A practical 2026 guide to CDC low-risk rules, Hong Kong AFCD certification, costs, timing, and airline options.
Everything you need to navigate international pet relocation: import rules, customs, costs, timelines.
Moderate
4–8 weeks estimated
Varies by transport mode
None required (mainland US)
CDC lists China as high risk while expressly excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The dog’s full six-month travel history still controls: a visit to any listed high-risk jurisdiction changes the entry pathway.
A practical 2026 guide to CDC low-risk rules, Hong Kong AFCD certification, costs, timing, and airline options.
No general federal certificate applies to this low-risk pathway, but the carrier, cargo provider, transit jurisdiction, destination state, or return plan may require one.
Hong Kong Registered Veterinarian; AFCD When Required
Confirm the exact signer and whether AFCD endorsement, certification, or official examination is required before the veterinary appointment.
Not Required
APHIS requirements depend on current disease status; check its country-status tool shortly before departure.
Normally Within 10 Days When AFCD Is Involved
AFCD says a private-vet certificate is normally issued within 10 days before departure and its general certificate validity is 10 days, unless the requester specifies otherwise.
Required for AFCD Applications; Carry Accessible Records
AFCD asks for supporting originals. Keep the CDC receipt, microchip record, carrier confirmation, vaccination records, and any certificate accessible during travel.
→ Hong Kong is excluded from CDC’s high-risk China listing
→ Every dog needs a readable microchip and CDC Dog Import Form receipt
→ The dog’s complete 6-month travel history controls the pathway
→ Cathay ordinary pets currently use cargo
→ AFCD certification is conditional on the requesting party
→ Treating Hong Kong as high-risk China
→ Assuming a Cathay passenger ticket includes pet carriage
→ Buying a connecting ticket before every segment is confirmed
→ Treating AFCD certification as always required or never required
→ Missing seasonal and transit restrictions
→ Forgetting return-to-Hong-Kong planning
Cabin & Cargo
USD 300–600
7 kg cabin / 45 kg hold
Passenger-accompanied connection through Seoul
Cabin & Cargo
CAD/USD 100–324
Check cabin dimensions / 45 kg hold
Connection through Canada; seasonal hold embargo
Follow this timeline to make sure you complete everything on time for a smooth, stress-free travel day.
CDC expressly excludes Hong Kong from China's high-risk listing.
Ordinary pets currently use Cathay Cargo rather than cabin or checked baggage.
AFCD's service depends on what the requester actually requires.
Costs vary based on pet size, airline, season, and any additional Services.
No reliable all-in total was verified. Published airline charges range from CAD/USD 100–120 in cabin to USD 600 per cage, while Cathay Cargo, veterinary work, kennels, handling, and professional support vary.
Typical total cost
Price in USD, Estimate only.
→ CDC Dog Import Form receipt — dogs
→ Microchip record — dogs
→ Airline or cargo booking confirmation
→ Vaccination, ownership, and Hong Kong dog-licence records
→ Health certificate and AFCD certification when required
Start with your origin country guide for route-specific requirements, timelines, and common pitfalls.
→ No. CDC expressly excludes Hong Kong from China’s high-risk listing.
→ The dog’s complete 6-month travel history still controls.
→ Healthy appearance, minimum age 6 months, readable microchip, and CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
→ This assumes exclusively low-risk travel history.
→ No. AFCD certification is destination- and requester-led.
→ Confirm carrier, transit, state, and return requirements.
→ No. Ordinary pets currently use Cathay Cargo.
→ New checked-baggage pet bookings are not being accepted until further notice.
→ Allow 4–8 weeks as an estimate.
→ AFCD’s final complete-application processing is normally 1–2 working days, but transport planning takes longer.
→ Not for a compliant mainland-U.S. arrival.
→ Hawaii and Guam have separate programs.
Our pet relocation experts are here to guide you every step of the way.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
This route is easiest when paperwork and transportation are planned as separate workstreams.
CDC expressly excludes Hong Kong from China’s high-risk listing. A dog with an exclusively low-risk six-month travel history uses the simple CDC pathway.
A Hong Kong departure does not preserve the low-risk pathway if the dog visited a listed high-risk place during the previous six months.
Cathay offers ordinary-pet transport through cargo and an agent. Korean Air and Air Canada offer passenger-accompanied possibilities through connections, subject to segment, transit, seasonal, breed, and aircraft rules.
Professional support can be useful for cargo, large dogs, restricted breeds, complex connections, or a planned return to Hong Kong. A small pet on a confirmed cabin itinerary may be manageable without full-service help.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
