Destination Profile: China (P.R.)

Last verified: 24 February 2026
Competent health authority: General Administration of Customs of China (GACC)
Official URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn

Global classification of the destination

Regulatory model

Model B: conditional quarantine for non-compliance. China allows immediate release if ISO microchip, two documented rabies vaccines and positive RNATT from a GACC-accredited laboratory are strictly met. If any of these requirements fail, the animal enters mandatory 30-day quarantine at official facilities (Beijing Capital Animal Quarantine House or Shanghai Animal Quarantine Station). Quarantine is entirely at the owner's expense (GACC Decree No. 5, 2019).

Rabies status of the destination country

Endemic. China has active rabies presence in urban and rural canine populations. It is not a rabies-free country nor under advanced control.
Source: WOAH — https://www.woah.org/en/disease/rabies/

Country-of-origin classification system

Yes. China divides all countries in the world into two categories: designated countries (rabies-free or with extreme control verified by GACC, exempt from RNATT for immediate release) and non-designated countries (the rest of the world, RNATT mandatory to avoid quarantine). Peru is a non-designated country. All of Latin America shares this category: Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. No Latin American country is on the GACC designated-country list.
Verification URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn

Requirements for dogs

Microchip

— Required standard: ISO 11784 and ISO 11785, 15 digits (GACC Decree No. 5, 2019).
— Must it be implanted before the vaccine? Yes. The microchip must pre-exist rabies vaccination so that immunization records are binding to the identified animal. It is the first mandatory milestone of the process.
— If the chip was implanted after: the vaccine is not considered valid for the immediate-release process. Full vaccination (two doses) must be repeated after chip implantation.
— If the chip is not readable at customs: mandatory 30-day quarantine to verify the animal's identity.

Rabies vaccine

— Mandatory: Yes. China requires two documented doses of rabies vaccine for immediate release of animals from non-designated countries: primary vaccination and booster (GACC Decree No. 5, 2019).
— Minimum age for vaccination: 90 days (3 months).
— Minimum period after second dose: at least 30 days before entry or before sample draw for RNATT.
— Recognised validity: valid at time of arrival. China applies a 1-year validity standard. If the vaccine expires during the process, the booster must be applied before expiry.
— Accepted vaccine types: inactivated or recombinant.
— If expired: mandatory 30-day quarantine upon arrival in China.
— Critical note: presenting only one dose of vaccine without booster history may be grounds for quarantine. The SENASA certificate must explicitly document both doses with dates and batch numbers.

Rabies serological titre (RNATT)

— Mandatory: Yes, for animals from Peru and all non-designated Latin American countries, if the owner wishes to avoid the mandatory 30-day quarantine (GACC Decree No. 5, 2019).
— Minimum threshold: 0.5 IU/mL.
— Window for sample draw: after the second dose of rabies vaccine and within the 12 months prior to entry into China. An RNATT older than 12 months is not valid.
— Waiting period after result: none. Unlike the EU (90 days) and the United Kingdom, China does not require a post-RNATT waiting period. The animal can travel as soon as the laboratory delivers the positive result. This is the element that makes the process from Peru significantly shorter than for Europe.

— Accredited laboratories: they must be laboratories specifically recognised by GACC. The list of GACC-accredited laboratories is different from the list of EU- or UK-accredited laboratories. Verify updated list at: http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/jyjy/dzwjyjy/qitayanqi/2397262/index.html

— There is no GACC-accredited laboratory in Peru, Colombia or Brazil. Samples must be sent to accredited laboratories in the USA (Kansas State University), Germany (Laboklin) or other GACC-approved laboratories in Europe or Asia.
— If the result is below threshold: re-vaccination and new sample draw. If arriving in China without RNATT or with insufficient result: mandatory 30-day quarantine.

Other vaccines required by entry regulations

GACC does not require vaccines in addition to rabies as a federal import requirement.

