Moving to India
Bringing a dog or cat into India
Moving home, or moving here? The legal route comes first, then an Advance NOC on the ATITHI 2.0 portal at least seven days before he boards. No NOC, no flight.
Stop by stop
The timeline for India.
In the order it happens. Where the authority sets a minimum gap, it's written on the line.
01 · Start
Pick the legal route
The baggage rule after two years abroad, or a DGFT import licence. DGFT says start two months ahead.
02 · Vet
Rabies vaccine
More than a month and within 12 months before boarding.
03 · Papers
Health certificate
From the origin country's official vet, with your name exactly as on the ticket.
04 · Booking
Advance NOC on ATITHI 2.0
You apply with your own passport details. AQCS issues it within one working day.
- 7+ days after applying
05 · Travel
Flight
No NOC, no boarding. Cargo pets land within a month of the owner.
06 · Check
Clearance
At one of the six AQCS stations: New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad.
07 · Arrive
Registration
Municipal, and it depends on your city. We check yours.
How it works.
Since the AQCS SOP of 10 August 2026, the Advance NOC for a pet coming in under the baggage rules is applied for on CBIC's ATITHI 2.0 portal. Apply at least seven days before embarkation. AQCS issues it within one working day, and airlines must not board a dog or cat without it.
The baggage rule covers up to two pets, dogs or cats, for an owner transferring residence to India after at least two years of continuous stay abroad. Anyone else, like a shorter stay abroad or more than two pets, needs a DGFT import licence first. DGFT says to start about two months ahead, because its committee meets once a month.
You register on ATITHI with your own passport details and keep the login to yourself. What we do is check every paper before you press submit, so the airline lifts him on the day.
The file for Into India
- The right legal route: baggage rule evidence, or a DGFT import licence.
- A rabies vaccine given more than one month and within 12 months before embarkation, for dogs three months and older, and cats.
- An official health certificate from the origin country's vet authority, with your name exactly as it is on the ticket and addresses in both countries.
- The Advance NOC from ATITHI 2.0, at least seven days before he boards.
- Your passport copy and his vaccination booklet or pet passport.
All of this sits on top of the standard export file.
Quarantine: Only if the arrival check fails
No rabies titre test is needed to bring a pet into India. A pet that fails the arrival check goes to 15 days of quarantine, with testing at the owner's cost, which is why we check the papers before he flies.
The thing that moves the date
Flying cargo on a different day from you. A pet travelling as cargo must arrive within one month of the owner. Earlier, or more than a month later, needs advance customs permission.
Checked against the authority's own pages
- AQCS, dogs import guidance under the 10 Aug 2026 SOP read 22 Sep 2026
- AQCS, cats import guidance read 22 Sep 2026
- AQCS, pets under the baggage rule read 22 Sep 2026
- DGFT, import of pets FAQ read 22 Sep 2026
Rules change. We check the live rule for your pet and your dates before anything is booked, and nothing here is a promise about a date.
Tell us about him.
The quickest way is a message. Both of these open with it already written, from what you picked above, and a founder answers.
Hi, I'd like to move my pet.
Or fill in his pass, and it goes on WhatsApp or by email with everything in it