South KoreaBringing your pet to South Korea is highly achievable. South Korea offers same-day clearance with zero quarantine if all APQA requirements are perfectly met.
Last updated 21 Oct 2026i
Before you start, understand these 4 points of pet importation into South Korea to avoid costly mistakes.
None (Same-day release)
15-digit ISO-compliant
Required ≥ 0.5 IU/mL
From 30 days + lab time
To avoid mandatory quarantine at the owner’s expense, the following critical conditions must be strictly met as per the latest APQA regulations:
Every dog and cat needs a 15-digit ISO microchip, at any age, and the number on the health certificate must match the scan. We implant the chip before or on the day of the rabies vaccine, the international standard, so every record carries the same number.
A blood sample must be drawn at least 30 days post-vaccination and sent to an internationally recognised lab (FAVN or RFFIT). The passing result (≥ 0.5 IU/mL) is generously valid for 24 months prior to arrival.
Unlike Singapore (30-day quarantine) or Japan (180-day wait after the blood test), South Korea releases a compliant pet the same day. If your Health Certificate, Titer Test, and Microchip perfectly align with APQA standards, your pet goes home with you straight from the airport.
South Korea does not ban any dog breed at the border. Tosa, Pit Bull, AmStaff, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler and their crosses count as “dangerous dogs”: report the import within 7 days and apply for a local keeping permit.
A flawless relocation is built on precision. Here is how we chart the course to navigate the APQA guidelines for South Korea.
We ensure a 15-digit ISO microchip is implanted FIRST, immediately followed by an approved inactivated Rabies vaccine.
At least 30 days post-vaccination, blood is drawn and sent to an internationally recognised lab to secure the required ≥ 0.5 IU/mL titer result.
Once the lab result is secured, we book the optimal direct flight (cargo or in-cabin depending on airline and pet size) to Incheon International Airport.
Shortly before the flight, the pet has its clinical exam and the Regional Animal Health and Production Office issues the export health certificate (Form 13a), showing the microchip number and titer result Korea checks.
Your pet arrives at Incheon. We present the flawless original documents to the APQA officer for on-site inspection, allowing immediate release.
South Korea 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 South Korea 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 take full responsibility for the entire journey
Professional pet relocation involves complex global logistics. We believe in total financial transparency—providing you with an honest breakdown of every cost, with no hidden fees.
Every journey is different — see how we handled a real relocation case for a pet traveling between Vietnam and South Korea.
A ten-year-old Poodle in the cabin on Korean Air, whose Form 13a for the flight home to Incheon was issued three days before departure.
Last updated 21 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.
Tell us about your pet and destination. Our team will review your case and provide a clear, tailored quotation.
Practical resources designed to help pet owners prepare properly before air travel, focusing on comfort, safety, and compliance.