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Pet travel route

Dog or cat from Serbia to India: official requirements

Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: microchip (its certificate goes with the Advance NOC application), rabies vaccination and Advance NOC on the ATITHI 2.0 portal, at least 7 working days before you fly and 2 more.

Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 6 official pages

Make my dated plan Reverse: India → Serbia

In short

Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Serbia publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Serbia's Veterinary Directorate publishes its request form for an export certificate for live animals, with notes for pets, and answers on travelling to the EU. It doesn't say how long before departure to apply. Send the request early: the form gives the inspection up to 30 days to decide.

Limited official guidance. The authority for entering India publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. AQCS's 2026 procedure (ATITHI 2.0) and its older baggage page describe the Advance NOC timing differently, and its pages don't mention a rabies blood test. Confirm the current rules and the Advance NOC deadline with your AQCS station before you apply.

At a glance

The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.

How early to start

4 weeks

if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet

Set by: Rabies vaccination (more than one month before embarkation)

9 days

if it is already microchipped and vaccinated

Set by: Advance NOC on the ATITHI 2.0 portal, at least 7 working days before you fly (at least 7 working days before embarkation: 9 calendar days is our conversion, not an official figure (the procedure also says '7 days' in one place))

The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.

On this route

  • No rabies blood test
  • Import permit needed
  • Quarantine on arrival
  • Arrive at a set entry point

Prefer a feed reader? Serbia rule changes · India rule changes

Serbia → India

What your pet needs

In the order you do them. Each step says whether Serbia (leaving) or India (entering) asks for it.

  1. Get ready

    1. IdentificationEntering India

      Microchip (its certificate goes with the Advance NOC application)

      AQCS's 2026 procedure lists a microchip certificate among the documents you upload for the Advance NOC, and the application form asks for the microchip number.

      Details and the official words

      “Supporting Documents includes: Vaccination and Microchip certificate, Official Health certificate along with Annexure1.1.1 signed by competent authority, Air ticket/Airway bill, passport copy etc.”

    2. VaccinationEntering India

      Rabies vaccination

      Cats, and dogs three months old or older, must be vaccinated against rabies more than one month, but within 12 months, before embarkation. The details must be officially certified or written in the official health certificate, together with the other vaccinations.

      Details and the official words

      “must be vaccinated against Rabies more than one month, but within 12 months prior to actual embarkation”

    3. PermitEntering India

      Advance NOC on the ATITHI 2.0 portal, at least 7 working days before you fly

      Register on the ATITHI 2.0 portal with your own passport details and apply at least 7 working days before embarkation, uploading the vaccination and microchip certificates, the official health certificate with its annexure, your ticket or air waybill and your passport copy. AQCS issues the Advance NOC within 1 working day if the documents are in order. The airline won't carry your pet without it. The processing charge is INR 1,000 per application.

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      AQCS's procedure says 'Minimum 07 days before embarkation' in its main text and 'Minimum 7 working days before embarkation' in its flowcharts; we use the longer one. Its older baggage page still says the NOC 'can be issued within 7 days before arrival'. Confirm with your AQCS station.

      If this is missed: Without the Advance NOC the pet will not be allowed to board the flight.

      “All passengers intending to import their pets under the Baggage Rules shall apply through the portal to obtain an Advance No Objection Certificate (NOC).”

      “Minimum 07 days before embarkation, the application will be submitted through ATITHI 2.0 PORTAL by the applicant along with supported documents”

      “Minimum 7 working days before embarkation, applicant will submit the following documents on ATITHI 2.0 PORTAL for obtaining Advance No Objection Certificate (NOC) from AQCS”

      “concerned Animal Quarantine & Certification Station (AQCS) within 1 working day”

      “Minimum 07 days before embarkation, the application will be submitted through”

      “Advance NOC can be issued within 7 days before arrival based on the self certified advance copies of all above documents.”

      “Advance NOC if not presented to the airlines, the pet will not be allowed to board the flight.”

      “The processing charges for an Advance NOC application for import of pets is Rs.1000 per application”

  2. In the days before you travel

    1. Vet examLeaving Serbia

      Health confirmation from your vet, no more than 48 hours old

      A veterinary station or practice confirms your pet's health (уверење о здравственом стању). For a pet, this confirmation must be no more than 48 hours old when the veterinary inspection issues the export certificate.

      Details and the official words

      “Уверење о здравственом стању животиња”

      “Документ стар не више од 10 дана, а за кућне љубимце потврда не старија од 48 часова”

    2. PaperworkSerbia and India

      Official health certificate from the country of origin

      An official health certificate from the country of origin certifying that your pet shows no clinical signs of infectious and contagious diseases, including rabies, distemper, parvovirus and leptospirosis for a dog (distemper, feline enteritis, panleukopenia and leptospirosis for a cat). The owner's name on it must match the owner's ticket, and it must give the owner's name and address in the country of origin and in India.

      Details and the official words

      The page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be.

      Export certificate from a Serbian veterinary inspector: Send the request for an export certificate for live animals to the Veterinary Directorate's veterinary inspection (also by email to vetinspekcija@minpolj.gov.rs) with the vet's health confirmation, the pet passport, the antibody test report and the import permit if your destination asks for them, and proof that you paid the two administrative taxes (420 + 9,160 = 9,580 dinars, one payment possible). As a pet owner you don't need an approved export establishment or a disinfection certificate for the vehicle. A Serbian veterinary inspector issues the certificate.

      The form gives the inspection up to 30 days from the request to decide, and treats a request as incomplete if missing documents aren't sent within 8 days. It doesn't say how long before departure to apply: ask the veterinary inspection, and allow for the 48-hour limit on the vet's health confirmation.

