Pet Export vs Import Permits: Who Issues What in SE Asia

Moving a dog or cat between two Southeast Asian countries means dealing with two governments, not one. Owners often ask for “the pet permit” as if a single document covers the whole trip, then discover halfway through that the country they are leaving and the country they are entering each want their own paperwork, issued by different offices, on different timelines.

The short answer: an export permit or export health certificate comes from the country your pet is leaving, and an import permit or licence comes from the country your pet is entering. On most international routes you need both, and the import side usually decides what the export side has to prove. This guide maps who issues what in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, so you know which office to ask about which piece.

Export permit vs import permit: what each one does

An export document is the origin country confirming that your pet was examined, identified and cleared to leave. Depending on the country, this can be a formal export permit, an export licence, an export health certificate, or an official endorsement on a certificate signed by your own veterinarian.

An import permit is the destination country agreeing in advance to receive your pet under stated conditions. Those conditions often include microchip identification, rabies vaccination, sometimes a rabies titer test, and in some cases a quarantine or home observation period. Many destinations expect the import permit to exist before the pet departs, which is why it often has to be sorted out first.

The two are linked. The export certificate usually has to show what the destination’s import conditions ask for, so the origin vet needs to know those conditions before signing anything.

Who issues what in six Southeast Asian countries

The table below is a starting map, not a substitute for the official instructions. Use it to know which office to contact, then check that office’s current guidance for your exact route.

Two patterns are worth noticing. In Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, the same national body handles both directions, so one agency may issue your export paperwork today and someone else’s import permit tomorrow. Malaysia splits the export side between two bodies: MAQIS for the permit and DVS for the health certificate endorsement.

How the two sides fit together on one route

Take a family moving a cat from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur. Thailand’s DLD clears the cat to leave, and Malaysia’s DVS decides whether and how the cat may enter. The DLD certificate needs to reflect what the DVS import permit asks for, so the Thai paperwork cannot be finalised until the Malaysian conditions are known.

The same logic runs in reverse, and it applies when only one end is in Southeast Asia. A dog leaving Manila for Singapore is planned around the AVS import conditions first, then the BAI export certificate is prepared to match them.

Start with the destination’s import rules, then build the export file to match them. Working the other way round is the most common reason owners end up redoing a vet visit or a certificate.

A practical order of steps

Every route has its own details, but the sequence below holds for most moves within the region:

1. Read the destination’s current import requirements for your pet’s species and origin country.
2. Check that the microchip and rabies records already meet those requirements, and plan any titer test the destination asks for.
3. Apply for the import permit or licence if the destination needs one before departure.
4. Book the export-side examination and certificate close enough to the flight that it is still valid on arrival.
5. Confirm airline acceptance and live-animal handling for the chosen flight.
6. Keep originals and copies together, with matching names and microchip numbers across every document.

If you would rather hand the permit side to a team that works these authorities regularly, our import permit service covers applications and document checks for the route.

Mix-ups that cause delays

• Treating a vet’s health certificate as the permit. A certificate from a private vet is usually one input. Many countries also require official endorsement or a separate government-issued document.
• Assuming one agency covers the whole trip. Even when the same body handles both directions within one country, your route still involves a second country with its own rules.
• Applying for the export certificate too early. Export health documents generally have a validity window tied to the travel date, so timing them before the import permit is in hand invites rework.
• Relying on an old route. Requirements from a previous move, or a friend’s move on a different route, may not apply to yours.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need both an export permit and an import permit?

On most international routes, yes. The country your pet leaves issues the export paperwork, and the destination decides whether an import permit is needed before arrival. Some destinations do not require a separate import permit for certain origins, so check the current rules for your specific route.

Which permit should I apply for first?

Usually the import side. The destination’s conditions determine what the export certificate has to state, and many import permits must be issued before departure.

Who issues a pet export permit in Malaysia?

MAQIS is the authority associated with the export permit, while a DVS state office endorses the veterinary health certificate. Our Malaysia export guide walks through how the two fit together.

Can one document cover the whole journey?

Not normally. Expect at least one document from the origin and one decision from the destination, plus airline acceptance. Transit stops can add their own conditions as well.

Not sure which office applies to your move? Send us your origin, destination and pet details and we will map out which permits and certificates your route needs, and in what order.