An ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip with a 15-digit code is required for all pets regardless of age or origin country. Critically, the microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is given — this sequence is strictly enforced. If the order is reversed, the vaccination is not valid for Korean entry and the process must restart. If the chip does not meet ISO standards, the owner must bring a compatible reader. If no microchip can be read on arrival, the pet will be held in quarantine at the owner's expense until a new chip is implanted and all subsequent steps are completed.

Required for pets aged 90 days or older from countries not on South Korea's rabies-free list. The vaccination must be current on arrival and administered using an inactivated or recombinant vaccine. The vaccination certificate must include the manufacturer, batch number, and expiry date. For the RNATT to be valid, blood must be drawn at least 30 days after the vaccination date. Pets under 90 days old are exempt from the rabies vaccination requirement.

Required for pets aged 90 days or older arriving from countries not recognised as rabies-free by APQA. The blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and tested at an internationally approved laboratory. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml and remains valid for 24 months from the blood draw date. South Korea does not impose any waiting period after a passing result — travel can be arranged as soon as the laboratory confirms a result of 0.5 IU/ml or higher. This makes South Korea one of the fastest Asian destinations for the RNATT process compared to other countries that require a 90- or 180-day wait after the result. Pets from recognised rabies-free countries are exempt from this test.

Required for all pets. Must be issued or endorsed by the official government veterinary authority of the exporting country within 10 days before departure. The certificate must include the pet's date of birth, microchip number, and — for pets requiring the RNATT — the titer result, blood draw date, and name of the testing laboratory. Original documents must be presented to APQA on arrival.

The health certificate must be endorsed by the official government veterinary authority of the origin country. A certificate signed only by a private veterinarian is not accepted. The original endorsed certificate must accompany the pet on arrival and be submitted to the APQA quarantine officer.

Pets from Malaysia (dogs and cats) and cats from Australia require an additional certificate confirming that no cases of Hendra or Nipah virus have been reported in the origin country or state during the 60 days before departure, or that the animal tested negative for these viruses in an approved laboratory within 14 days of export. Without this certificate, the quarantine period on arrival will be extended by 21 days at the owner's expense.

On arrival, the APQA quarantine officer will conduct a documentary check and clinical inspection. Pets with all requirements confirmed are typically released on the day of arrival. Pets missing documentation or with a non-readable microchip will be held in quarantine at the owner's expense until the issue is resolved. If the RNATT was not completed before travel, the test can be arranged at the quarantine station on arrival, but the pet will be held until a result of 0.5 IU/ml or higher is confirmed.