PROCEDURE FOR IMPORTING PETS TO MEXICO

The following procedure aims to inform people who intend to enter with animals like dogs and cats into Mexico (reptiles, singing- and ornamental birds, ferrets, turtles, etc) about the steps to follow, as well as the requirements to be fulfilled to the Animal Health Inspection Offices (OISA) located at international airports, border crossing cruises and international seaports. It is important to underline that in Mexico only dogs and cats are considered pets.

It has to be mentioned that the Mexican Consular Network is not authorized to intervene in this process.

However, the Mexican Consular Offices shall provide information related to the procedure for traveling with pets to Mexico at the Animal Health Inspection Offices (OISA) located at international airports, border crossing cruises and international seaports:

 

1) Documentary revision at OISA

Present a Health Certificate in original and a copy, issued by a particular veterinarian or by the corresponding Federal Authority of the country where the pet comes from. In case of presenting health certificates in official formats, they must be duly signed by an official of the country of origin. If it does not refer to an expiration date, it will be valid for 15 days from the date of issuance.

The Health Certificate issued by a particular veterinarian must hold letterhead, with professional certificate (or its equivalent), and must indicate:

  • Name and address of the traveler (pet owner), as well as the identification data of the pet.
  • Vaccination against rabies, indicating the date of application and validity, or it can appear in the Vaccination Card. Animals under three months of age are exempt from this requirement.
  • The animal (s) has undergone a preventive treatment against internal and external parasites within six months prior to its travel date and that they are free from external parasites (date of application and active ingredient must be indicated).
  • That the inspection of the pet was clinically healthy prior to travel.

If during the documentary verification, the health certificate does not indicate one of the above mentioned requirements, you can present the vaccination book (original and copy), that has to include the missing requirements. We recommend you to get in touch with your veterinarian to apply the missing treatments. In the latter case, the costs that are generated will be charged on the interested party.

ATTENTION! THE HEALTH CERTIFICATE HAS TO BE ISSUED IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH. IF IT IS ISSUED IN OTHER LANGUAGE, PLEASE ATTACH AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION TO SPANISH INTO THE FILE.

 

2) Physical inspection of pets at OISA. 

The OISA staff will verify that the physical description established on the Health Certificate coincides with those of their pet (sex, race, color), as well as they will verifying their state of health and if they are free of external parasites. 

If during the physical inspection it is detected that the pet is not free of external parasites, a particular veterinarian will apply the corresponding treatment, at the expense of the pet owner.

 

3) Issuance of the Animal Health Certificate for Entrance at OISA. 

Once the above mentioned requirements are fulfilled, the OISA staff will prepare the Animal Health Certificate for Entrance.

 

Explanatory notes

  • Meeting the animal health requirements mentioned here, does not exempt the importer from presenting procedures and / or documents required by other authorities.
  • It is not allowed to enter with the pet’s bed and similar articles that accompany the pets, only the considered portion of the balanced pet food on the day of arrival is allowed.
  • If you need more information upon arrival in the country, the OISA staff can advise you on the procedure.

 

Arrival without animal health documents

The animal must remain in the Health Inspection Office until a veterinarian has reviewed and certified its state of health and applied the rabies vaccination and parasitical preventive treatment to continue with the entrance procedure. This can cause delays and further costs that the pet owner must assume.

 

Traveling with pets other than dogs and cats (singing- and ornamental birds, ferrets, turtles)

You need to meet the special requirements established in the Animal Health Requirements Sheet, that can be requested from the customer service of the General Management of Animal Health, located in Boulevard Adolfo Ruiz Cortines 5010, Ground floor, Col. Insurgentes Cuicuilco, Mexico City. C.P. 04530.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Phone Num .: 01 (55) 5905-1000 or 01800 98 79 879.

 

For further information, complaints or suggestions about the Animal Health Inspection Service, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.