Destination Profile: India

Last verified: 24 February 2026
Competent health authority: Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Official URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/

Global classification of the destination

Regulatory model

Model C: no routine general quarantine. India allows immediate entry if all health requirements are strictly met and the NOC is in order. AQCS retains authority for quarantine of up to 30 days if documentation is incomplete or if the animal comes from areas with specific epidemiological surveillance (AQCS Import Procedures: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/import-of-pets.html).

Rabies status of the destination country

Endemic. India reports one of the highest incidences of human and animal rabies globally, with control efforts coordinated under the National Action Plan for Rabies Elimination (NAPRE).
Source: WOAH — https://wahis.woah.org/

Classification system for countries of origin

No. India does not apply a colour-list system or classification of countries by rabies status for pet entry. Requirements are essentially uniform for all countries worldwide. The main distinction is the mode of entry (Baggage vs Direct Import) and whether the owner travels on the same flight as the animal. Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are not exempt from health certification, although regulations allow simplified processes if rabies-free status is demonstrated to the commissioner (Circular No. 350-48/2011-DAHP: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/circulars.html).

Requirements for dogs

Microchip

— Required standard: ISO 11784/11785, 15 digits (AQCS Import Manual 2024).
— Must it be implanted before the vaccine? Yes. The microchip must predate rabies vaccination so that the clinical act is traceable to the identified animal.
— If the chip was implanted after: vaccination is not considered valid for international certification to India. The microchip number must appear explicitly and redundantly on the official SENASA certificate, not only on the private clinical record.

Rabies vaccine

— Mandatory: Yes (AQCS Import FAQ: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/faq.html).
— Minimum age for vaccination: 3 months (90 days).
— Minimum post-vaccine period: 30 days before arrival in India (AQCS Circular 2022). An animal arriving on day 29 post-vaccine is outside the period and may be detained.
— Recognised validity: 1 year. India does not accept 3-year vaccines if the last dose is more than 12 months at the time of entry, regardless of the manufacturer's leaflet.
— Accepted vaccine types: inactivated or recombinant.
— If expired or within the period: detention at official quarantine station until the remaining days are completed.

Rabies serological titre (RNATT)

Not identified in primary AQCS regulations consulted as a mandatory requirement for direct entry of personal pets from any country. India is the only destination in this collection with endemic rabies that does not require RNATT as a routine entry condition. If the journey includes transit through the EU or the UK, those countries may require RNATT for their own transit requirements. For transit with stopover, verify the transit country's requirements independently of India's.

India accepts laboratories approved by the EU or WOAH for cases where titration is required for specific circumstances. Unlike other destinations, there is an accredited laboratory in Latin America for this purpose: Laboratório de Virologia Diagnóstica — Instituto Pasteur in Brazil. Verify the official list at: https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/pet-movement/approved-rabies-serology-laboratories_en

Other vaccines required by India

India requires valid multiple vaccines in addition to rabies according to the official AQCS certificate. For dogs: Distemper, Parvovirus, Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza (AQCS Veterinary Health Certificate Template). Leishmania is recommended depending on the animal's origin.

SENASA —official veterinary authority of Peru— requires for dogs the six-way scheme (Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis, Leptospira, Parainfluenza) plus rabies vaccine and valid deworming to issue the export certificate. Verify directly at https://www.gob.pe/senasa before starting the process from Peru.

Antiparasitic treatments

Mandatory, both external and internal (AQCS Form A).
— External treatment: Fipronil or Permethrin against fleas and ticks.
— Internal treatment: Praziquantel against cestodes.
— Time window: between 2 and 7 days before embarkation. The exact date of each treatment must be recorded on the SENASA certificate.

Health certificate

— Official name: Veterinary Health Certificate for Import of Pet Dogs into India.
— Who may issue it: official veterinarian of the health authority of the country of origin. In Peru: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa). In Colombia: ICA. In Ecuador: AGROCALIDAD.
— Validity time window: 10 days from official issuance. One of the shortest windows in this collection together with Russia.
— Does it require endorsement? Yes, by the official health authority of the country of origin. A certificate signed only by a private veterinarian is not valid before AQCS.
— The microchip number must appear explicitly and redundantly on the certificate, not just referenced: AQCS officials verify the number printed on the document, not just the chip scan.

Official entry document

— Exact name: No Objection Certificate (NOC).
— Who issues it: AQCS regional office at the arrival airport in India.
— How to process it: online application on the AQCS portal with all prior health documents. URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html
— Minimum period: process the NOC at least 15 days before the animal's arrival in India. If the NOC is not confirmed before the flight departs from Lima, the risk of detention on arrival is very high.
— The NOC is a dynamic document: it depends on the human response of the AQCS officer at the destination airport. It is not automatic or guaranteed. Coordination with a local agency in India that can provide in-person follow-up of the process is recommended.

