Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Mexico → Norway
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
How early to start
3 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
5 days
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Mexico is in the group “Listed third country — no titer; enter through Oslo Airport or Storskog” in Bringing a dog, cat or ferret into Norway’s published list.See every group
Headlines for Norway
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Tapeworm treatment for some pets
- Designated entry point for some trips
- Extra disease test for some origins
What your dog needs
Dogs
Identification
Microchip
Your pet must be identified with an ISO microchip (11784, HDX or FDX-B) before its rabies vaccination. If the chip isn't ISO-standard, bring your own reader.
Details and the official words
“The animal must be identified before the rabies vaccination.”
“The microchip has to comply with the ISO 11784 standard and it has to utilize HDX or FDX-B technology.”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination
Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated by an authorised vet. The vaccination is valid from 21 days after the primary vaccination; a booster given before the old one expires has no waiting period.
Details and the official words
“The animal must be at least 12 weeks old when the vaccine is administered.”
“The period of validity starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol required by the manufacturer for a primary vaccination.”
“No anti-rabies vaccination is required for animals travelling only between Norway and Sweden.”
Treatment
Tapeworm treatment (dogs)
A vet must treat your dog (puppies too) against Echinococcus with praziquantel (or epsiprantel) 24 to 120 hours before you enter Norway, and record it in the certificate or pet passport. You can't do it yourself.
Details and the official words
Dogs that cross often between Norway and the EU (or the listed European countries) can instead follow the '28-day rule': treated twice at most 28 days apart before travelling, then every 28 days for as long as they keep travelling, with a final treatment in Norway.
Not needed when coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Malta or Northern Ireland.
“An anti-echinococcus treatment is required for dogs, including puppies.”
“The treatment must be administered 24 – 120 hours prior to entering Norway.”
“No anti-echinococcus treatment is required for dogs travelling to Norway directly from Finland, Malta, Ireland or Northern Ireland.”
“The owners of the dogs may not treat the animals themselves.”
Paperwork
EU pet health certificate
Your pet needs an animal health certificate (EU model) from an official vet in the country you're travelling from, valid for 10 days from issue until the check on entry. A pet returning to Norway can instead use its EEA pet passport if it was vaccinated (and titer-tested, if needed) before it left the EEA.
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
Mattilsynet links a certificate model under the older EU rules (Regulation (EU) No 577/2013). The EU switched to a new model (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705) for certificates issued from 1 October 2026. Ask your official vet or Mattilsynet which model Norway accepts.
SENASICA export certificate (CZE), first stamp: When the destination's and Mexico's requirements are met, SENASICA prepares the CZE and gives it a first stamp and signature: you don't need to bring your pet for this. It is free, and valid for 8 calendar days (the destination can set a different validity).
“As the main rule, the identification document must be in the format of an animal health certificate”
“may be accompanied by a pet passport complying with the model laid down in Part 3 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013”
“animals returning to Norway (or another EEA-country), may be accompanied by their pet passport as long as the animal received the anti-rabies vaccination and underwent the rabies antibody titration test (if necessary) before the pet left the EEA”
“This certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the documentary and identity checks”
“Es gratuito y tiene una vigencia de 8 días naturales (puede variar en caso de que el país destino establezca una vigencia diferente)”
“se elaborará el CZE y se otorgará un primer sello y firma, no es necesario presentar a tu mascota”
Route
Enter through Oslo Airport or Storskog
Your pet must enter Norway through Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) or Storskog (Kirkenes), where you contact Mattilsynet and show the pet and its documents. Pets from Svalbard can also use Tromsø (airport and port) or the port of Bodø.
Details and the official words
At Storskog, pets must arrive between 09:00 and 14:00.
If you travel via another EU/EEA country, your pet can be checked at an EU travellers' point of entry there; after that you can use other Norwegian border crossings (take the red channel).
“Animals from other third countries or territories must be brought into Norway only through Oslo Airport or Storskog.”
“Once the pet has been checked at a travellers' point of entry, you can use other border crossings besides Oslo Airport and Storskog.”
“Travelers with pets must arrive at Storskog between 09:00 and 14:00.”
Vet exam
Health certificate from a private vet
A private vet examines your pet and issues a good-health certificate with its name, microchip number (if it applies), breed, coat colour, sex and age, your name and address in Mexico, and a statement that it has no fresh wounds or signs of infectious disease. It must be no more than five days old (or the validity the destination sets) when you apply.
