Traveling to Mexico from the U.S. with your dog? The rules for crossing the border with pets changed in 2024. If you’re planning a trip with your pup, these tips will ensure you’re prepared!
Whether you’re walking across the border for the day or planning a longer trip to Mexico, there’s no reason to leave your pup behind! In 2024, the U.S. set some new requirements for bringing a dog into the country. Fortunately, it’s now easier than ever to take your furry travel buddy along.
Traveling To Mexico With A Dog
Your experience crossing the border will be very different depending on how and where you’re traveling. If you’re flying, your documents will be thoroughly reviewed by the airline and the immigration agents.
Driving across the border might result in a through inspection or be very casual, depending on where you choose to cross. More scrutiny is common at busy crossing like San Diego and El Paso.
And if you’re walking across the border, the process is likely to be very casual – especially if you’re visiting a small town!
What People Need
Mexico requires all foreign citizens visiting the country to fill out an Official Entry Immigration Form, also called a tourist card, prior to their arrival. Tourist cards are free and you can fill out and print the form at home.
When you arrive at the border, present the immigration officer with your printed tourist card and your passport. Since your information will already be in their system, once your tourist card is stamped, you’ll be free to enjoy Mexico!
If you are walking across the border into Mexico, you might even find that the immigration officer doesn’t request your tourist card. Still, it’s better to have it with you – just in case.
Auto Insurance
If you are driving in Mexico, you will also need to purchase Mexican car insurance. Even if your U.S. auto insurance policy covers you in Mexico, it cannot pay damages that you would legally owe to others if you were in an accident. Mexican law is very clear—in order to drive in Mexico, you must at least have Mexican liability coverage, underwritten by a Mexican carrier.
What Dogs Need
Effective December 2019, a health certificate for dogs and cats is no longer needed to enter Mexico.
Instead, travelers arriving in Mexico with pet dogs and/or cats must visit the Mexican Animal and Plant Health Inspection Office (OISA), and see the person working with SENASICA. In practice, however, it seems this rule applies mostly to people arriving at a Mexican airport. Reports from people who’ve walked or driven into Mexico suggest that physical inspections of pets is rare.
If you travel regularly between the U.S. and Mexico with your dog, you can request to register in the “Pet Program – Frequent Traveler.” For further information, refer to the USDA website.
Our Experience Traveling To Mexico With Myles
SENASICA inspectors aren’t present at every crossing. When we walked into Mexico from Naco, Arizona near Bisbee, there was no pet inspection. Myles simply strolled across the border with us.
READ MORE ⇒ Travel Guide: Pet Friendly Bisbee, Arizona
If there is a SENASICA inspector at your crossing, the rules state that your pet must be presented in a clean cage or carrier. Though, we’ve also heard this rule is not always enforced – especially for larger pets. If you cannot easily carry your pet in a carrier, presenting your dog on leash should be fine.
The SENASICA agent will perform a physical inspection of your pet to determine the following:
- Your pet shows no sign of infectious and contagious diseases,
- is free of ectoparasites (ticks), and
- has no fresh wounds or wounds in the process of healing.
Pets with ticks cannot cross the border. You’ll either need to return to the U.S., or the SENASICA agent will send a sample of the tick for diagnostic testing at the official laboratory. Your pet would have to remain at the OISA (Mexican official office) until confirmation is received that the parasites are not exotic/foreign to Mexico.
What If Your Pet Has Health Issues?
If your pet is being treated for a wound and/or infection due to a skin condition, present the SENASICA agent with the diagnosis and treatment instructions from your veterinarian. This information should be presented on letterhead, including the veterinarian’s professional registration number (or equivalent).
Can You Bring Pet Food Into Mexico?
When traveling to Mexico with a dog, the rules state you can only bring enough food to feed your pet that day. If you’re staying longer than a day, you’re to purchase pet food in Mexico. Or, consider shipping your dog’s food to your destination so it’s there when you arrive. Otherwise, you might be sharing your meals!
