A dog or cat flying from Vietnam to Indonesia must meet Vietnam’s export rules, the airline’s conditions and Indonesia pet import laws. Indonesia’s part is the longest: an import permit, a rabies titer test, a health check within 5 days of departure and 7 days of quarantine. Bali is closed to pets, so your pet enters through Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) in Jakarta.
Indonesia Pet Import Laws: The Short Answer
- Can my pet enter Indonesia from Vietnam? Yes. Dogs and cats can enter Indonesia through Soekarno-Hatta Airport when every document below is in order.
- Who decides? Two Indonesian agencies. One issues the import permit. The other inspects and quarantines your pet on arrival.
- How long does it take? About 3 months, counted from the rabies vaccination.
- How does the pet fly? In the cabin, as checked baggage or as manifest cargo. Weight decides which.
- Can the pet go on to Bali? No. Bali is closed to dogs and cats by air, sea and road.
Two Agencies Decide Your Pet’s Entry into Indonesia
Indonesian law groups dogs and cats as HPR (Hewan Penular Rabies), meaning “rabies-transmitting animals”. Monkeys are in the same group. Dogs and cats follow the same rules.
| Agency | What it decides |
|---|---|
| Badan Karantina Indonesia (Barantin) | Whether this animal may cross the border now: the quarantine notice, the arrival inspection and the 7-day quarantine. |
| Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services (Ministry of Agriculture) | Whether the import is allowed at all. It issues the import permit through its SIMREK system. |
A permit does not replace Barantin’s inspection. A clean inspection does not replace a missing permit. Barantin was set up in 2023 and took over from the old agricultural quarantine agency, BARANTAN. Many older guides still use that name.
What Your Pet Must Meet Before You Start
Check these points before you pay for any vet work. If one fails, the plan stops here.
- Age: at least 90 days old on arrival, according to IATA’s Timatic database.
- Pregnancy: Indonesia does not accept pregnant or nursing animals.
- Breed: Indonesia has no national list of banned dog or cat breeds. The airline still has one. Vietnam Airlines refuses some breeds on every route, including several snub-nosed dogs and Persian, Exotic, Himalayan and Burmese cats.
- Destination: your pet will live outside Bali.
Indonesia Import Documents: The 6-Item Checklist
Indonesia checks six items. Each one is checked on its own, so a mistake in one is not offset by the others.
1. Microchip
Your vet implants an ISO 11784/11785 microchip before the rabies vaccine. The same chip number must appear on the vaccination book, the titer test result and the health certificate. See our microchip requirements for international travel.
2. Rabies vaccination
Your vet gives an inactivated rabies vaccine. It must be given at least 30 days and no more than 1 year before your pet arrives in Indonesia.
3. Rabies titer test (RNATT)
Indonesia requires a blood test showing at least 0.5 IU/mL of rabies antibodies. The vet draws the blood at least 30 days after the vaccine. Indonesia does not accept a sample drawn earlier, whatever the result.
The sample does not need to leave Vietnam. A laboratory in Vietnam runs this test, and Indonesia accepts the result. Our rabies titer test guide explains how the test works.
4. Import permit (SIMREK)
The Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services issues the permit electronically through SIMREK. The permit needs no stamp or wet signature. The application needs a recommendation letter from the livestock office of the arrival province. In practice, an agent based in Indonesia files both for you.
That province is Banten, not Jakarta, because Soekarno-Hatta Airport sits in Tangerang, Banten. The permit must be issued no more than 3 months before arrival. File it early enough for processing, but not so early that it runs out before the flight. Our pet import permit guide covers permits in general.
5. Health certificate
A vet examines your pet no more than 5 days before departure. Vietnam’s veterinary authority then issues the export health certificate. It states that your pet is healthy and shows no signs of rabies or other infectious disease. Treat your pet for internal and external parasites before this exam. See the animal health certificate guide for what the exam covers.
6. Quarantine notice
Indonesia’s Animal Quarantine Office must be told before your pet flies. IATA’s Timatic sets at least 2 days before departure. The agent in Indonesia usually files the online request at least 3 days before arrival and books the quarantine place at the same time.
