How to bring a pet from India to the UK?

Moving from India to the UK, and want to bring your pet with you? It is possible, but there are some key steps you’ll need to follow. And of course, you’ll need to complete some paperwork.

In this guide, we’ll run through all you need to know about pet transport from India to the UK. This includes requirements for pet passports, health certificates, microchips and vaccinations.

Of course, there will inevitably be expenses involved in transporting dogs, cats and other animals between countries. Get yourself a Wise card and you can easily cover these costs in multiple currencies, for low fees and fair exchange rates.

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

How to bring a pet from India to the UK?

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow to bring your pet over to the UK:¹

1. Get a Great Britain pet health certificate² (more on this later)
2. Get your pet microchipped
3. Get your pet vaccinated against rabies
4. For dogs, you’ll also need to arrange tapeworm treatment
5. Get a pet health certificate from your vet just before you travel.
6. Arrange transport through an approved route - there are only certain airlines and airports you can use to bring pets into the UK.
7. Once you arrive in the UK, you’ll need to wait for your pet to clear customs before collecting it (or arranging for someone else to collect it for you).

Rules for microchips and vaccinations

All pets coming to the UK will need to be microchipped, and vaccinated against rabies. This should ideally be done at the same time, or you’ll need to make sure you get the microchipping done before the vaccination.³

Microchipping can only be done by a vet, or a veterinary nurse or student vet under the supervision of a vet. Microchips need to meet ISO standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 so that they can be read by UK customs officials.⁴

For rabies vaccinations, this can only be carried out on pets that are at least 12 weeks old.³

India is not on the list of Part 1 or Part 2 listed countries who can bring pets to the UK with fewer requirements. So, here are the special rules that apply for vaccinations:³

• Pets must have blood tests carried out at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, and the sample sent to an EU-approved laboratory
• The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful
• You have to wait 3 months before your pet can travel.

Do you need a pet passport travelling from India to the UK?

Pet passports are issued by authorised vets, and list the treatments a particular animal has had (e.g. vaccination records). They’re used for pet transport to the UK from certain ‘Part 1’ listed countries, including those in the EU.

India isn’t on this list, which means that you won’t be able to get a pet passport from India to the UK. Instead, you’ll need a Great Britain pet health certificate.²

You can get one from a vet, and your pet must arrive in the UK no more than 10 days after it has been issued.⁵

What does the export procedure look like from India to the UK?

Everything we’ve covered so far applies only to dogs, cats and ferrets. If you want to bring another animal into the UK, you’ll need to follow import and export procedures.

To export your pet out of India, you may need to provide the following:⁶

• A ‘fit to fly’ veterinary health certificate
• A microchip certificate
• Vaccination records for the last year
• Your passport
• Details of travel, including your air ticket (and airway bill if the animal is going through cargo)
• Postcard size photographs of your pet.

To import your pet into the UK, here’s what you need to know:⁷

• Pet rabbits and rodents must be put into quarantine after arriving in the UK. You’ll also need to get a rabies import licence for each animal.
• Pet reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates can usually be imported without the need for a health certificate. However, you must provide a signed declaration from the pet owner that the animal is healthy and not for sale.
• There are separate rules for pet birds (which can only be imported from certain approved countries), endangered species and non-native species.

How long is pet quarantine in the UK?

If your pet needs to be put into quarantine upon arriving in the UK, it’s usually for up to 4 months.⁷

How to manage transport for your pet from India to the UK

Got all your paperwork sorted and are now ready to move to the UK from India? Now it’s time to think about how you’ll actually transport your pet from India to the UK.

Some countries can choose from sea freight as well as air travel. However, pets coming from India will need to come by air.

Which airlines allow pets from India to the UK?

Pets can only travel into the UK through approved airlines, arriving at approved airports, which are:⁸

• British Airways - arriving at London Heathrow or London Gatwick
• Virgin Atlantic Airways - arriving at London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Manchester.

However, it’s worth noting that Virgin Atlantic Airways has paused its pet service until further notice.

British Airways works with a sister company, IAG Cargo, to transport pets to the UK.

Are pets allowed in-cabin?

For both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways (when its pet service is available), pets must be booked to travel in the hold. They won’t be able to travel with you in the cabin. The only exception to this are recognised service dogs.⁹

How much does it cost to bring a pet from India?

Like with costs of moving from India to the UK, there are fees involved in transporting a pet from India to the UK. You’ll need to pay for microchipping and vaccinations (if needed), along with getting a health certificate issued by a vet.

And then there’s the cost of travel, as you’ll usually need to pay to book your pet onto a flight. Additional costs may include quarantine and customs charges.

Speaking very generally, the typical cost of moving a pet abroad is anywhere between £500 and £1,500 (roughly 50,000 INR - 150,000 INR) for cats. Average costs increase to between £1,000 and £4,000 (roughly 100,000 INR - 400,000 INR) for dogs.¹⁰

Some of these costs will need to be paid in INR, others in GBP. The easiest and most cost-effective way to cover all pet transport expenses is opening a Wise account.

You can send money between the UK and India whenever you need to with low, transparent fees and a fair mid-market exchange rate. You can also get an international Wise debit card, which is ideal for multi-currency payments both online and in person.

Sign up with Wise

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

After reading this, you should be all clued up on how to bring a pet from India to the UK. We’ve covered pet health certificates, microchipping, vaccinations, approved routes, quarantine and much more.

There’s quite a bit to do, but it’ll all be worth it when your furry friend joins you here in the UK. Good luck!

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 03-Mar-2023