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Bringing Food, Plants, and Animals

Bringing Food, Plants, and Animals into Mexico

Official Guidelines from the Mexican Government
National Health Services of Mexico (SENASICA) has guidelines on what is allowed and what is prohibited to bring across the border. The following is an overview of those items. Detailed information can be found on the SENASICA website. Download SENASICA's PDF for more information on permitted and prohibited items.
Allowed Imports
Allowed imports may be brought in quantities for personal consumption if they are no risk of introducing a pest or disease. They are subject to inspection
Vegetables, Their Products and By-Products
  • Peeled almonds and hazelnuts
  • Roasted coffee
  • Pelletized cereals
  • Spices: vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, mace, amomum varieties, cardamom varieties, aniseed, coriander, fennel, ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry, etc.
  • Dehydrated fruits (seedless)
  • Cereal, oilseed and legume flours
  • Medicinal herbs (only dried)
  • Dehydrated vegetables
  • Ilkin palm tree seeds
  • Seedless cashews and walnuts
  • Dried pistachios (salted)
  • Dehydrated tobacco
  • Dried mate
Animal Products and By-Products for Human Consumption
  • Aged cheese
  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Yoghurt
  • Pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized liquid milk
  • Condensed milk
  • Powered milk
  • Canned/packaged and labeled breastmilk substitute (infant formula)
  • Serrano ham or aged shoulders
  • Aged cured meats
  • Thermally processed poultry and pork cured meats packaged, labeled and sealed
  • Packaged and labeled dried beef
  • Turkey meats or smoked chicken
  • Canned bottled and labeled pate from any species
  • Wholly processed food preparations with meat content from any species (excluding ruminants) including any of the following consumables: eggs, honey and diary packaged and labeled products. For example: stuffed pasta, cheesecake, pates.
  • Natural bottled honey
Aquaculture Products
  • Frozen or iced fresh fish in any presentation
  • Dried, freeze dried, cooked or smoked fish in any presentation
  • Canned or bottled fish, labelled, indicating the type of fish, expiration or preferred consumption date
  • Fish products in other presentations (sauce, dry bone, crusts, etc.)
  • Squid, octopus, winkles, sea cucumbers and oysters, fresh in any presentation, frozen or iced
  • Dried, freeze dried, cooked or smoked squid, octopus, winkles, sea cucumbers and oysters
  • Squid, octopus, winkles, sea cucumbers and oysters in any other presentation (sauce, crusts, etc.)
  • Dry, brined or smoked oysters
  • All cooked crustaceans in any presentation (whole, tail, legs, etc.)
  • Seafood products in any other presentations (sauce, condiments, dressings, crust, etc.)
  • Combined raw and/or cooked seafood combos (seafood meals)
  • Fresh dried and brined seaweeds in any presentation
Products for Animal Consumption
  • Dry and humid, packaged and labeled balanced foods. No ruminant origen content.
  • Packaged and labeled animal sourced treats. No ruminant origen content.
Prohibited Imports
Prohibited imports are those at risk of introducing a pest or disease into Mexico and under no circumstances can be imported.
Vegetables, Their Products and By-Products
  • Land or Soil
  • Pots or items with Vegetable sourced content
  • Touristic entry of the below items is strictly prohibited if the importer does not meet the requirements set forth on the SENASICA website:
    • Propogation materials (seeds, bulbs, slips, buds, stakes, etc.)
    • Flowers, plants, fresh fruits and vegetables
    • Grains (corn, bean, rice, quinoa, wheat, sesame, sunflower, green bean, lentil, etc.)
    • Green coffee and tobacco
    • Fresh chestnuts
Animal Products and By-Products for Human Consumption
  • Fresh meat of any species
  • Balanced food for any species (except cats and dogs)
  • Balanced food for cats and dogs with bovine, ovine and/or caprine meat
  • Sandwiches, snacks, sub sandwiches, hamburgers, pizzas, etc. with meat and diary content without intact packaging or sanitary seal from the competent authority
  • The entry of wholly processed food preparations with bovine meat, such as meatballs, lasagna, ravioli, etc.
  • Pharmaceutical, chemical and biological products for animal use or consumption, or those products designed for therapeutic or research purposes
  • Fresh cheeses
  • Homemade or handmade products
  • Fried chicken
  • Untanned leather products
  • Pots or items with leather sources contents
  • Garments with animal bones, skin and feathers
  • Handicrafts made of carver or polished horns or bones
  • Hunting trophies
  • Any regulated animal species (except cat and dog)
  • Containers with animals or animal remains
  • Bull fighting, charro horsemanship and bull riding garments if they are stained with animal blood or remains of tissue
Aquaculture Products
  • Live, raw or dried crustaceans
  • Aquaculture products for animal consumption
  • Fish
  • Live turtles
  • Regulated aquatic sourced products in poor condition and/or decomposing and/or with the presence of larvae or insects

The above information is courtesy of SENASICA.

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