Pet Removals to India: Gateways, NOC and Quarantine
Taking a pet to India? Only six cities accept live animals, an advance clearance is needed and up to two pets can travel with a household.
A few short questions. Nothing is sent until you check and confirm.
Which Indian airports and ports accept a pet?
Six. A presentation by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services office in Chennai states: “At present all live animals are presently allowed only through the seaports or airports located at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore”. A pet booked into any other city will not be cleared there.
The same deck lists Cochin airport as clearing pet dogs and cats only until 31 March 2023, so Kochi is no longer an option on that page. The deck is dated March 2023 and we did not find a newer station list, so ask the airline which gateway it is using for your date. Where a shipment lands is also covered on the India hub, and the airport steps at one of the six, Chennai, are in the Chennai guide. Two more of the six have guides: Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
What must happen before the pet leaves Britain?
An advance clearance. The deck says the owner or an authorised representative applies “Applications are received electronically by email or manually by their authorized representative 7 days prior to the date of embarkation”, and that airlines “Airlines will only lift the animals after receiving the advance NOC from AQCS”. NOC means no objection certificate.
A pet that turns up without that clearance is not guaranteed entry. In its 2021 answer to stakeholders the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying said “AQCS may issue order to deport the pet as per notification in this regard”, although a certificate that meets the Indian protocol can still be cleared.
How many pets can move with a household?
Up to two under the transfer of residence route. The deck lists “Import of Pets under Baggage (under TR up to 2 nos of pets)” and asks for proof of two years of stay abroad and proof of transferring residence to India. That is the same two-year test that governs household goods in the transfer of residence guide.
Short visits, shows and other purposes need a separate foreign trade licence rather than the baggage route, according to the same deck. We did not read that licence process.
What happens when the pet lands?
Clearance is given at the airport where possible. The Department's memorandum of 15 July 2020 says the final certificate “shall be issued to imported pets (pet dogs and cats) at the port of entry itself”, and that quarantine happens only if “any disease symptom(s) is/are found during physical examination at Port of Entry”.
The dog certificate format in the same memorandum is specific. It records that the dog was kept in pre-export quarantine for 30 days, was vaccinated for rabies if over three months old and for distemper, parvo virus, corona virus and leptospira one month before arrival. A dog found unwell can be held at the quarantine station for 15 days. We read the dog format; the cat format was not checked.
Did the March 2026 relaxation change anything for UK pets?
No. A memorandum of 12 March 2026, circulated by Customs on 16 March 2026, relaxed the entry of pets belonging to Indians stranded in war-hit Middle East countries, and “is being facilitated as one time relaxation measure”. It says it will not be considered and quoted as a precedent.
The same circular refers back to the standard procedures issued by memorandum dated 15 July 2020, which indicates that those still stand. A UK household should plan on the ordinary route above. Our general guide to moving abroad with a pet covers the British side, and a pet transport request can be sent to a specialist.
What could we not confirm?
The British export health certificate, the cat certificate, any amendment after the 2021 memorandum and the foreign trade licence for non-baggage imports were not read. A search turned up a 2025 memorandum on pet dog and pet cat import that we did not open, so treat the 2020 steps as a base and have the pet shipper confirm the current ones.
Questions about taking a pet to India
Which Indian cities can a pet fly into?
Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore, according to the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services deck of March 2023.
How many pets can come with a household?
Up to two under the transfer of residence route, with proof of two years abroad and proof of moving residence to India.
Does the 2026 pet relaxation apply to UK owners?
No.
It was a one-time measure for Indians stranded in war-hit Middle East countries and says it is not a precedent.
Tell us about your pet
Give us the species, the Indian city of arrival, your move date and whether the pet travels with you.
About International Removals Companies
International Removals Companies is an enquiry and introduction service run by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, in partnership with AGM Group. We don't move goods ourselves: the removal company quotes for your move and carries it out, so check its credentials and terms before you book. Our service is free. Discuss the quotation and booking terms directly with the removal company.
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