Pet Shipping Timeline from Vietnam to China: 6 Steps and How Long It Takes (2026)

Pet shipping from Vietnam to China follows three sets of rules: Vietnam’s export certificate, China’s import rules and the airline’s conditions. China sets the timing, because two rabies vaccinations and a passing titer test must be done before the flight. For a pet with no rabies history, plan at least two to three months.

Short Answer: How Long Does Pet Shipping from Vietnam to China Take?

• No rabies history: about 2–3 months at minimum. Daisy Pet plans 3–4 months to leave a buffer.
• Two recorded rabies doses, latest still valid: about 4–6 weeks, because the blood test can start at once.
• Can the pet fly with you? Yes, on airlines that accept pets in the cabin or as checked baggage. Larger pets fly as manifest cargo.
• Is there quarantine? No, if the microchip, vaccinations, titer test and health certificate are all correct.
• How many pets? One dog or cat per traveller per entry.

The full list of rules, with the official sources, is in our guide to China pet import regulations.

What Must Be True Before You Start the China Timeline?

Check these points first. Each one can stop the move after you have paid for vet work. The rules come from China’s GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019.

• Species and number: China accepts only dogs and cats from a traveller, one per person per entry. Two pets need two travellers.
• Breed: Air China, China Southern and China Eastern refuse snub-nosed dogs and cats, such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Persians. Vietnam Airlines has its own refused-breed list.
• Age: China sets no minimum age. In practice, the two vaccinations and the blood test make the earliest departure about five to seven months old.
• Destination city: only 10 Chinese ports can hold a pet in quarantine. Chengdu and Beijing Daxing airport are not among them, so a pet landing there must meet every rule.
• Travelling apart: if the pet flies as cargo without you, you must enter China first and declare it as separately shipped baggage.

6 Steps to Ship a Pet from Vietnam to China (About 2–3 Months)

The plan below is for a pet with no rabies vaccination on record.

• Day 1: microchip and first rabies vaccination.
• Day 31: second rabies vaccination and blood sample, same day.
• Days 45–60: titer test result from the laboratory.
• About 2 weeks before arrival: flight and crate booked.
• Within 14 days before arrival: health examination and export health certificate.
• Arrival day: customs inspection in China.

Step 1 (Day 1): Microchip and First Rabies Vaccination

Who: a vet clinic in Vietnam, arranged by Daisy Pet.

The vet implants an ISO 11784/11785 microchip with 15 digits. Daisy Pet implants it before the first rabies dose, so every vaccination is linked to the chip number. The vet then gives an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine. China does not accept live rabies vaccines. Read more about microchips for international pet travel.

Step 2 (Day 31): Second Rabies Vaccination and Blood Sample

Who: the vet clinic and Daisy Pet.

China’s customs authority, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), says the blood sample cannot be taken before the second rabies vaccination. It can be taken on the same day, as Beijing Customs confirmed in 2025. GACC sets no minimum gap between the two doses. Daisy Pet keeps at least 30 days, so the vet gives the second dose and draws blood on Day 31.

Step 3 (Days 45–60): Titer Test Result from a GACC-Approved Laboratory

Who: Daisy Pet sends the sample; a laboratory on the GACC list tests it.

No laboratory in Vietnam is on the GACC list, so the sample goes abroad. The result usually takes 2–4 weeks. It must show at least 0.5 IU/ml. China has no waiting period after a passing result. The result stays valid for 12 months from the blood sample. See how the rabies titer test works.

Step 4 (About 2 Weeks Before Arrival): Book the Flight and Crate

Who: you and Daisy Pet.

Choose the travel method first. Vietnam Airlines accepts pets in the cabin and as checked baggage on China routes. Chinese airlines carry pets only in the hold, and none of them transfer a pet to another airline. Book at least 24 hours ahead with Vietnam Airlines and 48 hours ahead with China Southern or China Eastern. The airlines that fly pets to China are compared in a separate guide.

Step 5 (Within 14 Days Before Arrival): Health Examination and Export Certificate

Who: Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health (DAH) issues the certificate; Daisy Pet prepares the file.

The clinical examination must fall within 14 days before the pet arrives in China. The certificate must show the chip number, implant date and site, both rabies vaccinations, the titer test details and the examination result. A certificate with corrections is not accepted, under Annex 1 of the GACC announcement. Daisy Pet also treats every pet for internal and external parasites before export.

Step 6 (Arrival Day): Customs Inspection in China

Who: you, or the receiving agent for a cargo shipment, and the customs officers at the arrival port.

You declare the pet in the red channel and fill in the pet registration form. The officer checks the documents, scans the chip and examines the pet. A pet with correct papers goes home the same day. A pet without a valid chip or titer result is quarantined for 30 days. A pet without a valid health or vaccination certificate is returned or destroyed. See what happens at the China customs pet inspection.

What If Your Pet Already Has Rabies Vaccinations?

Check the vaccination record for two separate rabies doses. If both are recorded and the latest is still valid, the blood sample can be taken at once. The move then takes about 4–6 weeks: 2–4 weeks for the result, then the examination and flight. If the record shows only one dose, the pet needs a second dose first.

What Does the China Timeline Cost?

In Daisy Pet’s 2026 quote, a cat flying with its owner cost about $1,200 for the Vietnam-side work, including a titer test of about $550. The airline’s pet fee is paid separately. The full breakdown is in our pet relocation cost to China guide.

FAQ: Pet Shipping Timeline from Vietnam to China

How long does pet shipping from Vietnam to China take?

For a pet with no rabies history, about 2–3 months at minimum. With two recorded rabies doses and the latest still valid, about 4–6 weeks.

How many days apart must the two rabies vaccinations be for China?

China sets no minimum gap. It only requires the titer blood sample to be taken on or after the day of the second dose. Daisy Pet keeps at least 30 days between the doses.

Is there a waiting period after the titer test for China?

No. The pet can travel once a laboratory on the GACC list reports at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result is valid for 12 months from the blood sample.

When must the health certificate be issued for China?

The clinical examination must fall within 14 days before the pet arrives in China. Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health issues the export health certificate.

Can my pet fly to China without me?

Yes, as manifest cargo, if it is your own pet and arrives within 6 months after you enter China. You must declare it in writing as separately shipped baggage when you enter.