Bringing a dog or cat to Vietnam?

If you're planning this, here's the one thing that trips up almost every expat: Vietnam does not recognize the 3-year rabies vaccine that's standard in the US/EU/Canada. If your pet's last shot was given more than 12 months before travel, it's treated as expired at Vietnamese customs — even with 2 years left on the label. You'll need a booster, then a mandatory 30-day wait before flying. Plan for this early; it's the #1 thing that blows up people's timelines.

A few other things that surprise people:

Minimum age is 4 months, no exceptions — pup/kitten needs to be 12+ weeks for the rabies shot, then wait 30 days after. Nothing younger gets in, regardless of origin country.

Chip before vaccine, not after. If the microchip goes in after the rabies shot, some export-country vets (USDA, MAFF, CFIA) won't validate the certificate — do the chip first.

Good news: for 1-2 pets with complete paperwork, there's no quarantine stay in Vietnam. Vet checks the pet + scans the chip on arrival, you're usually out in 1-3 hours. People often assume it's weeks of quarantine — it's not, if your paperwork is right.

Only 3 airports can clear pets: Tan Son Nhat (SGN), Noi Bai (HAN), Da Nang (DAD). Phu Quoc has no quarantine station at all — landing there means a mainland transfer just to clear your pet.

Airlines ban flat-faced breeds (Frenchies, Pugs, Persians, etc.) from cargo/checked baggage regardless of what Vietnamese law says — that's an airline rule, not a government one.

Documents to have ready: government-endorsed export health certificate (signed within 7-10 days of travel), vaccination record, and the chip number on both. That's it for personal (1-2 pet) imports — no advance permit needed, just a form filled out on arrival.

Happy to answer specific questions — this is literally my day job (pet relocation), so if your case is unusual I can tell you fast whether it's actually a problem.