India – Importing a Pet

Does India allow pets to be imported, and are there restrictions on which animals are permitted?

Dogs and cats are among the domestic animals that India formally permits for importation. A maximum of two dogs or cats per passenger may be brought in at any one time, provided the owner produces the required health certificate from the country of departure and the animal undergoes inspection by the designated quarantine officer. Anyone wishing to bring more than two pets will need to secure further documentation.

Imports beyond two animals are only permitted against an import sanitary permit issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, or against an import licence from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

For the purposes of Indian import law, only dogs and cats are formally recognised as companion animals. Birds are currently barred from importation due to Avian Influenza concerns. Other animals — including rabbits and reptiles — may be brought in only with a DGFT licence and are subject to CITES regulations.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) prohibits commercial trade in certain animal species, which has a direct bearing on pet owners. This is especially relevant for anyone whose pet is not a dog or cat — turtles and parrots in particular — as separate permit applications will be necessary.

A significant regulatory development affected dog breeds in 2024. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying released an advisory in March 2024 recommending a nationwide ban on the import, breeding, and sale of 23 dog breeds. Customs Instruction No. 05/2024 formally identifies these breeds as dangerous to human life, among them the Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog, and Caucasian Shepherd Dog.

The Delhi and Karnataka High Courts suspended this ban on 3 May 2024, after petitions from pet owners argued that the government had not adequately consulted relevant stakeholders before issuing the directive. As of that ruling, the prohibition was temporarily lifted while a more measured resolution is being explored. This continues to be a fast-moving area of law, and expats travelling with any of the named breeds are strongly encouraged to verify the current position with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying before departure.

Wolf hybrids, Savannah cats, and Bengal cats are not eligible for importation unless they are at least five generations removed from their wild ancestry. Individual cities and municipal authorities may also have introduced their own breed-specific rules. The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, for example, adopted restrictions in 2025 prohibiting certain breeds as pets unless already registered prior to the new rules coming into effect. It is essential to check local regulations in your destination city alongside national requirements.

What vaccinations and health requirements do pets need before entering India?

Rabies vaccination forms the cornerstone of India’s health requirements for incoming pets, given that India is not a rabies-free country. Every cat or dog entering India must carry evidence of a valid rabies vaccination given no fewer than 30 days and no more than 12 months prior to travel (as of 2024). This is more stringent than the three-year validity period recognised in many other countries — even where a vaccine was originally administered as a three-year dose, Indian quarantine rules require that the most recent jab falls within the one-year window, meaning re-vaccination before travel may be necessary.

For dogs, the official health certificate from the origin country must confirm that the animal shows no clinical signs or symptoms of any infectious or contagious disease, specifically including Rabies, Canine Distemper, Parvovirus infection, and Leptospirosis. For cats, the equivalent certificate must confirm freedom from Rabies, Distemper, Feline enteritis, Feline panleukopenia, and Leptospirosis.

While India does not prescribe a comprehensive mandatory vaccination list beyond rabies, canine distemper, canine parvovirus, and leptospirosis appear on the model health certificates used for pet dogs. Vets typically administer a combined DHPP or DA2PP vaccine covering distemper, canine adenovirus type 2, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. For cats, the standard approach is a FVRCP combination vaccine providing cover against feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline panleukopenia.

Unlike Australia or New Zealand, India does not currently require a rabies antibody titre test from any country of origin (as of 2024). There is also no mandatory parasite treatment requirement for pets arriving in India. That said, given India’s tropical climate and the widespread presence of parasites in the environment, it is strongly advisable to ensure pets are current on deworming and flea and tick prevention before and after the move.

Puppies and kittens must be no younger than three months old, fitted with a microchip, and vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before entry. Unvaccinated animals will not be permitted into India under any circumstances. All vaccination records must appear on the official health certificate; personal vaccination booklets or pet passports issued in the country of origin are not sufficient on their own and must be accompanied by official government endorsement.

What is the application process for importing a pet into India, and what paperwork is required?

Bringing a pet into India calls for a series of steps that must be completed in the right sequence, involving authorities in both the country of departure and in India itself. Pet owners should begin the import authorisation process no later than two months before their intended travel date (as of 2024). Underestimating lead times is among the most frequent reasons for complications at the border.

