The purpose of this text is to provide information to people intending to bring into Mexico animals such as dogs and cats, reptiles, songbirds and ornamental birds, ferrets, turtles, etc., regarding the steps to follow and the requirements to be met at Agricultural Health Inspection Offices (OISA) located at international airports, border crossings and international seaports. It is important to note that in Mexico only cats and dogs are considered pets.
Please note that the Mexican Consular Network is not authorized to intervene in this process.
1) Documentary screening at the OISA
Submit a Health Certificate in original and copy, issued by a private Veterinarian or by the corresponding Federal Authority in the country from which the pet is arriving. For health certificates issued on official forms, these must be duly signed by official personnel of the country of origin or provenance, and if no term of validity is indicated, the form must be issued no more than 15 days prior to the date of import into Mexico.
The Heath Certificate issued by the Veterinarian must be on letterhead paper, including the Veterinarian’s professional license number (or its equivalent), and must indicate:
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Name and address of the exporter and importer (owner), as well as the pet’s identification data.
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Rabies vaccine, indicating the date of application and validity of the vaccination; alternatively, this information can appear on the Vaccination Record. Animals under three months of age are exempt from this requirement.
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That the animal has undergone a preventive treatment against internal and external parasites within six months prior to travel, and that it is free of external parasites (date of application and active ingredient must be indicated).
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That when the pet was examined it was found to be clinically healthy prior to export.
If during the documentary screening it is found that the health certificate does not indicate one of the requirements mentioned in the previous points, the importer can present the vaccination record (original and copy) showing the missing requirements, or contact a trusted Veterinarian to apply the missing treatments. In the latter case, any costs associated with this treatment will be covered by the interested party.
2) Physical inspection of pets at the OISA.
OISA staff will verify that the physical description stated in the Health Certificate matches your pe
t (sex, breed, and colour), and will verify the state of health and ensure that the animal is free of external parasites.
If during the physical inspection it is detected that the pet is not free of external parasites, it will be necessary for a private Veterinarian to apply the corresponding treatment, at the importer’s expense.
3) Issuance of the Health Certificate for Import at the OISA.
Once the above requirements have been met, official OISA staff will prepare the Health Certificate for Import.
Explanatory Notes
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Compliance with the animal health requirements stated above does not exempt the importer from following procedures and/or presenting documents required by other authorities.
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The importer is not allowed to bring into the country the animal’s bedding or other related materials, only the amount of balanced feed required for the day of arrival.
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If you need more information upon arrival in the country, official OISA staff will advise you on the proper procedures.
Arriving in the country without Animal Health documents:
Animals must remain at the Health Inspection Office until a Veterinarian has reviewed and certified the state of health and applied the rabies vaccine and parasite prevention treatment to continue with the import procedure. This can cause delays and costs that the owner will be required to cover.
Importing animals other than cats and dogs (reptiles, songbirds and ornamental birds, ferrets and turtles):
You will need to comply with special requirements as indicated in the Animal Health Requirements Sheet, which can be requested through the public service module of the Directorate General of Animal Health, located at Boulevard Adolfo Ruiz Cortines 5010, Planta baja, Col. Insurgentes Cuicuilco, Ciudad de México. C.P. 04530
Hours of operation from Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm,
Tel.: 01 (55) 5905-1000 or 1 (800) 987-9879.
You can also check the requirements listed online at the following website (Spanish only):
https://www.gob.mx/senasica/acciones-y-programas/importaciones
For further information, complaints or suggestions about the Plant and Animal Health Inspection Service, please send an email to:
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