Pet Relocation to 🇲🇽 Mexico

Mexico permits common pet birds such as parrots, cockatiels, canaries and Australian parakeets, but bans predatory birds. Up to three pets enter duty-free with a SENASICA zoosanitary inspection at the port of entry. A USDA-endorsed health certificate is required, and avian influenza restrictions can block birds from affected US states.

• Bird must be a permitted 'common pet' species (parrots, cockatiels, canaries, Australian parakeets, small wild non-predatory birds); predatory birds are not allowed in the duty-free pet allowance
• USDA Accredited Veterinarian health certificate submitted via VEHCS and endorsed by APHIS; APHIS Digital Signature is accepted for pet birds to Mexico
• Zoosanitary inspection by SENASICA at the Mexican Animal and Plant Health Inspection Office (OISA) on arrival, which verifies the birds show no signs of infectious disease
• Stay within the three-pet duty-free limit; 4 or more pets require payment of import duties
• Comply with Mexico's avian influenza restrictions — Mexico bans birds originating from or transiting US states with HPAI detections in commercial poultry (some states may be eligible from HPAI-free counties; confirm status with Veterinary Export Trade Services)
• CITES permits required for any CITES-listed species (e.g. many parrots)

Requirements above reflect US-origin pet birds via USDA APHIS/SENASICA; conditions differ from other origin countries. HPAI status changes frequently and can suspend bird imports at short notice — verify with APHIS/SENASICA close to travel.

Horses can be imported into Mexico but they are not a 'common pet,' so the process requires a Mexican import permit (SENASICA/SADER), an export permit from the origin country, and equine disease testing. Note that current New World Screwworm restrictions affect horses moving from Mexico into the US, not US-to-Mexico imports. Expect a commercial-grade, paperwork-heavy process.

• Obtain a Mexican import permit from SENASICA/SADER — horses fall outside the duty-free common-pet list and require additional authorization
• Export permit/health certificate from the origin country, endorsed by the competent veterinary authority
• Equine disease testing typically including equine infectious anaemia (EIA/Coggins), equine piroplasmosis, glanders and dourine
• Veterinary health certificate covering freedom from notifiable equine diseases for the required residency period
• Zoosanitary inspection at the Mexican port of entry by SENASICA
• Be aware of active New World Screwworm (NWS) controls in the region: APHIS currently restricts horses entering the US from Mexico via land-border ports (air transport with the NWS protocol and 60-day Mexico residency check is the alternative). This restriction governs Mexico-to-US movement, not US-to-Mexico imports
• Comply with any quarantine conditions specified on the Mexican import permit

Most authoritative published detail covers Mexico-to-US horse movement; precise US-to-Mexico test panels, quarantine and fees are set by SENASICA on the individual import permit and are not fully verifiable from public sources. The widely reported New World Screwworm border restrictions are a US (APHIS) import control on animals from Mexico, not a Mexican barrier to incoming horses — confirm current rules with SENASICA and APHIS before shipping.

Mexico allows tortoises as a duty-free common pet (within the three-pet limit) with a SENASICA zoosanitary inspection at entry. Other reptiles are not on the common-pet list and need an origin-country export permit plus a Mexican import permit. CITES-listed species (many tortoises, iguanas, snakes) additionally require CITES documentation via SEMARNAT.

• Tortoises are listed among Mexico's duty-free common pets; up to three pets total enter without import duty
• All pets must pass a zoosanitary inspection by SENASICA at the port of entry (OISA office)
• Reptiles other than tortoises (e.g. iguanas, snakes, lizards) are not 'common pets' and require an origin-country export permit and a Mexican import permit
• CITES export permit from the origin country and CITES import documentation (via SEMARNAT) for any CITES-listed species
• Verify the specific species is not banned or restricted — certain tortoise and iguana species are CITES-protected
• 4 or more pets require payment of import duties

SEMARNAT handles wildlife/CITES matters and SENASICA handles animal-health inspection. Exact permit fees, processing times and species-specific test/quarantine requirements are not verifiable from authoritative public sources — confirm with SEMARNAT, SENASICA and the nearest Mexican consulate before transporting any reptile other than a clearly permitted tortoise.