1. Microchip your pet. Your pet must be fitted with an AVID microchip or a non-encrypted 15-digit microchip that complies with ISO 11784 or Annex A to ISO 11785. If the chip does not meet ISO standards, a compatible scanner capable of reading it must be supplied. The microchip must be implanted before vaccination records are finalised so that the chip number appears on all health documentation.
2. Administer vaccinations. Cats and dogs must have an active rabies vaccination and be fully current on core vaccines, with all immunisations recorded on an official veterinary health certificate. Ensure that the rabies vaccine falls within the prescribed window — at least 30 days before travel but not more than 12 months prior.
3. Obtain a DGFT import authorisation (where required). India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade requires all pets travelling to India on a temporary basis to hold a DGFT licence before an NOC can be obtained. The application form for this licence is the ANF-2M. Processing can take up to one month (as of 2024). Pets relocating permanently with a resident who has lived continuously abroad for at least two years may be eligible under customs baggage rules and may not require a DGFT licence — check the AQCS official website for current eligibility criteria.
4. Obtain the official veterinary health certificate. A licensed veterinarian in your country must complete the Pet Health Certificate for India within ten days of the entry date. Once issued, the certificate must be endorsed by the government authority responsible for animal import and export in your country of origin — in the United States, for example, this is USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. Other countries have their own equivalent national authorities.
5. Apply for the No Objection Certificate (NOC). Every pet entering India — whether accompanying a passenger or travelling as manifest cargo — must have an NOC issued by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Station (AQCS) in India before arrival. Applications may be submitted by mail, fax, or in person, and processing takes around five working days (as of 2024). The NOC should be requested from the relevant Regional or Quarantine Officer no later than seven days before travel, though this may be reduced to three days in certain circumstances.
6. Assemble all travel documents. The health certificate must include the owner’s name and address in both the country of origin and in India, along with a signed declaration confirming that the dog or cat is a genuine companion animal brought for personal reasons and not for commercial, gift, or breeding purposes. A duplicate copy of the NOC must be secured to the pet’s travel crate throughout the flight.
7. Present documents at arrival. On landing in India, an AQCS-approved veterinarian will examine your pet. All paperwork must be handed to the quarantine officer in customs at that point. AQCS officers are stationed at the airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata to handle all incoming and outgoing pets.

Where a transfer of residency is involved, additional documentation is required, including a declaration endorsed by a Notary Public attesting to the change of domicile, as well as supporting evidence such as an employment contract, appointment letter, or company identification. Many expats choose to engage a professional pet relocation specialist with experience in Indian customs procedures, especially when undertaking the process for the first time.

Does India require pets to undergo quarantine on arrival?

Whether quarantine is imposed in India depends primarily on whether the move is permanent or temporary, and whether the required documentation is fully in order on arrival.

Quarantine will not be applied to your pet on entry into India if all import requirements have been satisfied. Should your pet fail to comply with the applicable regulations, it will face quarantine if space at a facility is available, be repatriated to the country of origin, or in the most serious cases be euthanised — with all associated costs borne by the importer.

Pets arriving as part of a transfer of residency may be placed under 14 days of government-supervised quarantine or 30 days of home quarantine. Pets entering India on a temporary basis are not subject to quarantine provided all import conditions are met (as of 2024). This distinction between relocating permanently and visiting temporarily is an important one: expats moving to India should be prepared for the possibility of a brief supervised quarantine period, while those visiting with all documentation correctly in place are unlikely to encounter it.

In the uncommon instances where quarantine is imposed, it typically runs between 30 days and three months. Quarantine must be served at a government-approved facility. When required, animals are held at the government quarantine station at the relevant port of entry — such as Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, or Kolkata.

India’s quarantine framework is considerably less onerous than those of countries like Australia or New Zealand, where quarantine is compulsory for all animals regardless of health documentation. It is more documentation-dependent, however, than the EU’s Pet Travel Scheme, under which compliant animals can cross borders with minimal hold-ups. Ensuring paperwork is entirely correct before departure remains the most dependable way to avoid quarantine in India.

Where an animal falls under CITES regulations, it must be quarantined for 30 days in its country of origin and a further 30 days within India. Owners of exotic species, parrots, or other CITES-listed animals should factor this extended timeline into their planning.

Is India part of any international pet travel scheme?

India is not a member of the EU Pet Travel Scheme or any comparable regional pet movement arrangement. India does not issue pet passports in the way that EU member states do. What is sometimes informally referred to as an “Indian pet passport” is simply the full set of documentation required to satisfy Indian import rules — it carries no resemblance to the standardised official EU Pet Passport.

The collection of documents that together meet India’s import requirements for dogs or cats includes proof of microchipping, an import licence, evidence of rabies vaccination, and an internationally endorsed health certificate prepared by a licensed veterinarian in the country of origin.