However, SENASA — Peru's official veterinary authority — requires a complete and valid vaccination scheme to issue the International Export Health Certificate. For dogs: Distemper, Parvovirus, Infectious canine hepatitis, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza (valid five-in-one vaccine). Without this scheme SENASA does not certify. Verify directly at https://www.gob.pe/senasa before starting the process from Peru.

Antiparasitic treatments

Not identified in the primary GACC regulations consulted as a mandatory requirement prior to shipment under Decree No. 5 of 2019.

Health certificate

— Official name: Official Export Health Certificate in format compatible with GACC.
— Who can issue it: official health authority of the country of origin. In Peru: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa). In Colombia: ICA. In Ecuador: AGROCALIDAD.
— Validity window: 14 days from clinical issuance until arrival in China.
— Does it require endorsement? Yes, mandatory by the official health authority of the country of origin. In Peru: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa).
— The certificate must explicitly document: ISO microchip number, both doses of rabies vaccine with dates and batch numbers, and RNATT result with name of GACC-accredited laboratory and sample draw date.

Official entry document

— Official Veterinary Certificate that complies with the GACC format.
— Who issues it: SENASA in Peru (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) based on GACC Decree No. 5 requirements.
— Validity window: 14 days from issuance.
— Reference URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn

Mandatory digital forms

Yes. China requires completing the Customs Declaration through the official application (WeChat/GACC app) within 24 hours before landing. Without this prior declaration, the inspection process at the airport may be significantly delayed.

Quarantine

— Mandatory: Yes, 30 days, if microchip, vaccine or RNATT requirements are not met, or if the laboratory that performed the RNATT is not accredited by GACC.
— Facilities: Beijing Capital Animal Quarantine House (for flights to PEK) and Shanghai Animal Quarantine Station (for flights to PVG/SHA).
— Cost: entirely at the owner's expense. The cost of 30 days of official quarantine in China is significant.
— What can avoid it: fully complying with ISO microchip, two documented doses of rabies vaccine and positive RNATT from a GACC-accredited laboratory, all within the required time windows.

Breed restrictions

Not developed in this profile at federal level. At local level, each Chinese city has its own regulations. Beijing prohibits dogs over 35 cm in height in central districts and has a list of banned breeds including Mastiffs, Rottweilers and Pitbulls. Shanghai and Guangzhou have different regulations. The local regulations of the final destination city must be verified before starting the process, not upon arrival. Consult directly with the municipal authorities of the destination city.

Minimum age for entry

90 days (3 months). Animals under 90 days from non-designated countries are not permitted (GACC Decree No. 5, 2019).

Transport mode

China allows cabin baggage (PETC), hold (AVIH) and Manifest Cargo for personal pets, with a strict limit of one pet per passenger (GACC Announcement No. 5). Verify with the airline the conditions for the specific route from Peru.

Requirements for cats

Microchip

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Rabies vaccine

Same as dogs — see previous section. Two documented doses mandatory for immediate release.

Serological titre (RNATT)

Same as dogs — see previous section. The 0.5 IU/mL threshold, GACC-accredited laboratory and 12-month window apply equally to cats. No waiting period after result.

Other vaccines required by entry regulations

GACC does not require vaccines in addition to rabies for entry. However, SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) requires a complete valid vaccination scheme for cats to issue the certificate from Peru: Feline Triple (Calicivirus, Feline viral rhinotracheitis and Panleukopenia) plus rabies vaccine (two doses).

Antiparasitic treatments

Not identified in the primary regulations consulted as a mandatory requirement for cats from Peru under GACC Decree No. 5.

Health certificate

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Official entry document

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Mandatory digital forms

Same as dogs — Customs Declaration 24 hours before landing.

Quarantine

Same as dogs — see previous section. 30 days at official facilities if requirements are not met.

Breed restrictions

Not identified in the primary regulations consulted for cats at federal level.

Minimum age for entry

Same as dogs — 90 days minimum.

