LaosLaos skips quarantine if your paperwork is complete, and the import permit clears in about five working days — but only once it’s filed in person at DLF’s office in Vientiane, not through the online channel the law technically allows.
Last updated 20 Oct 2026i
Four things that make Laos’s process different from a typical destination.
Pets clear at Wattay the same day if documents are complete — no mandatory holding period
DLF approves a complete Form IET1 application within five working days of filing
Vietnam Airlines flies direct from Hanoi to Vientiane, or cross by land where both sides have animal inspection
Laos does not require a rabies titer test from any origin country to enter
Six requirements that decide whether a Laos-bound flight or crossing can go ahead.
Every dog and cat needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip on record before any vaccine or test — the number must appear on every later document, from the vaccination record to the import permit application.
Required more than 30 days and less than 12 months before entry, recorded on a certificate or vaccination booklet signed by the administering veterinarian. A titer test is not a substitute for the vaccine itself.
Dogs need distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis and parainfluenza; cats need feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia — standard annual boosters most Vietnamese clinics already administer.
Issued in Vietnam by a government animal quarantine station (Form 13a), usually in the last days before departure. A certificate from a private clinic alone is not accepted.
Optional under Lao rules, and if given it must be within 30 days of import. Daisy Pet treats every dog and cat for internal and external parasites before departure.
Filed with the Department of Livestock and Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. DLF approves a complete application in 5 working days — but only once it’s filed in person at their Vientiane office. The permit is valid for 15 days after issuance.
The single biggest scheduling risk in a Laos move isn’t a long waiting period — it’s the filing channel.
The permit itself is not the bottleneck — the rabies vaccine’s 30-day floor is what actually sets the pace.
Microchip Verification
Confirm an ISO 11784/11785 microchip is on record before any vaccine — every later document ties back to this number.
Rabies Vaccine
Administer at least 30 days before entry. This is the one hard floor in the whole timeline — it cannot be compressed.
Flight Booked
Book the flight before applying. The Lao permit names the flight number, the travel date and the port of entry.
Import Permit Filed In Person
Submit Form IET1 at DLF’s office in Vientiane — not online. This in-person filing starts the 5-working-day clock. The permit is valid for 15 days, so file one to two weeks before departure.
Parasite Treatment
Treat for internal and external parasites within 30 days of import. Laos does not require it; Daisy Pet does it for every pet.
Health Certificate
Issued by the government animal quarantine station in the last days before departure. Mina’s was issued the day before her flight.
Travel Day
At Wattay or the land checkpoint, a Lao veterinary inspector verifies documents and examines your pet before releasing it to you.
One carrier with published pet rules, and one to confirm first.
Vietnam Airlines flies direct from Hanoi to Vientiane. From Ho Chi Minh City the route connects on the way; Mina flew it in the cabin on VN920. In-cabin, checked baggage and manifest cargo are all possible, depending on size.
The national carrier’s website publishes no rules for pets in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo. Confirm with the airline in writing before booking a pet on Lao Airlines.
Almost absent from international pet relocation guides — but legal, and often practical.
Nậm Cắn, Cha Lo, Lao Bảo and Bờ Y have an animal quarantine station on the Vietnamese side and an animal checkpoint on the Lao side.
Crossing by road does not simplify anything — the same DLF import permit, filed in person in Vientiane, applies equally to road and air.
Breeds Vietnam Airlines refuses, such as Bulldogs, Pugs and Persian cats, dogs over 32 kg with their crate, and homes in central or southern Laos far from Vientiane.
Laos is a short flight from Vietnam, so in-cabin travel is available to more pets than on longer routes.
Travels in the cabin with the owner, in a soft-sided carrier under the seat.
Flies on the same flight as the owner, in the temperature-controlled hold.
Does not fly with the owner, with fewer limits on weight and size.
Applied to every pet flying the Laos route.
Eight weeks and fully weaned is the floor for carriage, and some airlines set it higher. Cabin allowances count pet and crate together. Pregnant animals are not accepted.
IATA and IPATA both advise against sedation, and a pet known to be sedated can be refused at the counter. Crate conditioning on a six-week schedule does that work instead.
Pet owners work with a single point of contact while we coordinate every stage — from the DLF permit filing to clearance at the border.
Laos is quoted case by case, by species, weight and travel method, with every line itemized. Two fees are fixed: Vietnam Airlines charges USD 300 for a cabin pet on Laos routes, or USD 100–250 as checked baggage depending on weight (excluding VAT), and DLF charges 50,000 kip for the import permit. Routes with the same entry rules (no titer test, no quarantine), such as Thailand and the Philippines, run about $600–$900 for a cat flying with its owner, before the airline fee.
Every journey is different — see how we handled a real relocation case for a pet traveling from Vietnam to Laos.
SGNVTEAn eight-year-old Poodle who flew in-cabin the whole way — but her Laos import permit almost didn’t happen. See how an online application went unanswered, and why filing in person at DLF’s office in Vientiane was what actually got her cleared to fly.
Last updated 20 Oct 2026
Compiled by our specialists from the regulations in force on the date above, for reference only. Rules may change after this date. Please verify with the competent authorities or contact us for the most accurate information.
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