Importing Your Pet to Vietnam

Vietnam asks for no import permit when one or two pets travel with their owner. That corrects a persistent myth: the permit requirement only begins at three or more animals, arranged through the animal health authority in Hanoi, taking about a week and valid for 10 days.

What a compliant arrival actually needs is short: a rabies vaccination between 30 days and 12 months old, a government-endorsed health certificate issued within 7 days of entry, and ideally a microchip (recommended, not legally required). There is no titre test from any origin and no quarantine; pets are inspected at the airport and released, usually within one to three hours, with the Import Animal Quarantine Certificate (form Mau 15a) issued on the spot.

What arrival actually looks like

Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) and Hanoi (Noi Bai) are the practical entry airports, each with its own quarantine unit. They differ after dark: Tan Son Nhat’s unit (Region VI) is staffed around the clock, while Noi Bai (Region I) runs reduced overnight cover, so late-night arrivals clear faster in Ho Chi Minh City.

Budget properly for clearance. Vietnam-based shippers quote roughly 350 to 450 US dollars in inspection and clearance fees for a pet arriving as checked baggage, and 950 to 1,150 dollars for manifest cargo. The arrival can cost more than the flight.

The rabies window catches people out

Vietnam treats every rabies vaccine as an annual vaccine. A 3-year vaccine is only recognised for 12 months from administration, and the shot must also be at least 30 days old at entry. If your pet’s last vaccination is over a year old, revaccinate at least 30 days before travel, whatever the certificate’s printed expiry says.

The health certificate window is equally tight: issued and endorsed within 7 days of entry, listing the vaccinations and confirming health. Get it signed by the official government vet in your origin country, not just a private clinic.