For owners travelling from EU member states, the practical implications are clear: an EU Pet Passport permitting free movement across European borders confers no special status at Indian customs. The same documentation obligations — NOC, government-endorsed health certificate, DGFT licence — apply equally to all arrivals regardless of the country they are travelling from. India does not restrict pets on the basis of country of origin; what matters is whether the animal meets the health, documentation, and quarantine requirements set by Indian authorities.

There is no bilateral agreement between India and any other country that simplifies or reduces the documentation burden for pet travel. Every pet owner, irrespective of origin, must follow the same official channels in India: the AQCS for the NOC and the DGFT for import authorisation where applicable. The Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS) and DGFT websites provide the most current requirements.

Do pet owners need to register or licence their pet after arriving in India?

Pet owners have continuing obligations at the local level once their animal has entered India. There is no single national pet registration system in the country; instead, registration and licensing is handled by individual municipal corporations, and requirements can differ considerably between cities.

Most municipal corporations maintain separate departments for dog registration. In practice, this means contacting your local civic body — whether that is the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), or the Municipal Corporation of Delhi — to register your dog following arrival. Fees, procedures, and timelines vary between municipalities; consult the relevant local authority’s website for up-to-date information, as these details change regularly.

Many residential welfare associations (RWAs) across India also enforce their own breed-specific rules within housing societies. Even if the city you are living in imposes no restriction on a particular breed, your building’s management committee may have its own prohibitions. It is worth clarifying this with building management before bringing your pet home.

Several municipalities now make sterilisation of pets a condition of ownership, particularly for restricted breeds. Owners of dogs listed in India’s 2024 advisory on restricted breeds should be aware that the Central Government directed all states to sterilise restricted breeds currently being kept as pets in Indian households.

All dogs in India must be registered with the relevant local municipal corporation. Documentation typically required for registration includes a completed application form, proof of the owner’s identity, vaccination records, and microchip details. Visiting the local municipal corporation’s website or office in person is the most reliable way to obtain specific requirements and current registration fees. Requirements for cats are less consistently enforced but are worth enquiring about locally.

Are there any additional rules or costs expats should be aware of when bringing a pet to India?

Ports of entry: Pets may enter as accompanied baggage at the airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, or Kolkata, or as unaccompanied cargo at New Delhi and Mumbai only. Routing through any airport not included in this list is not available for pet imports. Land border crossings are generally not an option for bringing pets into India.

Airline and carrier rules: Your chosen airline may apply its own breed-specific restrictions. A number of carriers refuse to transport snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dog and cat breeds in the cargo hold of passenger flights, though these animals may be accepted as freight. Larger breeds or those with powerful jaws may need to travel in reinforced crates, and airlines frequently impose their own size and weight limits for pets on international routes. Always confirm pet acceptance policies, crate specifications, and reservation procedures with your airline well ahead of travel.

In-cabin versus cargo hold: Most larger pets will travel in the aircraft’s cargo hold. Smaller animals may be permitted in the cabin on certain routes, depending on airline policy. India sets no national-level restrictions on which option is used, but both the airline’s requirements and the crate dimensions must comply with IATA Live Animals Regulations.

Timing and health certificate validity: The international health certificate remains valid for 30 days, but it must be completed within ten days of travel to satisfy airline requirements. Careful scheduling between your veterinary appointment, government endorsement, and the date of departure is essential — insufficient lead time is a common and preventable mistake.

Number of pets: India places no nationwide country-of-origin or breed-based bar on dogs and cats, but standard baggage rules cap imports at two pets per passenger. Bringing more than two animals requires a separately obtained DGFT licence and import sanitary permit.

Short-duration tourist visits: Importing cats or dogs for a brief tourist stay is not generally permitted. However, applications are assessed individually, and permission may be granted in exceptional circumstances where adequate justification and supporting documentation are provided. Expats planning a short posting or extended work assignment should not assume that travelling with a pet will be straightforward and should discuss their particular situation with a specialist pet relocation agent and the relevant Indian authorities in advance.

Costs: Fees relating to the DGFT licence, NOC application, government endorsement of the veterinary health certificate, and the airport inspection vary and are subject to revision. Consult the official AQCS website and the DGFT portal for current fee schedules. Airline pet transport charges, fees for professional relocation agents, and any applicable quarantine costs should all be included in your overall budget.

Where can expats find official information about importing a pet into India?

Given how involved India’s pet import process can be, and the fact that requirements can change at relatively short notice, it is essential to confirm all details with official sources before making any travel arrangements.

• Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS): Operating under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the AQCS is the principal authority for pet import inspections and NOC issuance. Its official site — aqcsindia.gov.in — provides import procedures, document checklists, and contact details for stations at each approved entry airport.
• Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT): Pets travelling to India temporarily must hold a DGFT licence before departure. This document formally authorises your pet’s entry and confirms compliance with Indian import regulations. The DGFT portal is at dgft.gov.in. The DGFT also publishes a FAQ document on pet imports outlining key requirements and timelines.
• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD): The DAHD is the policy-making authority for animal import rules and publishes official circulars and advisories — including the 2024 breed advisory — on its website at dahd.nic.in.
• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC): For the customs dimensions of pet importation — including baggage rules and customs declarations — the CBIC website is the relevant resource. Customs Circular No. 15/2013 and Customs Instruction No. 05/2024 both contain provisions directly applicable to bringing pets into India.
• Indian Missions Abroad: Many Indian embassies and consulates around the world publish guidance on pet importation for prospective arrivals. While these are a useful starting point, the AQCS and DGFT should always be treated as the definitive sources of current requirements.

Regulations in India can shift with relatively little advance notice, and discrepancies between different sources are not uncommon. If any aspect of the requirements is unclear, contact the relevant AQCS station directly — stations are located at Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata — to confirm what is currently required before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the full process of importing a pet to India take from start to finish?

Pet owners should begin the import authorisation process no less than two months before their planned travel date. Taking into account the time needed for microchipping, the mandatory waiting period after rabies vaccination (at least 30 days before travel), securing a DGFT licence (which can take up to a month), obtaining government endorsement of the health certificate, and applying for the NOC (roughly 5–7 working days), a realistic minimum from beginning to end is around 10–12 weeks. Beginning early is essential.

What happens if my pet arrives in India without the correct paperwork?

If a pet fails to meet Indian import requirements, it will be placed in quarantine where facilities permit, returned to its country of origin, or in the worst case euthanised. All costs in any of these scenarios fall to the importer. This makes thorough pre-departure preparation critical. Engaging a professional pet relocation specialist significantly reduces the risk of document-related errors.

Do the rules differ for cats versus dogs?

The core requirements apply equally to both species: microchipping, a government-endorsed health certificate, rabies vaccination within the prescribed window, an NOC from the AQCS, and where applicable a DGFT licence. The diseases that must be declared on the health certificate differ slightly — for dogs these include Distemper, Parvovirus, and Leptospirosis, while for cats the certificate must address Feline enteritis and Feline panleukopenia in addition to shared conditions. There are no breed restrictions affecting cats equivalent to the 2024 dog breed advisory, though wolf hybrids and Savannah or Bengal cats face their own limitations.

Can I bring a rescue animal from abroad to India?

Importing a rescued animal is subject to the same formal requirements as importing any other pet — microchipping, vaccination, a government-endorsed health certificate, an NOC, and a DGFT licence where applicable. The owner must also provide a signed declaration confirming the animal is a genuine companion with no commercial, gift, or breeding purpose. If the rescue animal belongs to an exotic or CITES-listed species, additional permits and a 30-day quarantine in the country of origin will apply. Contact the AQCS well in advance to confirm exactly what is needed for the animal in question.

Does India have any seasonal restrictions on importing pets?

India imposes no formal seasonal restrictions on pet imports. However, the country’s climate — particularly during the summer months, when temperatures across large parts of India frequently climb above 40°C — can present serious welfare risks for animals travelling in cargo holds. Many airlines put embargoes on live animal transport during the hottest periods of the year. Check your airline’s seasonal live animal policies before booking, and pay particular attention if your pet is a brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed with a heightened vulnerability to heat stress.

Do I need a DGFT licence if I have lived abroad for more than two years and am permanently returning to India?

Owners who can demonstrate continuous residence abroad for at least two years and provide evidence of transferring their domicile back to India may be eligible to bring up to two pets under customs baggage rules without obtaining a DGFT licence, subject to customs approval. Full health documentation and an NOC from the AQCS are still required regardless. If there is any uncertainty about eligibility, advance customs clearance should be sought. Always verify the current criteria with both the AQCS and the CBIC before making travel arrangements.

Can I bring my pet bird to India?

The importation of birds into India is currently not permitted, a restriction that has been maintained for several years due to Avian Influenza concerns. If you own a bird and are planning to relocate to India, contact the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) to establish whether any updated permissions might apply to your particular species before committing to travel plans.

Are there approved pet relocation agents that can help with the process?

Although not a formal requirement, many expats choose to use professional pet relocation agents, especially when dealing with the DGFT licence and NOC processes for the first time. The International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) maintains a searchable directory of member agents with expertise in India at ipata.org. Engaging an accredited agent does not exempt you from meeting all official health and documentation standards, but it can substantially lower the chances of administrative errors that result in delays or quarantine on arrival.