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Bringing a Dog from the USA to India: Requirements & Timeline

Read the eligibility rule first — most travelers legally can't bring a pet to India — but there's no titer, and the return is easy for cats.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-08-23

Planning for a cat instead? See the cat version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

India is unusual: the hard part isn't the timeline, it's who is even allowed to import a pet. The no-licence path is limited to people relocating to India after at least 2 years continuous stay abroad (proof required), cats and dogs only, maximum 2 pets. Everyone else — shorter stays, more than 2 pets, tourists — needs a DGFT import authorisation (Form ANF-2M), approved at a monthly committee meeting, so it must be started at least 2 months before travel. If you're a tourist, assume the answer is no unless you secure a rare exception.

Once you're eligible, the animal requirements are moderate: a microchip, a rabies vaccination for pets over 3 months (India requires no rabies titer), a USDA-endorsed health certificate, and an Advance NOC via the CBIC ATITHI 2.0 portal at least 7 working days before departure. Airlines won't board your pet without it. Enter only via Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Kolkata.

Minimum lead time: about 0.3 months (9 days). Read this first: without a DGFT authorisation, importing a pet is allowed ONLY for people transferring residence to India after 2+ years abroad (max 2 pets). Tourists generally can't, and puppies under 7 months are banned outright.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. Confirm you're eligible to import a pet to India
    This is the real gate. The no-licence path is limited to people relocating to India after 2+ years abroad (proof required), cats and dogs only, max 2 pets. Everyone else — shorter stays, more than 2 pets, tourists — needs a DGFT import authorisation (Form ANF-2M), which goes through the Department of Animal Husbandry and is approved at a monthly committee meeting, so begin it at least 2 months before travel. If you're a tourist, assume the answer is no unless you get a rare exception.
    Official source ↗
  2. Microchip implanted
    A microchip is required and its number appears on the health certificate and the NOC application. Implant it before the rabies vaccination if you'll ever return a dog to the US.
    Official source ↗
  3. Rabies vaccination (pets over 3 months)
    Required for any pet over 3 months old, given within the period recommended by the vaccine manufacturer (vaccine name, batch and date on the certificate). India sets no fixed waiting period and — notably — requires NO rabies titer test. Puppies under 7 months cannot be imported at all.
    Official source ↗
  4. Exam + health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
    A USDA-accredited vet examines your pet within 7 days of shipment and issues the India health certificate (dogs and cats have their own disease lists); USDA APHIS endorses it via VEHCS. It's valid 30 days but should be completed within 10 days of travel for airlines.
    Official source ↗
  5. Advance NOC via the ATITHI 2.0 portal
    Apply on India's CBIC ATITHI 2.0 portal for an Advance No Objection Certificate at least 7 working days before departure — uploading the vaccination/microchip and health certificates. AQCS issues it within 1 working day, and airlines will NOT board your pet without it. Then arrive only at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Kolkata, where AQCS examines your pet and issues the Final NOC.
    Official source ↗

Quarantine and ports

Healthy, properly-documented pets are not quarantined; a 15-day quarantine applies only if a pet fails the arrival inspection. Puppies under 7 months cannot be imported at all.

The return trip

India is on the CDC's high-rabies-risk list, so bringing a dog back to the US needs a microchip before its rabies shot, the dog 6+ months old, a CDC Dog Import Form, and US-documented rabies. Cats are exempt from the CDC return process.

The trip home: bringing your dog back to the US

India is a CDC high-risk country for dog rabies — set up the return BEFORE you leave. The step people miss: a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination must be completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before your dog departs the US (and the microchip must have been implanted before the rabies shot, or the vaccination is invalid for re-entry). Before flying back, also file the free CDC Dog Import Form — a single-entry receipt for your arrival date. Your dog must be at least 6 months old and appear healthy. Skip the pre-departure certification and a US-vaccinated dog can face a CDC-registered facility, revaccination, and quarantine on return.

Cats are exempt — they aren't subject to the CDC dog-import rules and need no rabies paperwork to re-enter (Hawaii and Guam set their own quarantine even from the mainland).

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

FAQ

Can a tourist bring a dog to India?
Generally no. Without a DGFT authorisation, import is limited to people transferring residence after 2+ years abroad (max 2 pets). Tourists need a DGFT authorisation, which takes about 2 months — start early, and puppies under 7 months can't come at all.
Does my dog need a rabies titer for India?
No — India requires no rabies titer. A dog over 3 months needs a current rabies vaccination plus the microchip, USDA-endorsed certificate and the ATITHI advance NOC.
What about bringing my dog back to the US?
India is CDC high-risk, so plan ahead: microchip before the rabies shot, dog 6+ months old, a CDC Dog Import Form, and US-documented rabies. Cats are exempt.
Is it different for cats?
The eligibility gate applies equally, but a cat's certificate uses the feline disease list and cats skip the CDC return process. Use the cat toggle in the planner.

Other dog routes

Compare every country's lead time, titer and return requirements side by side →

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.
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