Details and the official words
“de no más de cinco días de expedido o de acuerdo a la vigencia establecida por el país de destino”
Official stamp
Apply for the CZE at a SENASICA office
Apply for the Certificado Zoosanitario para Exportación (CZE) at any authorised SENASICA office with the application form, the owner's official ID (plus a signed power of attorney with two witnesses if someone else applies), the health certificate, the vaccination record, a deworming record, a microchip document and lab results, when the destination asks for them. It is delivered within three working days after the working day you submit it.
Details and the official words
“Se te entregará en un plazo de tres días hábiles posteriores al día hábil de la fecha de entrega de tu solicitud”
Vet exam
Physical exam and second stamp on the day of travel
On the day you travel, bring your pet to SENASICA's office at the point of departure. Officials examine it and, if all is in order, give the CZE its second stamp and signature.
Details and the official words
“El día de tu viaje deberás llevar a tu mascota a la oficina de Senasica en el punto de salida, en donde el personal oficial realizará un examen físico, y si todo está en orden, otorgará el segundo sello y firma a su CZE.”
Only if the destination asks for it
Notice · only if the destination asks
Tell Mattilsynet you're coming (recommended)
Notify Mattilsynet at your entry point at least 48 hours before you arrive, so you don't wait long for the check. Oslo Airport: +47 22 77 79 00, bipg@mattilsynet.no.
Details and the official words
“The Norwegian Food Safety Authority should be notified at least 48 hours before arrival in order to avoid a long waiting time before the check can be carried out.”
Good to know
- Six dog breeds are banned in Norway, including crossbreeds with any proportion of them: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Dogo Argentino and Czechoslovakian Wolfdog. Wolf-dog hybrids are also considered dangerous.
- Former stray dogs and cats (from shelters, ownerless, or of unknown background) can in practice only come to Norway if you've owned and kept the animal for at least 6 months before entering — be ready to prove it.
- Before you travel, check with Mattilsynet whether any safeguard measures apply to the country you're travelling from.
- SENASICA tells you to look up the destination in its requirements module first: it shows the vaccinations or treatments your pet needs, and when they must be given. If a country isn't in the module, ask SENASICA at reqzoosan.dgsa@senasica.gob.mx.
- If the documents are incomplete or wrong, SENASICA can ask you to complete or correct them, or refuse the request, so leave time.
- The vaccination record must show the vaccine name, laboratory, batch number, expiry date, date given and validity period. Without a stated validity it counts as one year. The rabies vaccine counts from three months of age.
What your cat needs
Cats
Identification
Microchip
Your pet must be identified with an ISO microchip (11784, HDX or FDX-B) before its rabies vaccination. If the chip isn't ISO-standard, bring your own reader.
Details and the official words
“The animal must be identified before the rabies vaccination.”
“The microchip has to comply with the ISO 11784 standard and it has to utilize HDX or FDX-B technology.”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination
Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated by an authorised vet. The vaccination is valid from 21 days after the primary vaccination; a booster given before the old one expires has no waiting period.
Details and the official words
“The animal must be at least 12 weeks old when the vaccine is administered.”
“The period of validity starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol required by the manufacturer for a primary vaccination.”
“No anti-rabies vaccination is required for animals travelling only between Norway and Sweden.”
Paperwork
EU pet health certificate
Your pet needs an animal health certificate (EU model) from an official vet in the country you're travelling from, valid for 10 days from issue until the check on entry. A pet returning to Norway can instead use its EEA pet passport if it was vaccinated (and titer-tested, if needed) before it left the EEA.
The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.
Details and the official words
Mattilsynet links a certificate model under the older EU rules (Regulation (EU) No 577/2013). The EU switched to a new model (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705) for certificates issued from 1 October 2026. Ask your official vet or Mattilsynet which model Norway accepts.
SENASICA export certificate (CZE), first stamp: When the destination's and Mexico's requirements are met, SENASICA prepares the CZE and gives it a first stamp and signature: you don't need to bring your pet for this. It is free, and valid for 8 calendar days (the destination can set a different validity).
