BRINGING A CAT FROMIceland to Mexico
Cat · Moving
Bringing a dog instead?No quarantine. Needs health certificate, rabies vaccination, parasite treatment, arrival inspection, crate and bedding, pet food, import permit and non-commercial limits.
Always confirm with the destination's official authority and your airline before travelling.
Entry requirements
No permit, no titer test, no quarantine. SENASICA's traveller page asks pets "from other countries" for a health certificate no more than 15 days old (rabies vaccination with date and validity, deworming within 6 months, clinically healthy) and inspects the pet on arrival. The MCRZI has no requirement sheet for this origin, so confirm with SENASICA before travelling.
"Certificado de Buena Salud" no more than 15 days old, original plus a plain copy, issued by an official vet of the competent authority or by a private vet on letterhead with the professional licence number printed or photocopied. It must give the names and addresses of the exporter (in the country of origin or provenance) and of the importer (destination address in Mexico), the rabies vaccination date and validity (under 3 months exempt), that the pet was clinically healthy at the pre-travel exam, and that it was dewormed inside and out within the previous 6 months and is free of ectoparasites.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
"Certificado de Buena Salud" no more than 15 days old, original plus a plain copy, issued by an official vet of the competent authority or by a private vet on letterhead with the professional licence number printed or photocopied. It must give the names and addresses of the exporter (in the country of origin or provenance) and of the importer (destination address in Mexico), the rabies vaccination date and validity (under 3 months exempt), that the pet was clinically healthy at the pre-travel exam, and that it was dewormed inside and out within the previous 6 months and is free of ectoparasites.
Rabies vaccination with its date and validity on the certificate; animals under 3 months are exempt. No minimum age, waiting period or booster rule is stated.
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Rabies vaccination with its date and validity on the certificate; animals under 3 months are exempt. No minimum age, waiting period or booster rule is stated.
- · For pets aged 3 months or more
Internal and external deworming within the 6 months before travel; free of ectoparasites.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Internal and external deworming within the 6 months before travel; free of ectoparasites.
Contact the SENASICA staff at the point of entry for a document check and a physical inspection. External parasites → treatment by a vet of your choice, then release; ticks must all be removed; if SENASICA sees a risk it decides the measures. Costs are yours.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Contact the SENASICA staff at the point of entry for a document check and a physical inspection. External parasites → treatment by a vet of your choice, then release; ticks must all be removed; if SENASICA sees a risk it decides the measures. Costs are yours.
Clean carrier, sprayed on arrival. Bedding, pads, newspaper, sawdust, rags, toys, treats or objects made with ruminant ingredients are removed and destroyed. Collar and leash are fine.
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Clean carrier, sprayed on arrival. Bedding, pads, newspaper, sawdust, rags, toys, treats or objects made with ruminant ingredients are removed and destroyed. Collar and leash are fine.
The day's ration of balanced pet food; more only in intact, labelled packs from a country on SENASICA's tourist-import list (see the rule notes).
DETAILS +DETAILS −
The day's ration of balanced pet food; more only in intact, labelled packs from a country on SENASICA's tourist-import list (see the rule notes).
Zoosanitary import certificate (CZI), requested from SENASICA at the office at the point of entry on arrival (request form FF-SENASICA-003, pet dog / pet cat versions) — no advance application. Customs (ANAM) must be shown the certificate. No fee for pets (see fees).
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Zoosanitary import certificate (CZI), requested from SENASICA at the office at the point of entry on arrival (request form FF-SENASICA-003, pet dog / pet cat versions) — no advance application. Customs (ANAM) must be shown the certificate. No fee for pets (see fees).
Up to three pets per passenger enter duty-free as part of the passenger's baggage, travelling with them (RGCE 2026 rule 3.2.3, in force for 2026). The sources consulted do not say what happens with a fourth pet (not researched).
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Up to three pets per passenger enter duty-free as part of the passenger's baggage, travelling with them (RGCE 2026 rule 3.2.3, in force for 2026). The sources consulted do not say what happens with a fourth pet (not researched).
- Why this applies: the binding requirements are the MCRZI sheets, and the MCRZI has no sheet for these origins (for dogs or for cats, or for this animal only). SENASICA's traveller page states one set of documents for "procedencia de otros países"; whether the OISA accepts a pet from a country with no sheet on that basis is not written anywhere we found. Ask SENASICA (the OISA at your point of entry, or programa.mascota@senasica.gob.mx for the PMVF) before booking.
