Spring 2021
Whether you are driving or flying to Mexico, traveling with dogs to Mexico is easy.
In 2020 the Mexican government – the OISA (part of SAGARPA-SENASICA) – dropped the requirement to provide a Health Certificate from a veterinarian. HOWEVER only
…IF you are coming from Canada or the United States.
Jump Ahead To:
What Changed: Requirements and Processes For Bringing Pets to Mexico
Mexico no longer requires your pet to have a health certificate from a veterinarian.
Mexico no longer requires proof of the rabies vaccine for your dog or cat.
Note: When entering back into the U.S. you may be asked to provide an up-to-date Rabies certificate. More from the CDC on bringing your pet to the U.S.
Mexico will require that a staff member of OISA (part of SAGARPA-SENASICA) perform a brief physical inspection of your pet. The OISA offices are at the international airports, not at the border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico.
At the airport the OISA office will verify:
- That there are no signs of infectious and contagious diseases
- That it is free of ectoparasites = fleas, ticks, mites, and lice
- That there are no fresh or healing wounds
What has not changed:
- Only a small amount of dog food is allowed to be brought into the country
- Any type of disposable bedding the dog was transported in, must be thrown away. For example, newspapers or sawdust or rags (pertains to dogs flying in a crate)
Notice from the USDA about the requirements for traveling to Mexico with pets.
Driving to Mexico from the U.S. and Canada
If you are driving to Mexico with your dog, you do not need to spend the money to go to a veterinarian and get a health certificate.
You do not need to have a veterinarian provide proof that the pet has had parasite prevention.
You do not need to provide a rabies certificate for your dog or cat.
However, it is always good to bring along a copy of the rabies certificate and an updated list of the vaccines your dog has had.
As a side note, the Mexico border agents are not OISA officers and are not part of the SAGARPA-SENASICA.
OISA offices are not at the border crossings. There is no one who will ask to inspect your dog at the border.
The OISA offices are at the airports.
FLYING to Mexico with a pet
As of 2021 U.S. airlines no longer allow Emotional Support Animals.
When flying to Mexico with a pet, the airlines will still require a Health Certificate and Rabies Certificate.
Once you land at the airport, the airport officials will direct you to the OISA office inside the airport.
Now, instead of handing them paperwork to review, they inspect your dog for good health. That is it!
This only applies to pets originating from the U.S. and Canadian.
Nevertheless, airlines have their own requirements for pets flying on their airplanes regardless of the country.
Airline health requirements for flying with pets to Mexico
- a certificate of health
- proof the rabies certificate is less than 12 months old
Note: You do not need a “Pet Passport” – this is not part of the official requirements.
Please call the airline directly for their rules on flying with a pet in the cabin or in the cargo area.
Some airlines have specific paperwork you may need to complete.
What is a Health Certificate?
When flying with dogs to Mexico you must prove the dog is healthy.
In order to do that, you need a Health Certificate from a licensed veterinarian in your country of origin.
There are two ways your veterinarian can provide this “health certificate”:
- Complete the APHIS7001 (U.S.) form
OR - Have a licensed veterinarian type up, on official letterhead, the requested information (see below).
Depending on the airline, it must be completed within 5 – 10 days of flying to Mexico with your pet.
Note: You do not need have the APHIS7001 form stamped by the USDA.
What the health certificate must include
In preparation for traveling by air to Mexico with dogs, I normally type-up the information they will need to complete the form
A) The address of where you are living now and the address of where you will be staying/living in Mexico with your petB) Name of pet, type of breed, any distinguishing marks, age, sex, color. If the pet has a microchip. Include the microchip number.
C) A listing of all vaccines, the dates administered and expiration dates.
This includes the DHPP booster, respiratory complex intranasal (for kennel cough), rabies, plus dates of the last heartworm test, fecal exam and annual exam.
If your dog has been going to the same Veterinarian for years, most likely the office will have all this on file.
However, if this is a new veterinarian, you will need to provide this information.
Rabies Certificate
The rabies vaccination certificate must include all of the following information:
- Name and address of the owner
- Breed, sex, date of birth, color, markings, and other identifying information for the dog
- Vaccine product information – name, lot number
- Date of rabies vaccination
- The date the vaccination will expire
- Name, license number, address, and signature of the veterinarian who administered the vaccination
Confirmation that the dog’s rabies vaccine meets the airline’s date requirements of no less than 30 days and no more than 12 months.
Check the rabies certificate to make sure it does not expire while in Mexico!
If it does, this is a reason your dog may be turned away at the airport.
It’s always a good idea to ask the veterinarian for several original copies of the rabies certificates.
More on the rabies vaccine
Mexico does recognize a 3-year rabies vaccine.
