India Pet Import DGFT License 2026: What the "Commercial Track" Really Involves

Most guides describe the DGFT license as a second permit for temporary visitors — apply, wait about a month, get approved. That description undersells what’s actually happening. DGFT authorization isn’t a formality layered on top of a routine pet import; it’s India‘s commercial import track, the process reserved for pets that don’t qualify for the free, quarantine-optional path most relocating owners use. If you’ve been told this is a simple backup option, it’s worth resetting expectations before you spend two months and a non-refundable service fee finding out otherwise.

What DGFT Authorization Actually Is

The DGFT license is an import authorization issued by India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Functionally, it treats your pet the way India treats a restricted commercial import — subject to customs duty, with quarantine possible on arrival where AQCS requires it. It exists alongside the AQCS NOC, not instead of it: you need the DGFT authorization first, then apply for the NOC using a copy of it.

Who Actually Gets Routed Into This Track

You only need to consider DGFT authorization if you don’t fit either of the two non-commercial categories covered in our main regulations guide:

If you land in one of the top two rows, stop here and use the free path — everything below only applies once you’ve confirmed you genuinely need it. For short stays, DGFT’s own guidance is blunt: tourist imports of cats and dogs are generally not allowed, are examined case by case, and are approved only in rare cases.

The Real Odds: This Is Not a Guaranteed Approval

Here’s the part general guides consistently leave out. Based on direct experience working India-side applications: approval odds run close to even — not a formality, a genuine 50/50 decision made at the discretion of the DGFT officer and the reviewing department. Authorities may also inspect the space and living arrangements the pet will have once in India before signing off. And the service fee for preparing and filing the application is non-refundable, even if the license is denied.

This isn’t meant to discourage a genuine case — it’s meant to replace the “just fill out the form and wait” expectation with an accurate one. If your situation is borderline, talk to us before starting the process, not after paying for it.

The Application: Form ANF-2M

The license is applied for using Form ANF-2M through the DGFT online portal. You’ll need to specify importer/exporter details (you, on both sides), a description of the pet (species, breed, age, sex, microchip number), the port of import, the intended duration of stay, and a nominal value declaration. Leave no required field blank — incomplete forms are returned rather than queried, which restarts your timeline. For a short stay, the file also needs the local address and ID of a host, relative or family member in India who signs an undertaking to take legal responsibility if the pet is not taken back out. Applications filed on behalf of another person are rejected, so the owner applies in their own name.

What Happens After You Submit

1. DGFT forwards your application to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) for veterinary review.
2. DAHD issues its internal comment back to DGFT.
3. The case goes to an Exim Facilitation Committee (EFC) meeting — held roughly once a month, not on demand.
4. DGFT issues the license only after EFC sign-off.

There’s no expedited track for pet owners. Based on real cases, plan for the process to take 45–60 days, sometimes longer — closer to two months than the one month you’ll see quoted elsewhere.

What You’re Signing Up For If You’re Approved

• Possible quarantine at the port of entry — AQCS’s procedure for short stays under DGFT uses the same arrival inspection as other pets, but DGFT’s rules provide for quarantine where required, so keep a possible stay in your plan. See our quarantine guide for what that involves.
• Customs duty, calculated as a restricted commercial import rather than a personal-effects exemption.
• Single-use approval — the license covers one pet for one specific trip and can’t be reused for a future move, even to the same destination.

Practical Timeline

Build in real buffer — submit at least 10–12 weeks before any date you can’t move, and have a contingency plan if the license doesn’t come through in time.

What DGFT Authorization Does Not Do

It doesn’t waive the arrival inspection, and quarantine remains possible where required. It isn’t a substitute for the NOC — it’s the prerequisite for applying for one. And it doesn’t shortcut AQCS’s arrival inspection. It’s the first of two permits, not an easier alternative to the system most owners use.

Should You Actually Be on This Track?

Before starting a DGFT application, it’s worth double-checking you haven’t simply mis-read your own situation. Owners moving for a work assignment often assume they need DGFT because they associate “temporary” with “commercial” — but a valid work visa alone qualifies for the non-commercial NOC-only path, no two-year history required. Confirming the right track first is far cheaper than a non-refundable fee on the wrong one.