Returning to India
Bringing your pet home to India — handled from the day you decide to move.
Coming home is a relief, until the paperwork starts: the AQCS no-objection certificate, proving two years abroad, the worry that your pet will be held at the airport. We've moved 2,000+ pets across borders in seven years, and we handle every step of the return — so the only thing waiting for you in India is your pet.
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The hard part shouldn't be coming home
You've handled the big move. The last thing it should cost you is sleep over your pet. Here's what families worry about most — and how we take it off your plate.
"Will my pet be stuck in quarantine?"
For returning residents, there's no long kennel stay. On arrival the quarantine officer inspects your pet and, with papers in order, clears them to come home with you — usually the same day.
"The AQCS paperwork is overwhelming."
We prepare and file your no-objection certificate, match every document to India's exact format, and coordinate directly with the quarantine station at your arrival city.
"I have to prove two years abroad."
We tell you precisely which documents establish your transfer of residence — for Indian citizens, OCI holders and work-visa expats alike — and check them before they ever matter at a counter.
Good news
Coming home is the simpler direction
Almost everything people dread about moving a pet — the antibody test, the months of waiting, the kennel — belongs to leaving India, not arriving. Here's what that means for you.
No rabies titer, no titer wait
India doesn't require a rabies antibody (titer) test to bring your pet in. The FAVN/RNATT test and its three-to-six-month wait apply when you export to a rabies-free country — not when you come home.
No long kennel quarantine
Returning residents' pets aren't held in a government kennel. The AQCS officer examines your pet on arrival and, if documents and health are in order, clears them to go home with you — typically the same day.
Based on India's AQCS / CBIC rules. Requirements change and vary by route — we confirm the current detail for your exact move.
Which path are you on?
Three ways a pet comes into India
Your eligibility decides your paperwork. Most families moving back to live in India come in under the baggage rule — here's how to tell which one is yours.
Transfer of residence (baggage rule)
Indian citizens · OCI holders · work-visa expats
You're moving back to live in India after at least two years abroad. Up to two pets, and no DGFT licence needed — your pet comes in as accompanied baggage.
We confirm and handle itDGFT licence
Under two years abroad · short stay · cargo-only
You've been abroad under two years, you're coming for a short stay, or your pet isn't travelling as baggage. A DGFT import authorisation is required first — we prepare and file it.
We file it for youRe-import
A pet that originally left India
Your pet first travelled out of India with you. They return under re-import, using their earlier Indian health records to confirm identity.
We handle the recordsNot sure which is yours? We confirm your path before a single document is filed.
End to end
Everything your pet's return needs — one team
AQCS no-objection certificate
Prepared and filed in advance, so your pet can board.
Document & vaccination check
Every record matched to India's rules before it counts.
India-format health certificate
Coordinated with your origin-country government vet.
Airline booking & routing
The right carrier and route into a pet-equipped port.
IATA-compliant crate
Sized to your pet, sourced and prepared for travel.
Pre-flight handling at origin
A trained handler stays with your pet through check-in.
Arrival clearance
Your pet received and cleared at the quarantine station.
WhatsApp updates
The whole way — often with a photo on landing.
One point of contact
One person who owns your move, start to finish.
No boarding, no middlemen — pet relocation is all we do.
How it works
Your pet's journey home, in five steps
Plan it together
A WhatsApp chat or a call to map your route, timeline and your pet's needs.
Documents & vaccinations
We check microchip, rabies and core vaccines against India's rules and flag anything to update.
AQCS NOC filed
We prepare and file your no-objection certificate before you fly — without it, your pet can't board.
Travel-ready
An IATA-compliant crate, sized to your pet, and pre-flight handling at the origin airport.
Land & clear customs
Your pet is received and cleared at the quarantine station, and comes home with you.
What India requires
The documents to bring your pet home
Under the baggage rule, the list is shorter than most people fear — and notably, there's no antibody test. Here's the core.
ISO microchip
A 15-digit ISO microchip, in place before the rabies vaccination, identifies your pet throughout the journey.
Rabies & core vaccines
Rabies given more than 30 days before travel and within the last 12 months, plus core vaccines. India counts a 3-year vaccine as one year — so it must be current within 12 months.
Official health certificate
A government-endorsed health certificate from your origin country, on India's required format — Annexure 1.1.1 for dogs, 2.1.1 for cats.
Proof of transfer of residence
Documents showing at least two years' continuous stay abroad and your move to India. The exact set depends on whether you're an Indian citizen, OCI holder or work-visa expat.
AQCS no-objection certificate
Filed in advance and presented to the airline before departure; the matching copy travels fixed to the crate.
No rabies titer needed
Bringing a pet into India needs no FAVN/RNATT antibody test and no post-test wait — that requirement is for leaving India to a rabies-free country.