However, most airlines require a vaccine/booster within 12 months of the date you are flying with your dog.
That means is your dog will have to have a rabies booster shot even if it has not expired.
Parasite Prevention
Providing proof that your dog is under a parasite prevention program. By parasites, I mean the following…
Ectoparasites are external parasites: fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. Products such as Bravecto or NexGard prevent ectoparasites.
Endoparasites are internal parasites: heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. Interceptor is a product commonly used for this.
Timeline For Airline Requirements
Two Months Before Flying To Mexico
- Rabies booster if their last booster is more than 12 months old. Administer this booster 60-days before traveling.
- Check to make sure the vaccine for Hepatitis and distemper will not expire while in Mexico.
- Administer monthly treatment against ectoparasites and endoparasites.
Note: Make sure the date you administer treatment will align with your departure date (within a 3-day window) two months later.
One Month Before Flying To Mexico
- Get a fecal exam for your dog. Make photocopies of results.
- Administer internal parasite treatment. Common product is Interceptor.
- Administer external monthly parasite treatment.
Within A Week Of Traveling To Mexico
- Go to the veterinarian to get a health checkup and the health certificate; within 5 to 10* days before the departing flight. *check with the airline to know their exact time frame window.
- Have the Veterinarian administer internal parasite prevention medication.
- Have the Veterinarian administer external parasite prevention medication.
- Make 3 color photocopies of all the documentation!
What is the SAGARPA-SENASICA and why do I need to know about it?
This is the Mexican government agency tasked with overseeing the importation of pets and other animals.
The acronyms means the following: el Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA).
It falls under the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA).
All ports of entry into Mexico have an Oficinas de Inspección de Sanidad Agropecuarias (OISA) – airports and ocean ports.
If you are flying into Mexico you will automatically be directed to the OISA office at the airport.
All international airports in Mexico have this office.
According to the new regulations a staff member of OISA (part of SAGARPA-SENASICA) will perform a brief physical inspection of your pet and verify:
- That there are no signs of infectious and contagious diseases
- That it is free of ectoparasites – fleas, ticks, mites, and lice
- That there are no fresh or healing wounds
The process should be much faster than in the past.
Once completed they will provide you with the certificate of importation.
Returning Home With Your Pet
Bringing your dog back to the U.S. from Mexico
The U.S. has certain requirements that must be met before a dog can be admitted to entry into the United States.
According to the US Department of Agriculture…
“All dogs must appear healthy and depending upon what country the dogs are coming from, a valid rabies vaccination certificate may be required”
Here are two links for your reference:
CDC guide to bringing your pet to the U.S.
If you are flying back, the airlines have their own requirements in addition to the U.S government requirements.
Refer to the section above for airline requirements.
As always… Safe Traveles!
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Have a 4 month old puppy that has had 2 sets of rabies shots Fully dewormed; all other vaccines complete Going to fly from TJ to La Paz on Wednesday, April 14 Using Cross Border Express (TJ/US border) Paid for the puppy to travel in cabin on Volaris Approved soft airline carrier for him with appropriate measurements Bringing all of this stuff from the information provided on your site (like 40 pages worth!) Getting a health check here in US the day before travel (April 13) Will have the vet fill out the silly APHIS7001 form Do we need to… Read more »
Hola SWG… Regarding your return trip on Volaris and needing a 2nd health certificate and not getting a clear answer from Volaris. Unfortunately, the agents you speak to on the phone are just reading from a script. If the script does not provide the answer, oh well. The answers are with the check-in agents. I have been in your shoes and not gotten an answer over the phone (or website). So, I went down to the airport and asked the check-in agent my questions. And I got the answers I needed! When you check-in, I suggest you ask the agent… Read more »
Do you know if the Leptospirosis vaccine is required to fly to Mexico? Our dog will have the first vaccine 16 days before travel, but a booster is required 2 days before we leave.
Hola Sarah…Thank you for the interesting question! I must admit I have never heard of the Leptospirosis vaccine, so I had to Google it. To date, no airline has specifically asked that my dogs be vaccinated for the Leptospirosis disease. The airlines are very focused on making sure all animals in their transport be vaccinated against Rabies. Therefore, my short answer is no, the airlines do not require a Leptospirosis vaccine. As always, double check and call the airline. I’m curious if they even know what it is. I want to thank you for bringing the Leptospirosis disease to our… Read more »
Thank you! I have chosen to vaccinate when the vet has the vaccine available as we have been living in areas with coyote, skunk, raccoon and gophers in our yard and not knowing what all they might leave behind! It has proven difficult for our current vet to keep the vaccine in stock. Where do you find your Next Guard Spectra in Mexico at a great price?
