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Pa(ws)port Process: A Guide to Obtaining Your Pet's Passport

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Krithisha

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8 min read

03 Mar, 2024

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What is a pet passport?


In India, there is no official booklet called a pet passport, it generally means the required documents to travel to or from India with a pet. The customs officials verify to check if your pet is healthy to travel and hence shorten the quarantine period normally imposed on your furry companions. These documents broadly include a microchip, rabies vaccination, health certificate, and no objection certificate (NOC). However, when you are traveling from India, the documents you may require vary as the import regulations fluctuate by nation. 


What does an Indian pet passport include?


All the documentation needed to enter or exit India with your pet is included in an India Pet Passport. In short, it will attest to the fact that your pet is well enough to travel. To guarantee that foreign pets don't endanger the health of other animals, pet passports are necessary.



The top 7 on the list below are the most often required documents to attain a pet passport. The other documents(8-11) may be required or not based on whether you are traveling with your pet TO or FROM India.


  1. Details of ownership (name, address, passport number, telephone, etc.)
  2. Description of the animal (name, species, breed, date of birth, etc.)
  3. Official veterinarian’s details
  4. Rabies vaccination certificate
  5. Microchip details
  6. Health certificate
  7. Additional vaccinations recorded and treatment records
  8. An optional photo
  9. Rabies antibody titer test results
  10. Additional parasite treatment records
  11. Anti-echinococcus treatment record


Your official veterinarian's signature and the official tags from the drug administered must be included on all records.



Step By Step Guide to Travel to India


1: Research


Each species has its specific requirements. Do your research and find out about it in detail.


2: Visit the Vet


Before visiting India, all pets must have their health examined. To enter India with a pet, you must present customs officials with an endorsed health certificate.


Vaccinations are required depending on the species of your pet. Only cats and dogs need to be vaccinated against rabies. There is no need for vaccinations for other pets, including birds, rodents, and rabbits.


The vet will examine and stamp all of your documentation once they are satisfied that your pet is prepared for travel. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to complete the appointment.



3: Document Verification


If you want to bring pets into India, you'll need a health certificate. The Governing Authority in your country that oversees the import and export of animals must also certify the health of your pet.

For instance, the USDA must vouch for your documents if you are departing the US. You must have the CFIA endorse your documents if you are departing from Canada.


Typically, you'll need the following details:

  • Original health certificate, signed and dated by an accredited veterinarian.
  • Rabies vaccination certificate
  • Import permit
  • Payment for endorsement services
  • Prepaid shipping label to return documents


It's important to note that after your pet's rabies vaccination, you must wait a minimum of 30 days before entering India.



4: Apply For Permit And NOC (No objection certificate)


Whether traveling with an accompanying person or not, all pets entering India under any circumstances need to obtain an NOC from the Animal Quarantine Station before entering the country. The owner or a representative of the owner must apply in person for the NOC.


Your local clearing agent in India must obtain the NOC from the Animal Quarantine Station. It cannot be applied for online and must be obtained in person. The Shipper receives the NOC via fax or email with a scanned copy. Before the pet is loaded into the other nation, the original must be shown to the airline in India at the pet's port of entry.


You will also need to apply for a License to Import from DGTF (the Directorate General of Foreign Trade) if you are traveling with another pet species or if you are bringing more than two dogs or cats into India.



 Online applications are available at dgft@nic.in. These documents take about 5-10 working days to obtain.



Step by Step guide to travel from India 



1: Research


Verify the entry requirements for the pet species and the nation you are visiting. Most of the time, all your pet needs is a microchip, health certificate, and rabies vaccination. These are the standard prerequisites for bringing pets into many nations.


Nevertheless, many nations have extra regulations, such as the following:

  • Tapeworm treatments
  • Additional vaccinations, i.e. parainfluenza, leptospirosis, parvovirus, bordetella, hepatitis and distemper
  • Import permits/licences
  • Government endorsement


Before seeing the veterinarian, if you are traveling outside of India, find out what the requirements are in that nation. It is also necessary to ascertain if there are any prerequisites for going back to your nation of origin.



2: Visit the vet 


Your pet will probably require additional care if you are taking them on a trip from India. Your pet will require a rabies vaccination, a health check, and at least a microchip. Your veterinarian will check and stamp your documents once they are satisfied that your pet is well enough to travel.


Before being allowed into certain countries, pets must also pass a rabies blood test or titer test. Your pet's blood must be drawn by your veterinarian and sent to a laboratory for testing if the country you are visiting requires a blood test.


Tell your veterinarian where you and your pet are going when you make the appointment so they can get ready for your pet's shots. They may need to arrange for extra immunizations and treatments if you are going outside of India.


3: Document Verification


Depending on the nation you are visiting, you might need an endorsement on your documents. The requirements for entry vary between nations.


4: Apply For Permit And NOC (No objection certificate)


Depending on where you are exporting your pet, you might need an import permit. Entry requirements vary amongst nations; many of them call for an import permit. It is your responsibility to ascertain the particular requirements of the nation you are visiting.

Conclusion

Obtaining an Indian pet passport to bring a pet into India may take up to one month. Obtaining a complete pet passport may take more than a day if you plan to export a pet from India. The time varies depending on where you are going and the regulations of that country regarding pet importation. The procedure will take longer, for instance, if you are visiting a nation that demands a rabies titer test, or rabies blood test. You should give yourself at least four months to get ready for these situations. Give your veterinary clinic a call to confirm roughly how long it will take them based on where you are going.

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