Where Your Pet Lands in Indonesia: Soekarno-Hatta, Not Bali
Pets from Vietnam enter through Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK). Barantin runs the animal quarantine facility there.
Bali is closed. IATA’s Timatic states that pets may not enter or transit at Denpasar (DPS). Bali’s own rules close the whole province to dogs and cats by air, sea and road. Clearing quarantine in Jakarta does not open a route to Bali. Read why pets cannot be brought to Bali before you plan a move there.
Quarantine After Arrival: 7 Days at Soekarno-Hatta
Every dog and cat entering Indonesia goes into quarantine. In cases Daisy has handled on the Vietnam–Jakarta route, the stay has been 7 days at Soekarno-Hatta. Barantin staff watch your pet for signs of illness and release it when the period ends. The Jakarta pet quarantine guide explains what happens during the stay.
Cabin, Checked Baggage or Cargo to Indonesia?
Indonesia does not force pets into cargo. The airline decides the method, mostly by weight.
- Cabin: Vietnam Airlines takes cats and dogs in the cabin if the pet and its carrier weigh under 6 kg together. The carrier must be no larger than 35 × 30 × 20 cm.
- Checked baggage (AVIH): your pet flies in the hold on your flight, up to 32 kg including the crate.
- Manifest cargo: heavier pets, and pets not flying with their owner, travel on their own air waybill.
Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop to Jakarta from Ho Chi Minh City (VN631) and from Hanoi (VN635). Our Indonesia airline guide compares the options.
How Long It Takes and What It Costs
Plan for about 3 months. The rabies vaccine starts the clock, the titer test follows at least 30 days later, and the health check comes last. Our Indonesia pet shipping timeline lays out each step.
In Daisy’s 2026 quotes, the paperwork, titer test, permit, quarantine and arrival handling came to about US$1,950 for a cat and about US$2,200 per dog. The airline fee and the crate are extra. See the Indonesia pet relocation cost breakdown.
A Real Case: Qi Xi, Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta
Qi Xi, a British Shorthair cat, flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta on Vietnam Airlines VN631 on 16 August 2026. His import permit was issued 89 days before departure, just inside the 3-month limit. His owner had sent the titer sample to a lab in Germany before contacting Daisy. A lab in Vietnam would have been cheaper and faster. Qi Xi’s case study shows his full document timeline.
Indonesia Pet Import FAQ
Does the titer test have to be done outside Vietnam?
No. A laboratory in Vietnam runs the test, and Indonesia accepts the result. Sending the sample abroad only adds cost and time.
Who applies for the Indonesia import permit?
In practice, an agent based in Indonesia files it through SIMREK. The application needs a recommendation letter from the livestock office in Banten, where Soekarno-Hatta Airport sits.
How long before arrival can the import permit be issued?
No more than 3 months before arrival. Plan the flight inside that window before the permit is filed.
What crate does my pet need for Indonesia?
An IATA-compliant crate with a rigid shell, ventilation on several sides and fixed food and water dishes. Your pet must be able to stand, turn around and lie down in it. Our IATA crate sizing guide shows how to measure.
Are any dog or cat breeds banned from entering Indonesia?
Indonesia’s import rules list no banned breeds. Airlines refuse some breeds, so check the airline’s list before you start.
Can my pet fly in the cabin to Jakarta?
Yes, on Vietnam Airlines, if the pet and its carrier weigh under 6 kg together and the carrier is no larger than 35 × 30 × 20 cm.
Can I take my pet on to Bali after quarantine in Jakarta?
No. Bali’s rules close the province to dogs and cats by air, sea and road. Quarantine in Jakarta does not change that.
What is the most common planning mistake on this route?
Drawing the titer test less than 30 days after the rabies vaccine. Plan forward from the vaccination date, not back from the flight.
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.
Official sources cited in this guide
- Badan Karantina Indonesia (Barantin)karantinaindonesia.go.id
- Vietnam Airlinesvietnamairlines.com
