The cost to move a cat from Vietnam to Hong Kong is about USD 3,300 in total, before vet care in quarantine and Hong Kong arrival services. A dog costs more, mainly because a bigger crate raises the airfare and its quarantine fee is almost double. The two largest items are the cargo flight and the 120-day quarantine.
Short Answer: How Much Does Pet Relocation to Hong Kong Cost?
- Cat, Vietnam side and flight: about USD 2,500 from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.
- Dog, Vietnam side and flight: quoted by crate size, because airlines charge on the crate’s dimensions.
- AFCD permit: HK$432 for the first animal.
- Government quarantine: HK$46 a day for a cat and HK$90 a day for a dog.
- Not included in most quotes: private vet visits during quarantine and the Hong Kong arrival services.
The rules behind each fee are in our guide to bringing a pet from Vietnam to Hong Kong.
What Does Each Cost Item Pay For?
The items below follow the order in which you pay them, from the first vet visit in Vietnam to the release from quarantine.
1. Vaccinations and Vietnam Export Documents
Your vet in Vietnam brings the core vaccines and the rabies vaccination up to date. Before the flight, the pet needs a health certificate for Hong Kong and Vietnam’s export certificate, Form 13a. Daisy also treats every pet for internal and external parasites before departure. These items belong to the Vietnam side of the quote, together with the export customs work.
2. The Cargo Flight
Pets from Vietnam fly to Hong Kong as manifested cargo, never in the cabin. Airlines charge cargo on the chargeable weight: the higher of the real weight and the volume weight of the pet and crate together. A large dog in a large crate can therefore cost several times more than a cat.
The crate itself is an extra cost, and it must meet IATA rules. Our IATA pet crate guide shows how to size it without paying for empty space. A pet from Da Nang may also need a domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi before the international leg.
3. AFCD Special Permit
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) charges HK$432 for the first animal and HK$102 for each extra animal on the same permit. The permit is valid for 6 months and one shipment. AFCD does not refund the fee once the permit is approved. The fees are listed on AFCD’s Group IIIB import page.
4. Quarantine: 120 Days or More
Every dog and cat from Vietnam stays at least 120 days in quarantine. AFCD’s two government centres charge per day, and the fees can change.
| Quarantine centre | Dog | Cat |
|---|---|---|
| Government centre, per day | HK$90 | HK$46 |
| Government centre, 120 days | HK$10,800 (about USD 1,400) | HK$5,520 (about USD 710) |
| SPCA Licensed Quarantine Centre, Tsing Yi | Ask the SPCA; it requires payment in advance | |
You pay the government centre in advance or once a month. The pet cannot leave until every fee is paid. If AFCD extends the quarantine, each extra day costs the same rate. AFCD’s daily rates are printed on its quarantine booking form (PC100).
5. Vet Care, Grooming and Food in Quarantine
The government centres clean the rooms and feed dry food. They do not provide vet care, grooming or exercise. You name a private vet in Hong Kong and pay that vet directly. A check-up soon after arrival is a sensible first cost. If you bring your own food, the daily fee stays the same.
6. Hong Kong Arrival Services and the Dog Licence
Someone in Hong Kong must notify AFCD 24 hours before the flight, meet the pet at the cargo terminal and arrange a vehicle to the quarantine centre. Daisy’s partner agent in Hong Kong handles these steps, and they are quoted separately from the Vietnam side.
Dogs aged 5 months or more also receive a rabies vaccination and a Hong Kong dog licence on arrival, at the owner’s expense.
Example: One Cat from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong
This example uses the 2026 figures above for a single cat placed in a government centre.
- Vietnam side and flight: about USD 2,500.
- AFCD permit: HK$432, about USD 55.
- Quarantine, 120 days: HK$5,520, about USD 710.
- Subtotal: about USD 3,300 in total.
- Add: private vet visits, the Hong Kong arrival services and any extra quarantine days.
Current ranges for every route are in our cost guide for transporting a pet from Vietnam.
How Can You Avoid Paying Extra?
- Apply to AFCD early: the wait for a government space is about 3 months for dogs and 6 months for cats. A late application pushes every other date back.
- Keep the vaccination dates in range: the last core vaccine must be 14 days to 1 year old on arrival. A missed booster restarts the two-dose course.
- Use AFCD’s health certificate form: AFCD warns that a changed or incomplete certificate can mean up to 6 months of quarantine.
- Fit the crate to the pet: a crate one size too big raises the airfare.
Other fees that owners often miss are listed in our article on hidden costs in pet transportation.
FAQ: Pet Relocation Cost to Hong Kong
Is the quarantine fee included in a pet relocation quote?
Usually not. You pay the quarantine centre directly, at HK$90 a day for a dog or HK$46 a day for a cat in a government centre.
Why does a dog cost more than a cat to move to Hong Kong?
A dog needs a bigger crate, which raises the chargeable weight of the flight. Its government quarantine fee is also almost double: HK$90 a day against HK$46 for a cat.
Can the 120-day quarantine be shortened to save money?
No. Pets from Vietnam belong to AFCD’s Group IIIB, which has the longest minimum stay. AFCD can extend the stay, but it does not shorten it.
Do I pay AFCD before the flight?
Yes, for the permit. AFCD collects HK$432 for the first animal when you complete the Special Permit, and the fee is not refunded once approved.
Is there a deposit to hold a quarantine space?
Not at the government centres: AFCD holds an offered space for one week while you complete the permit. The SPCA centre asks for payment in advance to secure a booking.
For the full move, see how Daisy plans pet shipping from Vietnam to Hong Kong.
Last updated 18 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
- Group IIIB import pageafcd.gov.hk