Mandatory digital forms

Yes. Online NOC Application required for all authorised points of entry (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad). Process at: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html

Quarantine

— Routinely mandatory: No (Model C).
— Conditional: Yes, up to 30 days if documentation is incomplete, the NOC is not in order, the vaccine does not meet the 30-day period, or the certificate does not bear the official seal (AQCS Import Manual).
— Facilities: AQCS Quarantine Station New Delhi (Kapashera) and AQCS Mumbai (Kopar Khairane).
— Cost: at owner's expense.

Breed restrictions

Not identified in primary AQCS regulations consulted.

Minimum age for entry

4 months effective: 3 months minimum age to vaccinate plus 30 days post-rabies vaccine wait.

Transport mode

Depends on whether the owner travels on the same aircraft. If the owner travels on the same flight: hold baggage (AVIH) or cabin permitted. If the animal travels without the owner or on a different flight: Manifest Cargo mandatory (Circular F. No. 350-48/2011-DAHP).

Requirements for cats

Microchip

Same as dogs — see previous section.

Rabies vaccine

Same as dogs — see previous section. 30 days minimum post-vaccine. Valid for 1 year according to AQCS criteria.

Serological titre (RNATT)

Same as dogs — not identified as mandatory requirement for direct entry.

Other vaccines required by India

For cats: Feline Calicivirus, Feline Panleucopenia and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (valid Feline Triple), mandatory according to official AQCS certificate. SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) requires this same scheme for export from Peru.

Antiparasitic treatments

Same as dogs — see previous section. Window of 2 to 7 days before embarkation.

Health certificate

Same as dogs — see previous section. Issued and endorsed by SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) in Peru, 10-day validity window.

Official entry document

Same as dogs — NOC processed with AQCS at least 15 days before arrival.

Mandatory digital forms

Same as dogs — Online NOC Application at https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html

Quarantine

Same as dogs — not routine. Conditional up to 30 days for non-compliance.

Breed restrictions

Not identified in primary regulations consulted for cats.

Minimum age for entry

Same as dogs — 4 months effective.

Transport mode

Same as dogs — depends on whether the owner travels on the same flight.

Variations by country of origin

Differentiated requirements by origin? No for rabies. Uniform requirements for all countries, with possible simplifications for countries with certified rabies-free status before the AQCS commissioner.

Classification system

India does not apply a list system. The main distinction is the mode of entry (Baggage vs Direct Import) and the presence of the owner on the same flight, not the rabies status of the country of origin.
Verification URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/

Situation of Peru and Latin America

Peru applies the general protocol for countries with rabies presence under Direct Import mode. All Latin American countries share this protocol. Export certification is the responsibility of SENASA in Peru (https://www.gob.pe/senasa), ICA in Colombia, AGROCALIDAD in Ecuador and the other national veterinary services.

What distinguishes India from all other destinations in this collection

India is the only destination in this collection with endemic rabies that does not require RNATT as a routine entry condition. This makes the process from Peru just 45 days from scratch, considerably shorter than any European, Asian or Oceania destination in this collection that does require RNATT. The counterpart is the NOC: a document that depends on the in-person bureaucracy of the AQCS officer at the destination airport and does not have the automatic mechanism of other permit systems in this collection.

The feature that most surprises owners with experience in other destinations

In Europe, Australia, Singapore and most destinations in this collection, the process is fully determined before leaving the country of origin: if the documentation is correct, entry is guaranteed. In India, the NOC introduces an element of uncertainty that persists until the AQCS officer at the arrival airport confirms the application. Coordination with a local agency or representative in India that can provide in-person follow-up of the NOC before the flight is a precaution that is not as necessary in any other destination in this collection.

Common errors

ERROR 1: Arriving without physical or digital NOC confirmed

What happens: the animal arrives at Delhi, Mumbai or another authorised airport without the NOC having been confirmed by the AQCS office at the point of entry.
Regulatory consequence: immediate mandatory quarantine of up to 30 days at AQCS facilities or re-dispatch to country of origin, at owner's expense (AQCS Import Manual).
How to prevent: process the NOC online at https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html at least 15 days before the flight and actively follow up with the AQCS office at the arrival airport before the flight departs from Lima.

ERROR 2: Rabies vaccine with less than 30 days since administration

What happens: the owner vaccinates the animal and travels before completing the 30-day regulatory post-vaccine wait.
Regulatory consequence: detention at official quarantine station until the remaining days are completed, at owner's expense (AQCS Circular 2022).
How to prevent: vaccinate at least 31 days before the flight date to have margin over the 30-day minimum.