- No certificate or vaccination card? The page says a private vet of your choice in Mexico must then treat the pet and issue the certificate; SENASICA staff or an authorised third-party specialist (TEA) may certify good health after an assessment. Do not rely on this at a small crossing. — SENASICA (SADER)
- Frequent travellers (three or more entries a year) can register the pet in the PMVF online (CERTUR): a 6-month health certificate, valid rabies vaccine and 6-month deworming on file, so no new certificate is needed at each entry while they are valid. — SENASICA (SADER)
- Food beyond the day's ration must be in intact packs, labelled, with the health authority's seal, and come from a country with an MCRZI combination; home-made ("artesanal") products are not allowed. The 2026 tourist-import list gives the quantities (one 50 lb / 22 kg bag of dog/cat food per family from listed countries; treats up to 10 lb / 5 kg). — SENASICA (SADER)
- Preparation time 1 week: one vet visit in the 15 days before arrival for the certificate, deworming (if the last one is older than 6 months) and the rabies vaccine, which has no stated waiting period.
No quarantine
Timeline
Working out your dates…
Documents
One paper per requirement above; carry originals. 0 of 4 ready.
Official fees
Fees the authorities publish for this route, in their own currency. Vet and airline charges are not included.
- CZI (zoosanitary import certificate) for a pet — exempt from the federal fee
- MXN 0 per certificate
Entry points
Where a pet may enter Mexico, per the rules.
- List as of 2026-09-24Every dog/cat sheet says "Todas las OISAS" (98 offices in the July 2026 directory: airports, seaports, land crossings) except the sheets for Lebanon (dogs, cats) and Indonesia (cats): AICM air-cargo customs only (see the port of entry steps).SENASICA's traveller page says the same — offices at every point of entry, ports, airports and borders.
Airlines
Airline rules are separate from entry rules and change without notice — confirm in writing when you book. Only what the carriers' own pages say, read 25 Sep 2026. All airlines
- Lufthansa LHCabinYesHoldYesSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- Emirates EKCabinNoHoldYesSnub-nosedCargo: only Nov – Apr
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 45 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: not 1 May – 31 Oct
- Qantas QFCabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedNot stated
- CabinYesHoldNoSnub-nosedHold, cargo: no
- KLM KLCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no
- Air France AFCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedCargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: restricted
Return trip to Iceland
Entry back into Iceland from Mexico is not researched yet.
What they actually checked at the border
Reports from people who made this trip, read by a person before publishing.
No traveller reports here yet. If you have made this trip, tell the next person what was actually checked at the border.
Share your tripSources
Every requirement above comes from one of these pages. Last researched 25 Sep 2026. Seen a change? Tell us.
- Requisitos y procedimientos para viajar a México con tu mascota (SENASICA traveller page) (opens official site)SENASICA (SADER) · used for: health certificate, rabies vaccination, parasite treatment, arrival inspection, crate and bedding, import permit, which origins the rule covers, quarantine, notes, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-08-04
- Requirements and Procedures for Traveling to Mexico with Your Pet (SENASICA traveller page, English version) (opens official site)SENASICA (SADER) · used for: health certificate, which origins the rule covers, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-08-04
- Productos para consumo animal (page linking the tourist-import food list) (opens official site)SENASICA (SADER) · used for: pet food, notes, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-04-27
- Reglas Generales de Comercio Exterior para 2026, regla 3.2.3 (equipaje de pasajeros — mascotas) and transitorio Primero (opens official site)Diario Oficial de la Federación (official gazette); issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) · used for: import permit, non-commercial limits, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2025-12-27
- Ley Federal de Derechos, artículo 86-A (certificados zoosanitarios) (opens official site)Orden Jurídico Nacional (Secretaría de Gobernación) — compiled text · used for: official fees, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2024-04-23
- Programa Mascota Viajero Frecuente (PMVF) (opens official site)SENASICA (SADER) · used for: notes, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-08-04
- HRZ 007-35-61-USA-USA — dog, origin Estados Unidos de América, provenance Estados Unidos de América (opens official site)SENASICA — MCRZI (Hoja de Requisitos Zoosanitarios) · used for: entry points, this route · checked 24 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-07-17
- Pet Travel From the United States to Mexico (USDA APHIS export page; SENASICA's HRZ USA-USA in English) (opens official site)USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) · used for: leaving with the pet · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-09-21
Keep this checklist
More routes
Checklists for nearby trips — same rules engine, same official sources.