Introduction
Exporting a pet to China has specific rules that set it apart from other destinations. The authority is GACC (General Administration of Customs of China), and there are two things you need to know upfront: the "one person, one pet" restriction, and the fact that Thailand is classified as a non-designated country, which determines whether your pet faces 30-day quarantine. This guide explains the conditions to qualify for the quarantine waiver, and the documents you need to prepare.
Truth #1: One pet per traveler — and the titer is your ticket to skip 30-day quarantine
The first non-negotiable rule: one passenger may bring only "one dog or one cat" per entry. So if you have multiple pets, you need to plan travelers from the start. The second rule: the ISO 11784/11785 microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine.
Because Thailand is a non-designated country, pets from Thailand face 30-day quarantine on arrival unless the documents are complete to qualify for a waiver. The waiver conditions are: a working microchip, a valid rabies vaccine, a Health Certificate, and a rabies titer result of ≥ 0.5 IU/mL from a GACC-recognized lab. The waiver is then confirmed at the entry inspection. If documents are incomplete or there's no titer, the pet will be held for 30 days at a customs-designated facility (including the waiting period) under GACC supervision.
| Aspect | Condition |
|---|---|
| Quantity | 1 person : 1 pet (dog or cat) per entry |
| Microchip | ISO 11784/11785, before vaccine |
| Thailand's status | Non-designated — need titer to qualify for waiver |
| Titer | ≥ 0.5 IU/mL from a GACC-recognized lab |
| Waiver documents | Microchip + valid vaccine + Health Cert + titer + pass entry inspection |
| If documents incomplete | 30-day quarantine at customs facility |
Golden rule from the Convey team: For China, treat the titer not as "optional" but as your "ticket to skip 30-day quarantine." Schedule the blood draw and wait for the GACC-lab result before locking in any flight date.
Truth #2: Allow 60-90 days and watch for vaccine dose requirements
In practice, China cases targeting the quarantine waiver typically need 60-90 days of preparation, from start of process to flight. Timing depends on how quickly the various test results come back within expected windows. One detail to watch: for non-designated country pets, some guidance specifies that the pet must have a complete rabies vaccine history (in some cases referring to 2 doses), so verify the vaccine conditions and the current list of GACC-recognized labs before starting — these details update periodically.
The Thai-side paperwork still goes through DLD normally: microchip, vaccine, Health Certificate from a vet, and the export permit. On the route side, there are direct flights from Thailand to several Chinese cities, but airline policies and which destination ports accept pet imports may differ. Confirm both the airline and the entry city's import requirements at the planning stage.