Rules shift by route and change over time — see your country's route guide or the full India pet import rules, and we confirm the current detail for your exact move. Pets enter through Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata or Kochi; up to two pets per person.
When to start
Coming home takes weeks, not months
The months-long antibody wait that defines leaving India doesn't apply on the way back. For most families a return takes about four to eight weeks to prepare — set by admin and your origin country's vet endorsement, not by a test you have to wait out.
~6–8 weeks out
Microchip in place, rabies and core vaccines current.
~3–4 weeks out
Route booked, crate sized, documents gathered.
~5–10 days out
Health certificate issued and endorsed, AQCS NOC filed.
Arrival day
Inspection and clearance at the quarantine station.
Allow longer if your pet's rabies vaccine needs renewing — that adds a 30-day wait before travel. Tell us your route and we'll map the exact dates around your flight.
Routes home
We bring pets home from 40+ countries
Airline partners
Flown by airlines that carry pets properly
We book the carrier that serves your origin-to-India route into one of India's seven pet-equipped ports — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata or Kochi. We never route pets on airlines that don't carry them.
Relocation stories
Families, reunited in India
"Zoey reached Bangalore safe and sound. Huge thanks to Manjeet and the FidoJet team — you made the whole thing so smooth, right from the London side. She's home, fed and already snoring on the couch."
— Sneha Shetty, returned from London
"Rusty landed in Delhi last night and cleared everything at the airport without any hassle. What I really valued is that the quote at the start was exactly what I ended up paying — no surprise charges midway, which I'd been warned to expect. Rohan replied fast every time I panicked at odd hours, time difference and all."
— Aditya Gupta, returned from New York
"Casper reached Mumbai, and what stayed with me was how you kept me in the loop the whole way — a message when he checked in at Dubai, one when he boarded, and a photo the second he was collected at cargo. Akash had the import permit, NOC and vaccination records ready well ahead, so there was zero drama at customs."
— Meghna Joshi, returned from Dubai
Common questions
Questions about coming home
Is there a rabies titer test (FAVN/RNATT) to bring my pet into India?
No. India does not require a rabies antibody titer for import — that test is only for export to rabies-free countries like the EU, UK and Australia. To come home, your pet needs a current rabies vaccination, given more than 30 days before travel and within the last 12 months, plus the standard health paperwork. There is no titer and no titer-driven waiting period.
Will my pet have to go into quarantine when we land in India?
For returning residents there is no long kennel quarantine. Your pet is examined by the Animal Quarantine officer on arrival and, in the normal case, cleared to go home with you the same day. A short observation period is only imposed in the rare event the inspecting vet has a specific concern.
How many pets can I bring back with me?
Up to two pets, dogs or cats, per passenger under the baggage and Transfer of Residence route. More than two, or pets travelling separately from you, are imported under a DGFT licence instead.
How do I prove I have lived abroad for two years?
The Transfer of Residence route asks for evidence of at least two years of continuous residence abroad — usually your passport stamps, visa or residence permit, and supporting records such as employment or tenancy documents. We tell you exactly which documents your case needs before you travel, so nothing is missing at customs.
I am an OCI cardholder or foreign national moving to India. Can I still bring my pet?
Yes. Eligibility for the baggage route is based on your move and your time abroad, not your nationality, so OCI cardholders and foreign nationals relocating to India can bring pets the same way. Whether your case uses the Transfer of Residence route or a DGFT licence depends on your circumstances, which we confirm up front.
Which Indian airports can pets fly into?
Pets clear through one of seven animal-quarantine-equipped airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Kochi. We route your pet to the port that best serves your origin and your final city.
What is the AQCS NOC, and when is it arranged?
The NOC, or No Objection Certificate, is the import clearance issued by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service. It is filed ahead of travel and must be presented to the airline — without it your pet cannot be boarded — with a copy travelling on the crate. We handle the filing and the timing as part of the service.
What if I have been abroad for less than two years?
Then the baggage and Transfer of Residence route does not apply, and your pet is imported under a DGFT licence instead. It is a different paperwork path with the same outcome, and we manage the licence application for you.
My pet originally left India. Is that different?
Yes, that is a re-import, and it can draw on your pet's earlier Indian records — the microchip and vaccination history — alongside the export documents from your current country. We reconcile the old and new paperwork so the file is consistent.
Can my pet travel in the cabin, or is it always cargo?
It depends on the airline, the route and your pet's size. Most pets returning to India travel as manifest cargo in a pressurised, temperature-controlled hold inside an IATA-compliant crate, while some carriers allow small dogs and cats in-cabin on specific routes. We book whichever your chosen airline genuinely allows for your route.
Still have a question? Get a free quote and we'll answer it for your exact move.
Coming home
Let's bring your pet home
Tell us where you're moving from and when. We'll map the documents, file the AQCS NOC, and handle clearance on arrival — so the only thing left for you is the reunion at the airport.
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