Something To Consider Before Traveling To Mexico With A Reactive Dog
In Mexico, we’ve found people to be very friendly toward Myles. Shopkeepers are generally less fussy about letting animals in stores, so traveling with a dog is pretty easy.
However, in Mexico and other Latin countries, you often see dogs running loose in the streets. Generally, these dogs keep their distance. But if you have a reactive dog, it could be a very stressful experience for you both.
READ MORE ⇒ Tips For Traveling With A Reactive Dog
Returning To The United States
Of course, it’s just as important to get back into the United States as it is to get into Mexico! So be sure you have the documents you need to return home.
What People Need To Return To The U.S.
When you fly to the United States from Mexico, U.S. citizens need to show a valid passport. If you are traveling on foot or by car, you can provide your passport or a U.S. Passport card. A passport card is a less expensive alternative to a full passport. But it only works for land and sea travel from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
What Pets Need To Return To The U.S. From Mexico
All cats must appear healthy, but don’t need proof of rabies vaccination or certificate of health to enter the United States. If a cat appears ill, an examination by a licensed veterinarian at the owner’s expense might be required at the port of entry.
Things are a bit more complicated for our canine travel companions.
All dogs must:
- be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the U.S.
- appear healthy
- have an implanted microchip that is detectible with a universal scanner to identify them
As long as your dog has not been in a country that is considered “high risk” for rabies in the last six month, the only document needed to enter the U.S. is a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
You can check the list of high-risk countries HERE. (Spoiler alert: Neither Mexico nor the United States is considered a high-risk country.)
CDC Dog Import Form
Each dog needs their own receipt, which is sent to the owner’s email address after the form is completed online. You can print the receipt or show it to the border agent on your phone when you cross the border.
Submitting the form is free, and you can complete it on the day of travel. The receipt is valid for 6 months, as long as the country of departure stays the same and the dog hasn’t traveled to a high-risk country during the 6-month period.
The information collected on the form is straight-forward, including the owner’s drivers license or passport number, the location where the dog will be staying in the United States, the dog’s breed, age, and markings, and the date and from where the dog will be entering the country.
Note that, while the CDC recommends all dogs be vaccinated for rabies, you are not required to show your dog’s vaccination records at the border.
And there is no limit to the number of dogs you can bring, as long as they are your personal pets.
Have you taken your dog to Mexico? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: GoPetFriendly.com LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, the owner of this site earns a commission from qualifying purchases.
I was at a meet-up today for anyone considering visiting or moving to Mexico and someone said that there are new rules related to dogs coming into Mexico from the US that includes VET certification of good health, record of vaccines AND a $400. fee per dog. Do you know if any of that information is correct? I can handle the medical related requirements but not the $400. per dog, as I have 4 little dogs. Thank you, Ky :)
Hi Ky! Actually, we took Myles to Mexico a couple months ago, so I know first-hand how things are working right now.
Screwworms have been found in Mexico. So now all dogs coming into the U.S. from Mexico are required to be examined by a certified veterinarian and receive documentation that they are free from screwworms within 5 days of entering U.S. This is true even for dogs who are traveling from the U.S., into Mexico, and back. We did this for Myles during our visit and the cost of the exam was $50 US.
The required screwworm freedom certification may be issued by a clinical veterinarian trained and authorized to sign on behalf of the official government veterinarian. A list of authorized veterinarians in Mexico that can issue screwworm freedom certification can be found on Directorio de MVRA en Clínicas y Hospitales Veterinarios (MVRA Directory of Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals)
I hope that helps. and that you have a great trip!
Hi! I’m traveling to Mexico with my dog in a few days for the first time and I heard they got a alert for screwworm. Would that mean I would have to get him tested before coming back to the US?
Hi Alexa! We just got back from six days in Mexico with Myles. According to what I read, dogs have to be examined for screwworms within 5 days of crossing back into the US. So, we found a vet in Mexico to certify that he was clear. When we crossed back into the States, the border agents didn’t ask to see any documents for Myles. But, better to have the certification and not need it than the other way around!
