typically takes around 22-28 weeks. Expect 14 days of quarantine on arrival. A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
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Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step

The Hong Kong to Iceland import process

Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.

1
Before anything else is booked.
Confirm eligibility: gather proof of at least 6 months of ownership and residency in Hong Kong, and evidence the owner is relocating to Iceland.

Responsible: Owner

2
Start of planning, at least 5 months before travel.
Implant the ISO microchip, then begin the rabies vaccination and leptospirosis course.

Responsible: Vet in Hong Kong

3
The 90-day Category 2 wait starts from this date.
Draw blood for the titre test at least 30 days after vaccination, send to an EU-approved laboratory.

Responsible: Vet and laboratory

4
As soon as the eligibility documents are ready.
Apply to MAST for the import permit, including the residency and ownership evidence.

Responsible: Owner or agent

5
As early as possible; slots are limited.
Book isolation station space at Reykjanesbae or Mosel.

Responsible: Owner or agent

6
2-3 weeks before departure.
Apply for the AFCD export licence.

Responsible: Owner or agent

7
Close to departure, within MAST's validity window.
Complete the AFCD-endorsed health certificate in MAST's Category 2 format.

Responsible: AFCD-endorsed vet

8
On travel date, once the 90-day wait is complete.
Fly Hong Kong to Heathrow via Cathay Pacific Cargo, then Heathrow to Keflavik via Icelandair or British Airways Cargo.

Responsible: Cargo handlers and MAST border check

9
Immediately after arrival.
Minimum 14 days in isolation before release.

Responsible: Quarantine station staff

Requirements

What your pet needs to enter Iceland

Every item must be verified before your pet can board. We track each one against current standards.

Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination …
Rabies vaccination
Primary rabies vaccination after the microchip, plus leptospirosis at least 14 …
Rabies titre test
Required. Blood drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, minimum 0.5 …
Quarantine
Mandatory minimum 14 days at one of two approved isolation stations, …
Import permit
Requires proof that the pet has lived with its owner in Hong Kong for at least 6 …
Health certificate
MAST's Category 2 import certificate, completed by the AFCD-endorsed vet in Hong …
Export permit
AFCD live animal export licence required before departure, applied for online …
Costs

What this route typically costs

Vet fees, vaccinations and titre test in Hong Kong: HKD 3,500-7,000
AFCD export licence: HKD 200-500
MAST import permit base fee: around ISK 40,000 (roughly GBP 230)
Quarantine, 14 days: around ISK 220,000 for a dog (roughly GBP 1,250), …
IATA-compliant travel crate: HKD 1,500-4,500
Two-leg cargo fare, Hong Kong to Heathrow to Keflavik: GBP 1,800-3,200
Agent fee, given the eligibility check and two-leg booking: GBP …
Total typical range: GBP 4,000-6,500 for a dog, lower for a cat

Critical points

Hong Kong is not on MAST's Category 1 or Category 2 list at all. Unless the owner has genuinely lived with the pet in Hong Kong for 6 months and is relocating to Iceland, MAST has no standard route open for this move. Confirm eligibility with petimport@mast.is before booking a single vaccination.

There is no direct flight from Hong Kong to Keflavik. Every routing runs through a European hub, adding a connection and a second cargo booking to coordinate.

The 90-day wait runs from the titre blood draw date, not from vaccination. Combined with the 30-day pre-titre wait and the eligibility paperwork, budget five to six months minimum before a flight is even booked.

The 14-day quarantine at Reykjanesbae or Mosel applies regardless of how the eligibility question resolves. It is the baseline rule for every pet entering Iceland.

Iceland's banned breed list includes several breeds sometimes kept in Hong Kong under different local naming conventions. Check your dog's breed against MAST's list, not just its registered name in Hong Kong, before starting the process.

Airlines

Approved carriers for this route

Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.

Cathay Pacific
Flies Hong Kong (HKG) to London Heathrow (LHR) direct, the practical first leg for this …
Cargo Only
Icelandair
Covers the second leg, Heathrow to Keflavik, several times a week. Since 1 November 2024, …
Cargo Only
British Airways
An alternative for the Heathrow to Keflavik leg, also cargo only via IAG Cargo, useful if …
Cargo Only

What Iceland requires

Entry to Iceland is tightly controlled, and officials verify each requirement in turn. Treat it as a sequence where every step gates the next.

Avoiding the common mistakes

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.

Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.

Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.

FAQ

Common questions

Only if you qualify for MAST’s exception for non-listed countries: the pet must have lived with you in Hong Kong for at least 6 months, and you must be genuinely relocating to Iceland with it. Hong Kong is not on MAST’s approved Category 1 or Category 2 list, so this exception is the standard route in for most owners. Confirm your situation with MAST (petimport@mast.is) before starting any vaccination schedule.
Yes. Once MAST accepts the import, it runs to Category 2 rules: blood drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, minimum 0.5 IU/ml, followed by a 90-day wait from the blood draw date before travel.
Yes, a mandatory minimum 14 days at Einangrunarstoedin i Reykjanesbae or Einangrunarstoedin Mosel. This applies to every pet entering Iceland regardless of origin or how the eligibility question was resolved.
No. The practical routing is Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong to London Heathrow, then Icelandair or British Airways from Heathrow to Keflavik, both cargo only. Book each leg separately and allow a buffer between them.
Between 22 and 28 weeks, roughly five to six months. Most of that comes from the 30-day pre-titre wait plus the 90-day post-titre wait, alongside the time needed to gather the residency and ownership evidence MAST wants before it will accept a Hong Kong departure at all.
Airline guides
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Icelandair
  • British Airways
Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

Browse all breed guides →

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HK ISHong Kong to Iceland
International pet transport route
Lead time22-28 weeks
Quarantine14 days
ComplexityVery High
Airlines3
ServiceDoor to door
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