Pet relocation to Vietnam: the 12-month timeline

The single longest-lead item in moving to Vietnam is bringing a pet. The OIE-recognised rabies titer alone takes at least four months from microchip to result. Add the layered paperwork, the airline crate sizing, and the receiving-end vet booking — and the realistic timeline is closer to a year than to a few weeks.

This page is the month-by-month plan. The in-country side (vet networks, the registration process at your ward, finding a pet-friendly landlord) sits in bringing pets to Vietnam.

Not veterinary advice. Pet-import rules change. Confirm with the Vietnamese Embassy in your country, the Department of Animal Health (Cục Thú y), and an accredited international pet-transport vet before booking flights.

12 months out — decide and budget

Decide whether the move is going to happen for the pet. The honest test: is the pet healthy enough to fly? Older dogs and brachycephalic breeds (pugs, bulldogs, Persian cats) carry real risk on long flights and several airlines refuse to carry them in cargo at all.

Rough budget for a single dog from Europe / North America / Australia:

A pet-relocation agency takes the paperwork pain away and is often worth it for first-time movers — but verify your specific quote covers the OIE titer, the import permit, and the arrival-side customs clearance.

10–11 months out — microchip + rabies vaccine

Confirm your pet has an ISO-compliant 15-digit microchip. If it doesn't, get one inserted before the rabies vaccine — Vietnamese import rules require the microchip to predate the rabies vaccine on paper.

Get a fresh rabies vaccine on or after the day of the microchip. The vaccine date is what starts the OIE-titer clock.

6–9 months out — OIE rabies titer

Thirty days after the rabies vaccine, your vet can draw blood for the OIE-titer test (also called a FAVN or RNATT). The blood goes to an OIE-recognised laboratory — typical labs include the Kansas State Rabies Lab (US), APHA (UK), AusVet (AU), or Nancy (FR).

You need a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. Re-test cost is a hassle, so most owners do a precautionary booster two weeks before drawing if their pet's previous titer was borderline.

The OIE-titer result is valid for travel provided the pet's rabies vaccinations remain continuously up to date.

4–5 months out — choose the route and book the crate

Decide whether the pet flies:

• In cabin — small dogs / cats under 7 kg total (pet + carrier), on airlines that allow it. Vietnam Airlines accepts in-cabin pets on some routes; Singapore Airlines and Emirates don't.
• As checked baggage — same flight as you, accessible at HAN / SGN baggage claim. Many airlines have suspended this; check before booking.
• As manifest cargo — ships separately on a freight booking. The standard route for dogs and most adult cats.

Cargo bookings need a registered shipper / pet-transport agent at both ends. Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air (via ICN), and Qatar (via DOH) are the most-used routes. Avoid summer-temperature embargos: airlines refuse cargo when ground temperature at any transit point exceeds 29 °C.

Buy the IATA-compliant crate now and start crate-training. A pet that has slept in the crate for 4 months before flight day arrives in much better shape.

2–3 months out — paperwork

Get the veterinary export health certificate issued by your country's official animal-health authority — APHIS (US), APHA (UK), DAFF (AU). The certificate is endorsed and must be issued within 10 days of travel, but the supporting paperwork (microchip number, rabies vaccine dates, titer result) needs to be assembled now.

Apply for the Vietnamese import permit through the Department of Animal Health. Many owners use a Vietnamese customs / pet broker for this — turnaround is 7–14 working days. Apply at least 30 days before travel.

1 month out — flight confirmation + arrival contact

Confirm the cargo booking and re-check temperature embargos. Identify the Vietnamese pet broker who will meet your pet at HAN or SGN. Their job: clear customs, hand the pet to you (or transport to your accommodation) and provide the post-arrival paperwork.

Notify your arrival-week vet (Phòng Khám Thú Y) of the expected import date.

Arrival week — what actually happens

1. Cargo flight lands at HAN or SGN — usually a few hours before or after your passenger flight.
2. Vietnamese customs and Animal Health inspector check paperwork; pet is held in the cargo terminal until cleared (typically 2–6 hours).
3. Your broker walks the paperwork through Cục Thú y and pays the import fee.
4. You collect the pet (or the broker delivers).
5. Post-arrival vet visit within 7 days to confirm the pet is healthy and update Vietnamese registration.

Common pitfalls

• OIE titer expired during the journey. A small percentage of titer results lapse just before flight day; rabies vaccine must remain continuously valid.
• Crate too small. IATA rule of thumb: the pet must stand, turn around, and lie naturally. Customs and airlines will reject under-sized crates.
• Brachycephalic breeds in summer. Most airlines refuse them in cargo May–September.
• Documents not endorsed. A vet-issued health certificate isn't enough — it must carry the official endorsement of your country's animal-health authority.
• Missing the import permit window. The Vietnamese import permit is usually valid 30 days from issue; rebooking flights without re-issuing is a common headache.

Related

• Bringing pets to Vietnam (in-country setup)
• Arrival week checklist
• Document apostille and legalisation
• First 90 days checklist

Pet relocation paperwork is one mistake away from a multi-week quarantine bill. Verify before acting with the Vietnamese embassy in your country, the receiving Vietnamese vet, and your international pet-transport vet.