Great info. Thank you! We’re putting crossings @ Naco on the Hank list!
We just returned from spending an afternoon in Agua Prieta, MX with our dog. We walked across from Douglas, AZ near Bisbee where the infamous Myles & Maynard of Go Pet Friendly fame live. Thought I would share our experience. Crossing in to MX and returning back to the US was a piece of cake! No one asked a single question about the dog. Surprising. The only thing they did was ask me to do was remove his pillow from the pillow case as we crossed in to MX. He’s almost 19 yrs old so we travel with a giant wagon/stroller and there is a human pillow in the bottom. We knew a health certificate was no longer needed due to law changes a few years ago. We had his vaccination records with us just in case, but no one asked. We carried in extra water for him as we didn’t want him (or us) drinking the local water of course. Since we were only there for a few hours we didn’t take any food. My research I believe indicated you are only allowed to bring 1 days worth of food with you even if crossing for a longer period of time? The only “issue” we had was finding a pet friendly location to eat other than the numerous food trucks found in the Central Plaza district. There are tables & chairs in the plaza if you want to eat at one of the food trucks, but we wanted a local restaurant with some personality. We ended up at Mia Burrito (corner of Av 11 & Calle 7). Local burrito stand with a few seats at the outside bar (with shade) & a bathroom in their back kitchen if you ask nicely. Human bathrooms were nearly impossible to come by….fyi. We each had a burrito & a soda. Total was $9. The dog enjoyed tortillas. We had wanted to eat at Bizio Cafe. However, they were closed due to construction. They too have outdoor seating with shade and are pet friendly. As we were walking back towards the border entry we stumbled upon what would have been exactly what we were looking for restaurant wise. La Rueda is the name and it’s on the same street before you get in line to re-enter. Outdoor shaded seating. Street dogs in A P were almost non existent. Different than other parts of MX we’d been to. We encountered 2 street dogs and both just ignored our dog. We walked the streets before & after lunch and then easily crossed back in to the US. Again, no questions asked. The hardest part of the return was getting his huge wagon thru the 2 turnstiles at customs. Where to park? You can park at the Douglas visitor center, but that’s a bit more of a walk. Put Douglas, AZ Walmart in your GPS. Park in that vicinity. There is a large parking lot across from Walmart with an abandon store front. That was were someone suggested we park. However, we ended up parking a few blocks closer to the port of entry near Dollar Tree. There was a strip mall where the store fronts were not yet finished. There were other cars parked here that appeared to have been from people walking across as well. A quick/short walk to border entry. Was there much to see/do? Nope. Exactly as we had expected. It was something we did more for the experience. Eat a good meal. Support the economy. Get our exercise walking for the day. Make some more memories with our Chuckie The Travelin’ Adventure Dog! Hope this helps anyone else considering crossing with their dog.
How wonderful! Thank you for sharing your experience, Cheri. I’m so glad to hear that crossing to AP is so easy. We’ve been across the border to Naco with Myles, but we haven’t gone to Agua Prieta yet. It sounds like we’ll have to give it a try!
I am planning a trip to Mexico next year. My dog is 60 pounds would I have to put her with luggage?? That’s scary if so. Advice anyone?
Hi Kimberly! Thanks for your note. As far as I know, there are no airlines that allow a 60-pound dog in the cabin. So your pup would have to travel in the cargo hold if you fly. I’m not sure how far you’re traveling, but driving is the only other alternative that I’m aware of. For your reference, the airline pet policies are all provided in this blog post >> https://www.gopetfriendly.com/blog/airline-pet-policies/
Good luck!
Try flying JSX. Will cost more and you may need to drive to a city with a non stop flight, but your dog can buy the seat next to you.
hi Kimberly, unfortanetely airlines don´t accept pets above 10 lbs traveling with you in cabin.. . did you visit already?