Transport mode

Same as dogs — see previous section. One pet per passenger.

Variations by country of origin

Differentiated requirements by origin? Yes, with two categories: designated and non-designated.

Risk classification system

GACC's own list: designated countries (exempt from RNATT) and non-designated countries (RNATT mandatory to avoid 30-day quarantine). List different from that of the EU, the United Kingdom or Australia.
Verification URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn

Situation of Peru and Latin America

Peru is a non-designated country. All Latin American countries share this category: Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. No Latin American country is on the GACC designated-country list. Export certification in each case corresponds to SENASA in Peru (https://www.gob.pe/senasa), ICA in Colombia, AGROCALIDAD in Ecuador, MAPA Brasil SDA in Brazil, SAG in Chile, SENASICA in Mexico, SENASAG in Bolivia, SENACSA in Paraguay, MGAP-DGSG in Uruguay and INSAI in Venezuela.

Situation of designated countries

Australia, New Zealand, Japan, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Macao: exempt from RNATT. Only ISO microchip, valid rabies vaccine and official health certificate. Immediate release.

Germany, France and other European countries

They are non-designated countries according to GACC. They follow the same process as Peru: RNATT mandatory to avoid quarantine. The GACC designated-country classification is different from that of the EU, the United Kingdom or any other system in this collection.

The key difference with the EU, the United Kingdom and Australia

China does not require a post-RNATT waiting period. In the EU it is 90 days from sample draw. In the United Kingdom also 90 days. In Australia 180 days. In China the animal can travel as soon as the laboratory delivers the result. This turns the process from Peru from potentially 4 months to 45-50 days from scratch. The counterpart is the 30-day quarantine if any requirement fails, which is the longest of all profiles in this collection.

The local warning that no other source explains

Passing GACC customs in Beijing or Shanghai without quarantine does not guarantee being able to live with the animal in the district of residence. Each Chinese city has its own municipal regulations on allowed breeds and sizes. Beijing prohibits dogs over 35 cm in height in central districts. The regulations of the final residence district must be verified with municipal authorities before starting the process.

Common mistakes

MISTAKE 1: RNATT performed at a laboratory not accredited by GACC

What happens: the sample is sent to a laboratory that has EU or UK accreditation but is not on the list of laboratories specifically recognised by GACC. The result is not recognised by Chinese customs even if the threshold is the same.
Regulatory consequence: mandatory 30-day quarantine at official facilities at the owner's expense (GACC Decree No. 5).
How to prevent it: verify that the chosen laboratory is on the specific list of GACC-accredited laboratories before sending the sample. The EU list and the GACC list are not identical. Verify at: http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/jyjy/dzwjyjy/qitayanqi/2397262/index.html

MISTAKE 2: Travelling with two pets under the same passport

What happens: the owner attempts to enter two pets under their own passport.
Regulatory consequence: immediate confiscation or repatriation of the second pet by Chinese customs (GACC Decree No. 5). This rule has no exceptions or possibility of regularization at the point of entry.
How to prevent it: each pet must be linked to a passenger with a different passport. If the owner travels with two animals, the second pet must travel with another passenger in the same group.

MISTAKE 3: Non-ISO microchip or 10-digit standard

What happens: Chinese customs reader cannot identify the animal by microchip.
Regulatory consequence: mandatory 30-day quarantine to verify the animal's identity (GACC).
How to prevent it: use exclusively ISO 11784/11785 transponders with 15 digits. Scan the chip at a veterinary clinic before leaving Lima to confirm it reads.

MISTAKE 4: Certificate with only one documented dose of rabies vaccine

What happens: the SENASA certificate records only the last rabies vaccine without the history of the previous dose.
Regulatory consequence: GACC inspectors require evidence of both doses to guarantee immunity from non-designated countries. The animal may be sent to quarantine for incomplete vaccination history.
How to prevent it: explicitly document on the SENASA certificate both doses of rabies vaccine with dates and batch numbers for each.

