Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from South Korea → Mexico
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
No fixed wait
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
No fixed wait
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
South Korea is in the group “Any other country — Certificate of Good Health (15 days)” in Mexico’s published list.See every group
Headlines for Mexico
- Import permit needed
What your dog or cat needs
Permit
Zoosanitary Import Certificate (CZI) on arrival
On arrival, ask SENASICA staff at the airport, port or border for the CZI application form for your dog or cat (you can also download it beforehand).
Details and the official words
“you must request the Zoosanitary Import Certificate (CZI) at our offices located at all points of entry into the country (ports, airports, and borders).”
On arrival
Physical inspection on arrival
SENASICA inspects your pet on arrival to check its health. Pets with recent wounds or parasites need treatment first.
Details and the official words
“a physical inspection of your animal will be carried out to verify its health status”
Paperwork
Certificate of Good Health (issued within 15 days)
Bring the original and a copy of a Certificate of Good Health issued no more than 15 days before you arrive, by an official vet or a private vet on letterhead with their licence number. It must show your pet's rabies vaccination (date and validity), that it was healthy at the pre-travel exam, and that it was dewormed inside and out in the last 6 months and is free of external parasites.
Details and the official words
APQA quarantine certificate: The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency issues the quarantine certificate within the 10 days before departure (some destinations want it closer, for example within 7 days or 48 hours). Offices are open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00 (lunch 12:00 to 13:00); the offices at Incheon Airport Terminals 1 and 2 also open on weekends and public holidays. You can get it at the airport on the day of departure: arrive at least two hours before check-in, with every document ready, and call ahead because same-day issue isn't guaranteed.
The certificate has a validity period set by the destination, typically counted from issue (for example 10 or 30 days). A certificate can be corrected and reissued at the issuing office or another one.
If this is missed: You must use a private vet in Mexico to treat your pet and issue the certificate, at your cost.
“you must present a Certificate of Good Health with a maximum validity of 15 days from its date of issuance”
“A quarantine certificate issued by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency can be obtained within 10 days before departure.”
“Quarantine certificates are issued on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, except for weekends and public holidays.”
“visit the airport quarantine office at least two hours before check-in.”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination (recorded on the certificate)
Your pet's rabies vaccination date and its validity must be on the Certificate of Good Health. Pets under 3 months old are exempt.
Details and the official words
“Date of administration of the rabies vaccine and its period of validity (animals under 3 months of age are exempt).”
Treatment
Internal and external deworming
Your pet must be dewormed internally and externally within the 6 months before travel and be free of external parasites — this goes on the Certificate of Good Health.
Details and the official words
“That the animal(s) have been dewormed internally and externally within the six months prior to travel and are free of ectoparasites.”
Vet exam
Vaccination and health certificate from a Korean animal clinic
Get the vaccination certificate and the health certificate from the clinic that vaccinated and treated your pet. Even if a rabies vaccination given abroad is accepted, you must also get a vaccination and health certificate from a domestic clinic within 10 days before departure.
Details and the official words
“you must get a vaccination and health certificate from a domestic animal clinic within 10 days before departure and submit it along with the foreign certificate.”
Good to know
- Mexico removes and destroys crate bedding, diapers, newspaper, sawdust, rags, toys and treats made with ruminant ingredients. Travel with a clean crate — it will be sprayed on arrival. Collar and leash are fine.
- If parasites such as ticks are found at the inspection, you must pay a vet in Mexico to treat your pet before it's released.
- APQA says the deadlines for the quarantine certificate, and its validity, depend on the destination country's own rules, so check the importing country's requirements first.
- APQA calls travelling or moving abroad with a pet 'non-commercial'. Sales, exhibitions, competitions and adoption are 'commercial' and usually face stricter rules, which we don't cover.
- If your pet fails the destination's quarantine check it may be denied entry, quarantined or sent back.
Common questions
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from South Korea to Mexico?
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 Mexico?
Yes: On arrival, ask SENASICA staff at the airport, port or border for the CZI application form for your dog or cat (you can also download it beforehand).
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in Mexico?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog or cat need a microchip?
The official rules we have verified for this route don't list a microchip requirement.