That’s pretty informative, didn’t know that they carefully examine dogs when entering the border, there were probably a lot of precedents for that to be enacted. How does one just stroll/walk towards the border?
Hi Terrier Hub! I think the level of scrutiny depends on the location of the crossing. We’ve parked on the US side of the border and walked across a couple of times and no one examined our dog, Myles, at all.
I love traveling with my dog to Mexico “Avi Kerendian” he enjoys it a lot!
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Avi. And waggin’ trails to you.
We will be going to Puerto Penasco with our 2 dogs for a long weekend. I am very concerned about not being able to bring enough dog food as the closest store to where we are staying is 30+ minutes and we have small children to trek there as well. Are they very strict about the food allotment?
Hi Stacy! From what I’ve been able to gather from people who have crossed the border with pets and reported back, the level of scrutiny really depends on the location that you cross the border. The big, popular crossing are more strict, and the smaller, quieter crossings generally garner less attention. I’m sorry I can’t give you a more definitive answer. I hope your trip goes well. And please come back and let me know so I can pass the information along to others!
I’m Mexican and use to travel with my dog. Mexico is the worst! Even if I’m enroll in the Pet Travel Mexican Program ( SENASICA ) is like Passport but the authorities are not familiar with their own program. Always carry Health Certificate even if is nor required. Food even if you are allow for the day if you get with a non informed authorities the take it away. You can not ship any kind of food if is not approve for the authorities. Better be inform what you can get in Mexico and try to feed your pet with the same in your place.
Be very careful where you dog sniff. Dogs get poisson in parks often. Leash always and id. Have handy a list of veterinarians in the area.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Azul! You’re the first person I’ve heard report these types of challenges. I hope the authorities become more familiar with their program and that crossing the border is easier for you in the future. Safe travels!
We are in Mexico with our yorkies. We brought 2 bags of dehydrated raw. They seemed to care if it contained beef. The vet in Melaque sells dog food so you should be able to get yours in any bigger city.
Thanks so much for letting us know, Susanna! It’s good to hear from people who’ve been through the process. Safe travels to you!
So here I am with an update–I drove into Puerto Penasco with my old puggle recently. I tried to get a USDA certificate from my vet but couldn’t get an appointment, ultimately I decided to just travel with the old certificate I had from 2020 and her vaccination records. We went in a pick up truck with a crew cab, and I bought a dog carrier sling that goes in the back and rests on the two jump seats. There was only one lane to go through in Sonoyta, and the Mexican official motioned us over for further inspection. My husband is Mexican, and was driving, and the official asked him what we had in the back of the truck (which was covered with a tonneau top). My husband said would you like me to open it up, and the official said yes. So my husband got out, opened up the back of the truck, the guy just took a quick look, and told us we could go. He never looked in the back of the cab and he never saw the dog, nor did he ask for my tourist card. So then we were on our way, and I didn’t even see the SENESICA office or any other place where I would check my dog in. My husband was very much, “let’s go, let’s not make any trouble for ourselves” so we just drove on and didn’t stop anywhere. Returning to the US, the Customs and Border patrol saw the dog in the back but didn’t ask for papers which was a good thing, because I seem to have lost the dog’s papers while at the Puerto Penasco rented beach house!
I really appreciate you for coming back to share your experience, Florence. Thank you! And I’m glad to hear your trip went smoothly. Waggin’ trails to you all!
I’m going to be traveling to Puerto Penasco in my truck with my two large doodles (1 is 65lbs and the other is 90lbs). I saw something on the USDA website about all animals needing to be in a crate when crossing the border. Is this the case? It would be very difficult to find one that will fit both dogs in the backseat of my Tacoma. Please let me know any info regarding this. Thanks!
Hi Matty! Yes, I’ve seen some indications of crates being required on the website. But I’m hearing from people who’ve crossed the border that they didn’t have a crate and all was fine. I can’t say for certain, because each agent could feel differently about following the “letter of the law,” but I think if your dogs are well-behaved you’ll be fine. It also wouldn’t hurt to have them buckled into seat belt harnesses!
