Data completeness: 65% · Last updated: July 28, 2026
Jules · with Nala (Australian Shepherd, 22kg) “Nala has opinions about layovers.” Meet all guides →
About this guide ↓
This guide was generated by Pawgo's AI using verified data from official sources. Jules is a fictional persona — the data is real.
Okay, India with a dog is a real quest, and I love it. Nala and I map trips like this the way Sam and I map a ridge line: one decision at a time. The one that stops most people cold is the mandatory quarantine, so eyes open there first. Get that piece right and the rest of the paperwork falls into a rhythm you can actually move through.
Bringing a pet to India requires three documents in the right order: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the destination's wait window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. The table below lays out exactly what's required, what's not, and where each rule comes from.
How India handles your pet
Official: AQCS (https://aqcsindia.gov.in/Home/ImportPetUnderBaggage). NOC 5 working days. Max 2 pets. 15-day quarantine.
Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.
Cabin policy
Advance booking required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-15
Crate must have/bea carrierverified 2026-07-15
Hold & cargo policy
Cargo: Heat embargo2°Cverified 2026-07-15
Health & documents
Health certificate required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate validity7 daysverified 2026-07-15
Import permit · Lead time7 daysverified 2026-07-15
Import permit · Documents required to obtainat upto 2 number) DOG and CAT (As per Custom Circular no.15/2013 dated 8.4.13) Accompanied Baggage: Ticket of the owner. Unaccompanied Baggage: Within1 month after arrival of owner- copy of Pass Port along with immigration stamp. Requirement of advance Custom permission: For owners sending the pet more than 1 month after their arrival or before arrival. For all above: Required- Visa copy/other docverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · IssuerCentral Ministryverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-18
Health certificate · Endorsed byUSDAverified 2026-07-20
Health certificate · Validity days30 daysverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Original required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Government endorsed✓ Yesverified 2026-06-19
Import permit · Documents required to obtainLIVESTOCK EXCEPT PET (Dog/Cat upto two number with owner under baggage rule) Authorization letter if owner is not approaching directly. Copy of valid DGFT Licence/Sanitary Import Permit (SIP) Bill of entry with Custom reference. Official health certificate from the country of origin fulfilling all import health guidelines of India as per the Notification/supplied protocol with license or SIP/AQCS verified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · IssuerCentral Ministryverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Required✓ Yesverified 2026-07-20
Health certificate · Validity days10 daysverified 2026-07-14
Other vaccinations · Feline panleukopenia✓ Yesverified 2026-07-15
Day -90 microchip implant · Day -30 health certificate issued · Day 0 arrive at customs
Ports of entry
Delhi
Mumbai
Chennai
Kolkata
Bangalore
Hyderabad
verified 2026-07-14
The health certificate carries a hard shelf life of 30 days after issuance. Time the vet visit so the certificate stays inside that window on the arrival date. Book the examination late in the pre-travel schedule, not early. Confirm the issuance date printed on the document. An expired certificate at the counter means the paperwork gets rejected on arrival.
Approved ports of entry issue advance clearance within 7 days of arrival, based on self-certified advance copies of the required documents. Email the full document set ahead of travel. Send legible scans, not photos of partial pages. Confirm receipt before departure. Arriving without that advance notification submitted leaves the clearance unprocessed and stalls the entry at the port.
Frequently asked
Does my pet need a microchip for India?
Yes. India requires an ISO-standard microchip, and it must be fitted before the rabies vaccination to be valid.
What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.
What happens if I forget a document?
At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.
The import permit application runs on a fixed lead time of 7 days before embarkation. Submit the application form, Annexure 1.1, by email or in person at least 7 days out. Count backward from the departure date and lock the submission slot. Filing inside that 7-day window forfeits the permit and blocks boarding at the gate.
So that's India, decoded. It reads like a lot, but every one of these pieces has a date, a form, and a window you can hit if you sequence them right. Don't wing it from a forum thread. Build the actual timeline for your dog and your departure with Pawgo's plan-builder, and let it stitch these dates into one personalized plan you can follow straight to the gate.