ERROR 3: Certificate without official SENASA seal

What happens: the owner arrives with the private veterinarian's document without the seal and signature of the official SENASA veterinarian.
Regulatory consequence: entry refusal at the border point. AQCS does not recognise signatures of private veterinarians without endorsement by the official health authority of the country of origin (AQCS Procedural Guidelines).
How to prevent: process the certificate at SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) with full official endorsement. The microchip number must appear explicitly and redundantly on the document.

ERROR 4: Not recording the microchip number redundantly on the certificate

What happens: the SENASA certificate mentions the microchip only once or in a generic way, without the full 15-digit number appearing explicitly in all relevant fields.
Regulatory consequence: the AQCS officer cannot validate the animal's identity against the certificate and may detain it for verification.
How to prevent: when processing the certificate at SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa), verify that the full 15-digit microchip number appears explicitly in all sections of the document where animal identification is required.

ERROR 5: Antiparasitic treatment outside the 2 to 7 day window

What happens: the veterinarian applies the treatment 10 days before the flight thinking it is within the period.
Regulatory consequence: the certificate records a date outside the valid AQCS window and may cause detention on arrival.
How to prevent: apply antiparasitic treatments strictly between day 2 and day 7 before embarkation. Calculate the application date backwards from the flight date.

Minimum calendar from scratch

Scenario A — Animal with valid vaccines (rabies and multiples within the year)

— Day 0: verification that the rabies vaccine is less than 12 months old and multiples are valid. ISO microchip implantation if the animal does not have one.
— Day 1: start of NOC online process with AQCS (https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html). The NOC must be processed 15 days before arrival.
— Days before flight (between 2 and 7 days before): external (Fipronil/Permethrin) and internal (Praziquantel) antiparasitic treatment with date recorded.
— Day before flight (maximum 10 days before flight): SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) issues and endorses the Veterinary Health Certificate. 10-day validity window.
— Day of flight: verify NOC confirmation with AQCS before boarding. Flight to India.
Minimum total time Scenario A: 15-20 days with valid vaccines.

Scenario B — Animal with no prior history, from scratch

— Day 0: ISO microchip implantation + rabies vaccine + multiple vaccines (six-way for dogs, Feline Triple for cats). Minimum age 90 days completed.
— Day 1-20: application of complete multiple vaccine scheme.
— Day 31: end of 30-day post-rabies vaccine wait period.
— Day 32: start of NOC online process with AQCS (https://aqcsindia.gov.in/online-noc.html). At least 15 days before projected flight.
— Day 40-43: external and internal antiparasitic treatment within the 2 to 7 day window before embarkation. Final clinical examination.
— Day 44: SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) issues and endorses the Veterinary Health Certificate with redundant microchip in all fields.
— Day 45: verify NOC confirmation with AQCS. Flight to India.
Minimum total time Scenario B: 45 days from scratch.

Authorised points of entry

Yes, there is a restriction. Only six airports are authorised for pet entry with AQCS control:

Official URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/contact-us.html

Directory of authorities

Cited current regulations

1. Livestock Importation Act, 1898 (India) — Historic legal framework that remains the legal basis for animal import control in India. URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/ — Verified: 24 February 2026.
2. AQCS Procedural Guidelines for Import of Pets, 2024 — Official AQCS operational guide with updated pet import requirements, including the NOC process, official veterinary certificate and antiparasitic treatments. URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/import-of-pets.html — Verified: 24 February 2026.
3. Circular F. No. 350-48/2011-DAHP — Circular of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying regulating the distinction between Baggage and Cargo mode for pet transport and requirements according to whether the owner travels on the same flight. URL: https://aqcsindia.gov.in/circulars.html — Verified: 24 February 2026.

India is the most deceptive destination in the entire collection. On paper it seems the simplest: no RNATT, 45 days from scratch, no routine quarantine, six airports available. But the NOC introduces a human variable that no other destination in this collection has to the same degree. In Europe, Australia, Singapore or China, if the file is correct, entry is practically guaranteed by the system. In India, the NOC depends on the response of the AQCS officer at the arrival airport, who may be overloaded, in rotation or simply take longer than expected. Coordination with someone on the ground in Delhi or Mumbai who can provide in-person follow-up of the process before the plane departs from Lima is the difference between trouble-free entry and 30 days of quarantine at the owner's expense. The second critical point is the microchip on the certificate: in other destinations it is enough for the chip to be implanted and readable. In India the number must appear printed explicitly on the official SENASA document, because the customs officer verifies the number on the paper, not the chip scan.

This profile was verified against primary official sources on February 24, 2026. Requirements may change without prior notice. Always verify directly with Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) and SENASA (https://www.gob.pe/senasa) before initiating any export process from Peru.

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