Okay thank you Amy! The seatbelt harness is a great idea just in case!
I just came back from Mexico thru Nogales border. Going into Mexico back in early December, there was no problem whatsoever. They did not even ask a single question about my dog. I had spent over $200 on vet bills to get all the shots he needed & the accompanying letter of his good health. On our return to the US, it was the same. No questions asked nor documents required by the inspecting border agent.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Mahmood! The new rules haven’t been in place very long, so hearing from people who’ve been across the border really helps. Safe travels to you!
Do you know if we need crates or carriers for our two dogs?
And do they provide visas at the border like they do when you travel by air? Or do we have to print them out beforehand? This is mine and my husband’s first time traveling to Mexico by car (and with pets), so we have no idea what to really expect.
Hi Kimiko! The rules say that pets must be in crates or carriers. However, I’ve been hearing from people who have crossed the border that they did not have them, and there was no problem. It may depend on where you’re driving across. Unfortunately, that’s the best information I have.
As for visas, my understanding is that you’re meant to complete the paperwork online and print it to take with you. Again, whether it is checked or not could depend on where you cross. I hope that’s helpful and that you have a great trip!
Hi KamikoK, I am going to be headed to Mexico from the US with my two pups in December. Did you find out about the crates? we dont have them and I would hate to buy them. But I am also terrified of not getting through. How was your experience? and where did you cross? we will be crossing from Laredo.
We crossed through Laredo also, and we did not have our dogs in crates. They didn’t even ask for any paperwork for our dogs. Very easy!
That’s great! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
This makes me feel SO much better. Thank you!
We fly to Mexico frequently from California with our small ESA dog. All Mexican airlines have asked us for health certificates and we have always been stopped at customs in Mexico. 99% of the time we are delayed by either Mexican airline employees or Mexican custom officers. They check and re check and check again all of our paperwork. In fact on our most recent trip 11/2019 they asked for our paperwork six different times. I haven’t flown since the new law and am curious to see if the Mexican airline have updated their policies. I checked online and see that they still require health certificates.
Hi Adam! Thanks for sharing your experience. And yes, in almost all cases airlines require health certificates for pets that will be flying – even if they’re not leaving the United States. I don’t expect the airlines to relax their rules, but the documents required to drive or walk across the border are less. Safe travels to you!
I am in Mexico cureently, we crossed the border on Jan 7, which is after the rule change. we crossed at bridge #1? (the commerical bridge) in Eagle Pass TX/Piedras Negras. I crossed on foot with a bicycle and my dog. we did not have or need a carrier/crate. They also never had us do the inspection. I had his vac, de-worming, and flea and tick records. nothing was asked for. I asked the inspectors if they needed anything else for the dog and they said “no” and told the guy at the imss office I had a dog with me and he didn’t care. we have been in Mexico for a month and past through 4-5 police and army checkpoints and noone has cared about the dog or asked for any paperwork. this is just our experience and other crossings may be different but they didn’t care where we crossed.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Mikey! I hope you’re having a wonderful time on your trip. Waggin’ trails!
We are Canadians who also have a condo in the northern Baja where we have spent our last 12 winters. We cross the border (Mex/US) at least twice a month by car going into San Diego and always take our dog. I do carry her rabies and vacines certificate with us when we cross, but have never been asked for any documentation whatsoever when traveling by car in either direction. I am asked for the rabies certificate when entering the states BY AIR with her, (not by car) and also when returning to Canada by the Canadian officials when FLYING home.
Thanks so much for your note, Judy! We’ve found much the same when traveling with our dogs between the US and Canada – our paperwork is rarely checked. It is interesting to note that this new rule makes it clear that it’s the responsibility of the person crossing into Mexico with a dog or cat to visit the OISA office for an inspection of their pet. And there is no word on what the penalty for not doing the inspection will be.