A summary of the rules for importing dogs and cats into Mexico, including guide dogs.
Note. The rules for transporting animals of many airlines, especially European ones, are more stringent than those outlined below. The criteria for a container for transportation are also determined by the policy of a particular airline. This means that you will have to study and follow the rules of a particular airline before the animal enters Mexico.
In addition, see the animal transportation policyairlinesMexico andairlinesRussia.
Moreover, in some cases it will be necessary to study and comply with the rules for transporting animals through a transit country.
We provide requirements from official sources. If you are relying on the experience of those who have already imported animals into Mexico, remember: it may vary from person to person. Our information covers all cases.
Chipping
Although Mexican law does not require imported animals to be microchipped, most airlines do. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to ensure that your animal is microchipped before traveling and entered into an international database. Branding, as an older way of identifying an animal, is also acceptable.
Vaccinations
Mexico requires proof of pet rabies vaccination received at least 15 days before bringing the animal into Mexico. 15 days — this minimum period is specified in the documents of the country's Ministry of Agriculture. However, the rules of most countries are different: such vaccination had to be done no later than 30 days before the animal was exported from the country (more precisely, before the health certificate was issued). For this reason, focus on 30 days, since neither in Russia nor in Ukraine you will be issued a certificate if the vaccination was done less than a month before departure.
Mexico accepts 3-year vaccines for dogs and cats imported from the United States or Canada. If your dog or cat is not from the US/Canada, your pet should be vaccinated with the 1 year old vaccine (which is standard in Mexico and many states). All information about the vaccine and the date of vaccination must be indicated in the health certificate/international passport. Most often, the name of the vaccine and its manufacturer is sufficient. In all cases, vaccination should not have expired.
Kittens and puppies under 3 months of age are exempt from the need for rabies vaccination.
Regarding vaccinations against other diseases, the standards are standard: a comprehensive annual vaccine for dogs or cats.
Some infections that are unfamiliar in other countries, such as ehrlichiosis, are not considered rare in Mexico, so it is wise to protect your pet from them by vaccinating them before bringing them into Mexico.
Rabies test
A rabies titer test is not required when importing animals into Mexico from any country. At the same time, for example, EU legislation requires such a test to be carried out in most cases, including during the transit of an animal through EU countries — Check with your airline carrier.
Since it takes up to 1 month for a rabies titer to be completed after a rabies vaccination, make sure you have enough time to do it.
Treatment against helminths and parasites
Mexico requires that your animal be treated for worms and external parasites no more than 6 months before entering the country (in other words, within the last six months). The drugs used must be indicated in the veterinary certificate and passport. Cats you should be treated against ticks.
Although treatment against external parasites is not mandatory in, say, Ukraine, in Mexico you will definitely be asked for confirmation of such treatment, certified by a veterinarian.
Health certificate and veterinary passport of international standard
The following documentation options are acceptable when importing pets into Mexico.
Option 1: If your pet is traveling from the United States, a USDA-accredited veterinarian can issue APHIS Form 7001. If your pet is traveling from Canada, a trilingual Canadian Export Certificate issued by a CFIA-certified veterinarian is permitted. Certificates are valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
When importing dogs and cats into Mexico from the United States and Canada, these certificates and proof of annual vaccination are no longer required — cm.changes.
Option 2: If your pet is traveling from any other country, your veterinarian has the opportunity to use a template accepted by the veterinary authorities of that state, issued on letterhead and certified by a seal. If a pet is imported from the United States, it must be certified by a USDA-accredited veterinarian in Canada — licensed veterinarian in Canada. Each country has its own authority that has the right to issue such a certificate. Such certificates are valid for 10 days from the date of issue. Such a certificate is submitted to the Mexican veterinary authorities along with an international veterinary passport or health certificate.
The international veterinary passport should be of a standard type. For many countries, he is also required to meet the requirement for online verification.
In relation to Russia, it works as follows. No earlier than 5 days before departure you should receiveVeterinary certificate form No. 1, which is issued only by state veterinary clinics of the Russian Federation (Stations for the Control of Animal Diseases) on the basis of a veterinary passport and after examining the animal. To obtain it, deworming is required. In the column «Special notes» It must indicate that the animal is being exported to Mexico.
You must arrive at the airport of departure to Mexico in advance. 3 hours before departure — quite enough. You need to find a customs counter where you can fill out a customs declaration indicating the animal you are exporting. You will need to find the Veterinary Control Service point (ask at the information desk) where to registerVeterinary certificate form No. 5Ainternational standard by providing Certificate Form No. 1. Veterinary control points at airports operate 24 hours a day. The exchange of Certificate Form No. 1 for Certificate Form No. 5A is free of charge.
Certificate form No. 5A is valid for 24 hours for the export of an animal from Russia and for 15 days — for import into Mexico. You yourself check in for the flight and register your animal, check the animal in your luggage or take it with you into the cabin.
At the same time, you provide the airline with:
- veterinary passport,
- international veterinary certificate form No. 5A,
- a certificate of breeding value of the animal for export (optional).
Drawing up a Mexican animal import certificate
Upon arrival in Mexico, after passing through immigration (passport) control, purchasing an animal from your luggage and before going through customs control, you should find the SAGARPA-SENASICA office. Here, for inspection, you must provide an animal, an international veterinary passport and Form No. 5A. If you import from one to three pets, you will receive a certificate for the import of animals into Mexico (Certificado Zoosanitario para Importación) free of charge. If you are importing 4 or more pets, the Import Certificate processing fee will be P1,882.22.
When issuing an Import Certificate, a visual inspection of the animal is required. If your dog or cat does not appear apparently healthy, it may require further examination by a licensed veterinarian or be quarantined at your expense.
Currently, this certificate is issued electronically — it arrives by email after the animal has been imported. The import certificate is valid for 8 days. During this period, you can use it to move around Mexico by presenting it to airlines and bus operators and displaying it on paper or on your smartphone. We suggest that you retain this certificate — If possible, it will be useful later, since it confirms that the animal was brought into Mexico.
Unlike a number of other countries, Mexico does not prohibit the import of certain dog breeds.
Re-importation of animals
Pets being re-imported into Mexico follow the same rules as those being imported for the first time. This means that owners of such animals are required to have a new health certificate certified by a veterinarian in the country you visited if you stayed in that country for more than 30 days.
If your pet is leaving Mexico, you must have all the documents required for your destination country, issued by Mexican veterinary authorities. If you have been outside of Mexico for less than 30 days, you are eligible to use this documentation to bring the animal into Mexico.
Failure to comply with the above rules or the importation of a sick animal may result in your pet being quarantined at your expense, your pet being returned to its country of origin, or your pet being euthanized.
In most cases, it is recommended to follow the veterinary rules for the import and export of animals simultaneously from Mexico, the country of origin of the animal and the transit state. We have already mentioned the need to follow airline transportation rules.
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