We have been able to get NextGard Spectra from a veterinarian each time. Some had it in stock while others had to order it. Now that we are back in the U.S. we have to order it from Australia! Thanks for all your great questions and info!
Hi! My partner will be flying from Mexico City to NYC with our large dog in a crate (checked in) via Aeromexico. Do you know how long before the flight it is recommended that he arrive to the airport? Do you know if our dog will also have to go through the SAGARPA-SENASICA process at the airport?
Hola Lena! Thank you for the questions. Aeroméxico requests you and your pet check in two hours before the flight. Since your pet is leaving Mexico, it will not be subject to an inspection with SAGARPA-SENASICA. As always, call the airline at least 72 hours before the flight to confirm your pet’s “reservation” and check in time. I also suggest making two copies of all the paperwork. One more thing I would like to add. When boarding the airplane, if you see the pilots, let them know your precious pet is in the cargo hold. Or you can ask the… Read more »
Hi there! We are traveling to Cabo for just one week. Does our dog need another health check in Mexico before we fly back or is the original certificate still good?
Hola Sarah! The answer to your question depends on the airline you are flying with. For example, Aeroméxico and Delta will give you a 10-day window. Therefore, if you are only visiting Mexico for 7 days, you do not need to get another health certificate when flying back from Mexico. However, United Airlines only has a 5-day window. So, you need to get another health certificate done in order to fly back from Mexico. As always, check with the airline directly. Some have their own paperwork requirements besides the health certificate. Enjoy Cabo! I have an update on this question… Read more »
we haven’t done vaccines in many years – based on what i have read, is it true they do not require this to enter mexico? just the airline requirements? I am concerned about giving too many toxins due to his age. he is very healthy – our natural vet completely discougages getting any vaccines.
Hi Dany… I can empathize with your situation. I felt the same when we had to give our two dogs a rabies booster when they did not need it. We had no choice because we were flying at the time. If you are driving to Mexico… they will not ask for a health certificate or vaccine record when crossing the border. However, you may be asked to present a rabies certificate when crossing back into the United States. At a minimum, I would make sure my dog had an up-to-date rabies booster PLUS a monthly flea/tick/heartworm prevention medication. There are… Read more »
thank you – I have confirmed our airline is NOT requiring any vaccines , but i want to be sure that Mexico upon entry will not require vaccines. – we are not from US. and not driving. thank you for the great information -very appreciative
Dany… as I mentioned at the top of the article, these new rules are only for those pets coming from Canada or the United States. Since you just mentioned you are not from the U.S., I am hoping you are flying in from Canada. =8-) Your dog will go through a physical inspection at the OISA office at the airport.
Hello, so if my dogs last set of vaccines was in December including the rabies, she won’t need any boosters? I plan to discuss with the vet but would like input from an experienced traveler! She’s also not on any heart worm or tick and flea meds
Hola Mayra… Since your dogs had their vaccines in December 2020, they will not need a booster to fly (or to drive) to Mexico. The airlines will require proof of their vaccines, especially the rabies. As for not being on any heart-worm and flee/tick medicine… I highly suggest getting them on a monthly dose. There are a lot of street dogs throughout Mexico which are not treated. The fleas and ticks love the warm weather. We moved our dogs off of a 3-month treatment (Bravecto) because our vet said that by the third month the medicine is not as effective.… Read more »
That’s good to know. Definitely plan to start her on those! One more question for you, if we plan on traveling to a few places in Mexico and then back to U.S., will she need a health certificate for each flight? Thanks!
The airlines are the ones that dictate how close to the departure date you need to get the new health certificate. Some require a health certificate to be completed within 10 days of your flight, others 5 days. So, that means you will have to find a vet at every place you travel to in order to get the health certificate. Ask the locals where they take their pets. Be sure to ask ahead of time how much it will cost.
I have a blog post on this if you want to read more. =8-)
https://www.travelingwith2dogs.com/flying-within-mexico-with-dog-cat/
Im traveling to Tijuana and want my dog to join, will there be any problem when coming back to the states the day after ?
HI Torres… Just make sure to bring your dog’s vaccination records and rabies certificate, just in case. Normally they don’t ask for anything but it is good to be prepared. =8-) Since your dog is from the U.S. there will be no issue.
FYI… here is the US Government link regarding animals “from” another country entering the US, which your dog is not. Link
Enjoy your time in TJ!
So if your traveling by car inspecting your dog at the oisa office is optional? If my dog has a hot spot do to an allergy will I be able to pass? Thank you
HI… there are no OISA offices at the border crossings. No one will ask to inspect your dog. The folks at the border are more concerned that you have a TIP (temporary import permit) for your car and that you have the right VISA. Rest assured it will be a smooth crossing for both you and your dog. Safe travels!