Pet Transport from Vietnam to the UK

Vietnam is not on the GB listed country schedule, which means the standard non-listed country process applies: a mandatory titre test, a three-month waiting period from the blood draw date, an APHA …

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22-28

Weeks lead time needed

Start this early minimum

Days quarantine on arrival

Very High

Route complexity

Airlines on this route

Step by step

The Vietnam to United Kingdom import process

Start of planning.

Confirm ISO microchip pre-dates rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Vet

5+ weeks before blood draw.

Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before titre test blood draw.

Responsible: DAGAH-authorised vet

Blood draw date determines earliest GB entry.

Titre test blood draw. Three-month GB waiting period starts from this date.

Responsible: Accepted laboratory

During 90-day wait.

Apply for APHA Import Licence online.

Responsible: Owner or UK agent

4-8 weeks before travel.

Book cargo with Vietnam Airlines, Qatar Airways, or Cathay Pacific.

Responsible: Owner or agent

Within 10 days of travel.

DAGAH-authorised vet issues GB health certificate within 10 days of GB arrival. DAGAH endorsement. Dogs: tapeworm treatment 24-120 hours before arrival.

Responsible: DAGAH vet

Travel day.

Pet arrives at Heathrow BCP. APHA inspection.

Responsible: Airline cargo

Requirements

United Kingdom entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

ISO 11784/11785 microchip required. Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.

Rabies vaccination

Current valid rabies vaccination with at least 21 days elapsed since first vaccination.

Rabies titre test

Vietnam is not on the GB listed country schedule. Titre test mandatory. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination. Result at least 0.5 IU/ml. Three calendar months must pass after the blood draw date before GB entry.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine with correct documentation. Penalty quarantine up to 4 months if documentation is wrong.

Import permit

APHA Import Licence required. Free. Allow 2-4 weeks processing time.

Health certificate

GB Pet Health Certificate from a DAGAH-authorised vet, DAGAH-endorsed. Valid 10 days from examination to GB arrival.

Leaving Vietnam

Export requirements

Health certificate

Official health certificate from a DAGAH (Department of Animal Health) authorised vet, endorsed by DAGAH (or MARD, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) as Vietnam's competent authority. Must comply with GB format. Issued within 10 days of GB arrival.

Costs

What this route typically costs

Titre test (Vietnam)

DAGAH health certificate and endorsement

IATA-compliant crate

Cargo fee: HAN/SGN to LHR

APHA Import Licence (free)

UK tapeworm treatment (dogs)

Agent fee

Critical points

The 90-day wait from the titre test blood draw is non-negotiable. Start planning at least 6 months before your target UK entry date.

Vietnam is not GB-listed. No waiver applies to the titre test or 90-day wait.

The DAGAH health certificate has a 10-day validity window. Time the examination carefully around your cargo booking.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
Vietnam Airlines	Vietnam Airlines Cargo from Hanoi (HAN) or Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to London Heathrow via connections. Flag carrier. Live animal cargo service. No cabin pets on international routes.	Cargo Only
British Airways	BA World Cargo via IAG Cargo and PetAir UK. Connecting routing from Vietnam to Heathrow. No cabin pets. UK documentation support via PetAir UK.	Cargo Only
Qatar Airways	Cargo via Doha (DOH). HAN or SGN to LHR with one transit. Live animal service from Hamad International. Good frequency from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.	Cargo Only
Cathay Pacific	Via HKG. Vietnam to LHR via Hong Kong. Strong live animal handling at HKG. Good Vietnam-HKG frequency.	Cargo Only

At a glance: Vietnam to UK vs. Southeast Asia to UK

Requirement	Vietnam to UK	Singapore to UK	Thailand to UK	Malaysia to UK
GB listed country	No	Yes	No	No
Titre test required	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
90-day wait	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
APHA Import Licence	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Export authority	DAGAH/MARD	AVS Singapore	DLD Thailand	DVS Malaysia
Complexity	Very high	Moderate	Very high	Very high
Minimum timeline	22-28 weeks	6-10 weeks	22-28 weeks	22-28 weeks

Singapore’s GB approved-country status remains the key differentiator for Southeast Asian routes to the UK. Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia all face the full non-listed process. Vietnam is simpler in one respect: there is no inbound quarantine if you are moving a pet INTO Vietnam from the UK, but for the outbound journey to the UK, the GB rules apply in full.

Airline comparison: Vietnam to UK

Airline	Route	Pet policy	Transit	Notes
Vietnam Airlines	HAN/SGN to LHR via connections	Cargo only	1-2 stops	Flag carrier. Via partner hubs. Confirm live animal availability
Qatar Airways	HAN/SGN to LHR via DOH	Cargo only	1 stop (DOH)	Via Doha. Good frequency from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
Cathay Pacific	HAN/SGN to LHR via HKG	Cargo only	1 stop (HKG)	Via Hong Kong. Strong live animal handling at HKG
British Airways	Vietnam to LHR via connections	Cargo only	1+ stops	Via IAG Cargo and PetAir UK. Less direct routing from Vietnam

Qatar Airways via Doha and Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong are the most commonly used routings for Vietnam-UK pet moves. Both hubs have established live animal handling, and both routes involve only one transit stop. Vietnam Airlines operates via partner connections and is worth checking for frequency from your departure city.

DAGAH export documentation: what the health certificate needs to cover

The DAGAH (Department of Animal Health) is responsible for pet export health certificates from Vietnam. The certificate must be issued by a DAGAH-authorised vet and endorsed by the DAGAH or MARD as Vietnam’s official competent authority.

For GB entry from Vietnam, the certificate must record: the ISO microchip number and implantation date (confirming it pre-dates the rabies vaccination), the complete vaccination history, the titre test result (date, laboratory, and result value), and a statement that the pet was examined and found healthy within 10 days of the planned GB arrival date.

The 10-day validity window runs from the examination date to the GB arrival date. Plan the final vet visit around the flight booking. For dogs, the tapeworm treatment (praziquantel, 24-120 hours before GB arrival) must also be recorded in the certificate.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

Allow 22-28 weeks minimum. The three-month wait after the titre test blood draw is the key constraint. Add vaccination timing, DAGAH health certificate preparation, APHA Import Licence processing, and cargo booking, and a 24-week total plan is realistic.

Yes. Vietnam is not on the GB listed country schedule. A rabies titre test is mandatory. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after a valid rabies vaccination, the result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml, and three calendar months must pass from the blood draw date before your pet can enter Great Britain.

Qatar Airways via Doha and Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong are the most commonly used options for Vietnam-UK pet moves. Both involve one transit and have established live animal handling at their hubs. Vietnam Airlines also operates on this corridor via partner connections.

No. UK law requires all pets to enter Great Britain as manifested cargo. No airline offers cabin pet travel into the UK. Your pet travels in the temperature-controlled cargo hold.

No routine quarantine applies, provided all documentation is correct and complete. If documentation is wrong or the entry does not comply with APHA requirements, penalty quarantine of up to 4 months applies at the owner’s expense.

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