      “The official health certificate from the country of origin certifying that the dog is free from clinical sign and symptoms of all infectious and contagious diseases including Rabies, Canine Distemper, Parvo virus infection, Leptospirosis etc.”

      “The name of owner in the official health certificate must match with the name as mentioned in the ticket of owner to establish ownership.”

      “За некомерцијално кретање кућних љубимаца неопходан је ветеринарски сертификат који издаје надлежни ветеринарски инспектор Републике Србије.”

      “ЗАХТЕВ ЗА ИЗДАВАЊЕ СЕРТИФИКАТA ЗА ИЗВОЗ ЖИВИХ ЖИВОТИЊА”

      “Не достављају држаоци спортских коња, голубова, паса, мачака, птица кућних љубимаца, зечева и пчела”

      “Није потребно за извоз кућних љубимаца”

      “Само када је то захтев земље у коју се отпремају животиње”

      “vetinspekcija@minpolj.gov.rs”

      “Рок за решавање поднетог захтева 30 дана од покретања поступка”

      “420,00 РСД”

      “Такса се плаћа заједно и за захтев и за издавање сертификата”

    3. PaperworkEntering India

      Qualify under the baggage rule

      Show proof of at least two years' stay abroad and of transferring your residence to India (for example a visa copy), plus the owner's ticket. Sign a declaration that the pet is a bona fide pet with no commercial, gift or breeding purpose. If your pet comes as unaccompanied baggage, send a copy of your passport with the immigration stamp within one month of your arrival.

      Details and the official words

      “Proof of two years of stay abroad.”

      “Proof of transferring residence to India”

      “The declaration from the owner that the dog/cat is bonafide pet with no commercial interest, gift and breeding purpose.”

  3. Travel day and arrival

    1. CheckLeaving Serbia

      Pet passport (original)

      Bring your dog's or cat's original pet passport, issued by a veterinary station, with the request. The microchip and a valid rabies vaccination remain required for travel to the EU.

      Details and the official words

      “Пасош за животиње”

      “За говеда, коње, псе и мачке”

      “Животиња мора бити трајно обележена микрочипом који испуњава прописане стандарде.”

    2. RouteEntering India

      Enter through one of six ports

      Pets can enter India through Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore or Hyderabad. After arrival you bring your pet and the original health documents to the quarantine station.

      Details and the official words

      “Pet animals can enter India through the ports of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad.”

    3. On arrivalEntering India

      Examination at the quarantine station

      AQCS examines your pet and the original health certificate and issues a Provisional Quarantine Clearance Certificate. The original health certificate is kept by AQCS.

      Details and the official words

      “The animal(s) will be examined at the Quarantine Station for issuing a Provisional Quarantine Clearance Certificate.”

    4. QuarantineEntering India

      Quarantine observation if there is doubt

      Pets under the baggage rule are not routinely quarantined. AQCS's 2026 procedure says a pet that fails the examination on arrival or shows signs of disease is quarantined at the station for 15 days with testing at your cost, and gets its final NOC if the tests are negative.

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      AQCS's older baggage page says final clearance will be issued after 30 days for a pet kept under observation; the 2026 procedure says 15 days. Ask your AQCS station.

      “Pets under baggage can also be quarantined in case of doubt.”

      “In case the dog(s) fails to clear physical examination or exhibits clinical signs of diseases, it will be taken to the Quarantine Station and will remain under quarantine for 15 days.”

      “In case of doubt animal may be kept under Quarantine Observation. Final clearance will be issued after 30 days.”

Good to know

  • These steps are for owners who move their residence to India with their pet under the baggage rule. A short visit, research, defence or police use, and anything else outside the baggage rule need a licence from DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade), which we don't cover. A pet that has left India before is treated as a re-import.
  • No additional feed or bedding is allowed during the journey.
  • AQCS says all notifications, rules, orders and procedures can change at any time and decisions follow the rules in force on the day you apply. Its pages also describe the Advance NOC process differently in places: check the current AQCS notice before you apply.
  • A pet arriving without a valid Advance NOC, or with a fake or altered one, is ordered to be deported or re-exported.

Money

What it costs

Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Serbia publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.

Government fees on this route

Government fees in total: 9,580 RSD + 1,000 INR (each currency separately)

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

We have no published vet or lab prices for Serbia yet.

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Round trip

Coming back to Serbia

Do before your pet leaves Serbia

  • Microchip, before the rabies vaccination
  • Rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older, 21 days before entry
  • Unlisted countries: rabies antibody test, 3 months before

Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.

The trip back asks for 5 steps: microchip, before the rabies vaccination, rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older, 21 days before entry, unlisted countries: rabies antibody test, 3 months before and serbian model health certificate, valid 10 days and more.

Every step from India to Serbia

Nearby routes

Other routes

Where this comes from

Official sources

Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.

Entering IndiaLeaving SerbiaReport a mistakeGet rule-change alerts

Questions owners ask

Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Serbia to India?

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 or cat into India?

Yes: Register on the ATITHI 2.0 portal with your own passport details and apply at least 7 working days before embarkation, uploading the vaccination and microchip certificates, the official health certificate with its annexure, your ticket or air waybill and your passport copy.

Will my dog or cat be quarantined in India?

It can be: Pets under the baggage rule are not routinely quarantined.

How early should I start preparing my pet for Serbia to India?

With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: microchip (its certificate goes with the Advance NOC application), rabies vaccination and Advance NOC on the ATITHI 2.0 portal, at least 7 working days before you fly and 2 more.

Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake

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