“As the main rule, the identification document must be in the format of an animal health certificate”
“may be accompanied by a pet passport complying with the model laid down in Part 3 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013”
“animals returning to Norway (or another EEA-country), may be accompanied by their pet passport as long as the animal received the anti-rabies vaccination and underwent the rabies antibody titration test (if necessary) before the pet left the EEA”
“This certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the documentary and identity checks”
“Es gratuito y tiene una vigencia de 8 días naturales (puede variar en caso de que el país destino establezca una vigencia diferente)”
“se elaborará el CZE y se otorgará un primer sello y firma, no es necesario presentar a tu mascota”
Route
Enter through Oslo Airport or Storskog
Your pet must enter Norway through Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) or Storskog (Kirkenes), where you contact Mattilsynet and show the pet and its documents. Pets from Svalbard can also use Tromsø (airport and port) or the port of Bodø.
Details and the official words
At Storskog, pets must arrive between 09:00 and 14:00.
If you travel via another EU/EEA country, your pet can be checked at an EU travellers' point of entry there; after that you can use other Norwegian border crossings (take the red channel).
“Animals from other third countries or territories must be brought into Norway only through Oslo Airport or Storskog.”
“Once the pet has been checked at a travellers' point of entry, you can use other border crossings besides Oslo Airport and Storskog.”
“Travelers with pets must arrive at Storskog between 09:00 and 14:00.”
Vet exam
Health certificate from a private vet
A private vet examines your pet and issues a good-health certificate with its name, microchip number (if it applies), breed, coat colour, sex and age, your name and address in Mexico, and a statement that it has no fresh wounds or signs of infectious disease. It must be no more than five days old (or the validity the destination sets) when you apply.
Details and the official words
“de no más de cinco días de expedido o de acuerdo a la vigencia establecida por el país de destino”
Official stamp
Apply for the CZE at a SENASICA office
Apply for the Certificado Zoosanitario para Exportación (CZE) at any authorised SENASICA office with the application form, the owner's official ID (plus a signed power of attorney with two witnesses if someone else applies), the health certificate, the vaccination record, a deworming record, a microchip document and lab results, when the destination asks for them. It is delivered within three working days after the working day you submit it.
Details and the official words
“Se te entregará en un plazo de tres días hábiles posteriores al día hábil de la fecha de entrega de tu solicitud”
Vet exam
Physical exam and second stamp on the day of travel
On the day you travel, bring your pet to SENASICA's office at the point of departure. Officials examine it and, if all is in order, give the CZE its second stamp and signature.
Details and the official words
“El día de tu viaje deberás llevar a tu mascota a la oficina de Senasica en el punto de salida, en donde el personal oficial realizará un examen físico, y si todo está en orden, otorgará el segundo sello y firma a su CZE.”
Only if the destination asks for it
Notice · only if the destination asks
Tell Mattilsynet you're coming (recommended)
Notify Mattilsynet at your entry point at least 48 hours before you arrive, so you don't wait long for the check. Oslo Airport: +47 22 77 79 00, bipg@mattilsynet.no.
Details and the official words
“The Norwegian Food Safety Authority should be notified at least 48 hours before arrival in order to avoid a long waiting time before the check can be carried out.”
Good to know
- Former stray dogs and cats (from shelters, ownerless, or of unknown background) can in practice only come to Norway if you've owned and kept the animal for at least 6 months before entering — be ready to prove it.
- Before you travel, check with Mattilsynet whether any safeguard measures apply to the country you're travelling from.
- SENASICA tells you to look up the destination in its requirements module first: it shows the vaccinations or treatments your pet needs, and when they must be given. If a country isn't in the module, ask SENASICA at reqzoosan.dgsa@senasica.gob.mx.
- If the documents are incomplete or wrong, SENASICA can ask you to complete or correct them, or refuse the request, so leave time.
- The vaccination record must show the vaccine name, laboratory, batch number, expiry date, date given and validity period. Without a stated validity it counts as one year. The rabies vaccine counts from three months of age.
Government fees we know of
- SENASICA export zoosanitary certificate (CZE): free of charge0 MXN
Vet, lab and courier costs are not included. The final amount can depend on how many tests or pets are on the certificate.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Mexico to Norway?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into Norway?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog be quarantined in Norway?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet must be identified with an ISO microchip (11784, HDX or FDX-B) before its rabies vaccination.