MISTAKE 5: Entry through an airport without GACC quarantine facilities

What happens: the owner schedules the flight arriving at a secondary Chinese airport without technical capacity to process companion animals.
Regulatory consequence: animal refused disembarkation or forced transfer to authorised facilities with additional costs (GACC).
How to prevent it: enter only through Beijing Capital (PEK), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN).

MISTAKE 6: Not completing the customs declaration 24 hours before landing

What happens: the owner arrives without having completed the prior digital declaration in the GACC application.
Regulatory consequence: significant delays in the inspection process at the airport.
How to prevent it: complete the customs declaration in the official GACC application within 24 hours before landing in China.

Minimum timeline from scratch

Scenario A — Animal with microchip and two documented valid rabies vaccines

— Day 0: sample draw for RNATT and shipment to GACC-accredited laboratory outside Peru (Kansas State University in the USA, Laboklin in Germany or another GACC-accredited one).
— Day 10-15 (approximate): receipt of positive result (≥ 0.5 IU/mL).
— Day 12-15: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) issues and endorses the Official Health Certificate with the two documented vaccines and the RNATT result. 14-day validity window.
— Day 14-15: complete the Customs Declaration in the GACC application within 24 hours before the flight.
— Day 15-20: flight to China. Immediate release at the point of entry if all documentation is complete and the laboratory is on the GACC list.
— Minimum total time Scenario A: 15-20 days with valid vaccines.

Scenario B — Animal with no prior history, from scratch

— Day 0: ISO microchip implantation + first dose of rabies vaccine + additional vaccines required by SENASA (five-in-one for dogs, feline triple for cats). Minimum age 90 days completed.
— Day 30: second dose of rabies vaccine (booster) + sample draw for RNATT. Both on the same day or within the same post-vaccine period.
— Day 40-45 (approximate): receipt of positive result from GACC-accredited laboratory. SENASA issues and endorses the certificate with complete history of two vaccines and RNATT result.
— Day 43-48: complete GACC digital declaration 24 hours before flight.
— Day 45-50: flight to China.
— Minimum total time Scenario B: 45-50 days from scratch.

Authorised points of entry

Yes, there is a strict point-of-entry restriction. Animals may only enter through airports with official GACC quarantine facilities. The four authorised points are:

Entering through any other Chinese airport may result in the animal being refused disembarkation.
Official URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn

Directory of authorities

Cited current regulations

1. GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019 — Announcement on Further Regulating the Supervision of Pet Importation and Quarantine. Current base regulation establishing the designated and non-designated country system, microchip, vaccine and RNATT requirements, and 30-day quarantine. URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn — Verified: 24 February 2026.
2. Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine — Legal framework for entry and exit quarantine of animals and plants. URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn — Verified: 24 February 2026.
3. Decree No. 243 of the General Administration of Customs — Regulates quarantine and inspection procedures at authorised points of entry. URL: http://www.customs.gov.cn — Verified: 24 February 2026.

China is the most binary destination in this entire collection: either the file is perfect and the animal leaves the airport with you the same day, or it enters an official kennel for a month. There are no nuances. What most surprises owners who have managed files for Europe is that China has no post-RNATT waiting period: what costs 90 days of mandatory waiting in the EU is zero days in China. But there are three points where GACC does not yield: the laboratory must be on the specific GACC list (which is not identical to the EU or UK list), the certificate must document both vaccine doses (not just the last), and there are only four authorised airports in the entire country. And after passing customs perfectly, the municipal regulations of the district of residence are a completely separate system: a large-breed dog can pass Beijing customs with no problem and not be able to live in the apartment it is going to. That verification must be done before buying the ticket, not upon arrival.

This profile was verified against primary official sources on February 24, 2026. Requirements may change without prior notice. Always verify directly with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) and SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) before initiating any export process from Peru.