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Mexico
Pet Types
cat Regulations
Vaccinations
Description: Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination for importation into Mexico.
Certifications
Description: No health certification is required for cats entering Mexico.
Microchip
Mexico does not Cats to be microchipped, but it is strongly recommended.
More Info
Not specified.
dog Regulations
Vaccinations
Description: Proof of rabies vaccination is required at least 28 days prior to entry into Mexico. Mexico accepts a 1 - 3-year rabies vaccination for dogs entering from the U.S. or Canada.
Certifications
Description: Used to prove vaccination if dog is re-entering from a high-risk country.
- Issued by a licensed veterinarian
- Must be valid at time of re-entry
Microchip
Mexico does not require dogs (including service dogs) or Cats to be microchipped, but it is strongly recommended.
More Info
Effective 12/16/2019: A health certificate for dogs and cats is no longer needed to enter Mexico. Dogs and cats may be taken to the border without health certificate documentation, they will be inspected by SENASICA upon arrival. Please follow the guidance on this page.
bird Regulations
Vaccinations
Description: Birds may be subject to avian influenza monitoring upon arrival. If your bird is from a country with avian influenza outbreaks, special restrictions apply.
- Subject to health inspection at port of entry
- Must meet specific country-based disease control requirements
Certifications
Description: The Health Certificate must...
Be comprised of the health certificate document linked to the blue “international health certificate” button below. APHIS digital signature is accepted for this certificate and species.
Include the number of the physical seal that will be applied the bird’s container by the USDA Accredited Veterinarian directly prior to departure.
Be type written, or completed using a word processor or computer.
Documents with handwritten information will be rejected.
The number of the health certificate must be also typewritten or in a word processor or computer.
Except for the abbreviations in the Consignor, Consignee, and Accredited Veterinarian and endorsing VMO fields, the HC must not contain abbreviations.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Dates - January" is accepted while "Jan" is not
States - Must be the entire word and not the two-letter abbreviation
Ages - "Months" or "Year" is accepted while "yrs" and "mos" are not
All health certificates must be printed single-sided. Mexico will not accept double-sided printouts.
Mexico will not accept hand-made corrections, erasures, line outs, or cross outs.
- OTHER REQUIREMENTS The Security Inspection in Animal and Plant Health Official will carry out the physical inspection and review of documentation of the shipment. Complying with what is established in this document, does not exempt the importer of presenting documents to comply with other applications and/or procedures required by other authorities. The importer shall indicate in writing and under oath the destination of the commodity. At the inspection, the bird must be identified with numbered plaques or rings, located in the membrane of wings or legs, respectively. If birds are very small, they can be excluded (size less than 10 cm). It is not allowed entry of food, hay, straw, bed, feces or similar materials, accompanying the animals. The importer shall inform to the Animal Health General Direction (DGSA as per its name in Spanish), to the phone numbers 018007512100 or 55-5905-1000 Ext. 51242 or 51236 about any disease or death presented in the imported birds. DGSA will dictate all the sanitary measures to be followed. All expenses derived from this situation shall be paid by the importer/owner. During staying of the animals in the quarantine facilities, additional inspections, tests and treatments can be performed, based on the DGSA Official Veterinarian’s judgment. Shipment and documentation shall comply with dispositions established in Article 24, 32, and applicable parts of Article 89 of the Animal Health Federal Law. Within 30 days after importation, birds should not be moved from the destination indicated in your letter. Such condition can be verified by the Secretariat. Besides, additional inspections, tests and treatments can be performed, based on the DGSA Official Veterinarian’s judgment. Domestic movement shall comply with NOM-024-ZOO-1995 Animal Health Specifications and Characteristics to Transport Animals and Animal Products; Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Biological and Food products for animal feeding or animal consumption, and NOM-051-ZOO-1995, Humane Welfare for Animal Movement.
Microchip
Not specified.
More Info
NOTE: Mexico has banned the importation of live birds originating from, and transiting through, States with a detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in commercial poultry. Some States with detections may be eligible for export from counties free of HPAI. Please check with your Veterinary Export Trade Services office to confirm a State status for HPAI in commercial poultry.
Health certificates may be submitted by the USDA Accredited Veterinarian online through the Veterinary Export Health Certificate System (VEHCS); APHIS Digital Signature is accepted for Pet Birds to Mexico
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS for preparing Health Certificates when traveling with your pet from the U.S. to Mexico.
The Health Certificate must...
Be comprised of the health certificate document linked to the blue “international health certificate” button below. APHIS digital signature is accepted for this certificate and species.
Include the number of the physical seal that will be applied the bird’s container by the USDA Accredited Veterinarian directly prior to departure.
Be type written, or completed using a word processor or computer.
Documents with handwritten information will be rejected.
The number of the health certificate must be also typewritten or in a word processor or computer.
Except for the abbreviations in the Consignor, Consignee, and Accredited Veterinarian and endorsing VMO fields, the HC must not contain abbreviations.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Dates - January" is accepted while "Jan" is not
States - Must be the entire word and not the two-letter abbreviation
Ages - "Months" or "Year" is accepted while "yrs" and "mos" are not
All health certificates must be printed single-sided. Mexico will not accept double-sided printouts.
Mexico will not accept hand-made corrections, erasures, line outs, or cross outs.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
The Security Inspection in Animal and Plant Health Official will carry out the physical inspection and review of documentation of the shipment.
Complying with what is established in this document, does not exempt the importer of presenting documents to comply with other applications and/or procedures required by other authorities.
The importer shall indicate in writing and under oath the destination of the commodity.
At the inspection, the bird must be identified with numbered plaques or rings, located in the membrane of wings or legs, respectively. If birds are very small, they can be excluded (size less than 10 cm).
It is not allowed entry of food, hay, straw, bed, feces or similar materials, accompanying the animals.
The importer shall inform to the Animal Health General Direction (DGSA as per its name in Spanish), to the phone numbers 018007512100 or 55-5905-1000 Ext. 51242 or 51236 about any disease or death presented in the imported birds. DGSA will dictate all the sanitary measures to be followed. All expenses derived from this situation shall be paid by the importer/owner. During staying of the animals in the quarantine facilities, additional inspections, tests and treatments can be performed, based on the DGSA Official Veterinarian’s judgment.
Shipment and documentation shall comply with dispositions established in Article 24, 32, and applicable parts of Article 89 of the Animal Health Federal Law.
Within 30 days after importation, birds should not be moved from the destination indicated in your letter. Such condition can be verified by the Secretariat. Besides, additional inspections, tests and treatments can be performed, based on the DGSA Official Veterinarian’s judgment.
Domestic movement shall comply with NOM-024-ZOO-1995 Animal Health Specifications and Characteristics to Transport Animals and Animal Products; Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Biological and Food products for animal feeding or animal consumption, and NOM-051-ZOO-1995, Humane Welfare for Animal Movement.