Are you a pet-owner that makes frequent trips to and from the UAE, or going to permanently move to the UAE? Or are you a resident looking to leave the UAE for good, and relocate to another country?
If any of these apply to you, you may want to know about the process of moving your beloved furry friend with you. There are different regulations to follow when importing and exporting pets.
Find out more about the documents you need to travel with your pet, the procedures to follow, vaccinations required and local conditions to follow for pets.
Importing pets into the UAE
If you are travelling to the UAE as an individual with a pet, you must follow these regulations.
What are the required documents?
- A customs declaration or bill of lading showing the delivery data
- A document of immunisations or a passport with the required data
- A certified health certificate issued by the competent veterinary authorities
- Import permit and release permit
- In the event of importation from a high-risk country, a laboratory test certificate should be attached to the antibody titration test for rabies. The test should be issued by a laboratory approved by the competent authorities of the State of export, and the result of the laboratory test may have to be included in the health certificate
- In the case of importation of resident animals, a copy of the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the ministry shall be required when the animal leaves the country
How do I obtain the import and release permits?
The import and relase permits are needed for importing pets into the UAE. Follow these steps to apply for the permits:
- Visit moccae.gov.ae
- Go to the ‘Our services’ tab, hover your cursor over ‘Service directory’ and click on ‘Export and import services’
- Go to ‘Import of pets (cats/dogs)’ and click on ‘Start service’
- Login with UAE Pass
- Fill out the electronic form
- Pay the fees online
For release permit, follow the same steps of filling the form, and paying the fees online. An examination of the pet will be conducted at the entry port to verify compliance with import permission.
The import and release permits will then be issued online. The import permit is valid for 30 days after issuance.
Fees
- Dh200 per head – Request permission to import cats and dogs
- Dh500 per head – Request to release dogs
- Dh250 per head – Request to release cats
Points to note when importing pets
- Individuals can import no more than 2 cats or 2 dogs or a dog and a cat annually, with the exception of the exit and entry of resident animals, provided that they are identified by a fixed microchip and the health requirements for import are fulfilled.
- Once the pets arrive at the entry port, they will be examined. This examination is needed to verify compliance with the import permission, conditions and necessary specifications.
- The import permit, valid for 30 days, must be issued through the MOCCAE website prior to importation.
- Cats and dogs will be shipped according to IATA conditions for pet animal transport.
- The cats and dogs must be identified with a permanent microchip, and the chip number in the health certificate needs to be the same as the one implanted in the animal.
- From low risk countries, the minimum age of an imported animal will be 12 weeks while the minimum age from high risk countries is 15 weeks.
- The vaccination should be done at an age not less than 12 weeks and the validity of the vaccine will be in accordance to the manufacturing company.
- The animal must have received preventive doses for internal and external parasites during the 14 days prior to shipment, and this must be stated in the health certificate or the passport of the animal.
- Consignments of cats and dogs will be shipped directly from the exporting country and if the consignment will cross any other country, it must not mix with other pet animals during transit.
- The validity of the rabies testing certificate is 365 days, if the rabies vaccine is valid and no booster dose was given.
Requirements for dogs and cats living in the UAE
There are certain regulations you must follow if you want to keep a pet in the UAE. In addition, dogs and cats residing in the UAE must meet the following entry and exit requirements:
- The animal must have obtained a veterinary health certificate from the ministry before leaving the country.
- The animal must be identified by microchip.
- The pet must have an authorised veterinary certificate issued by the competent authorities in the exporting country.
- The animal must be vaccinated against rabies before its departure from the UAE and this vaccination must be valid until its return. If the vaccination becomes invalid, the animal will be dealt with according to the conditions that apply to the first import of dogs and cats.
What are the required vaccinations?
The vaccination document or passport must include the animal microchip number, animal full description (species, colour, sex, date of birth) and fully meet all vaccination requirements. The certificate must also include vaccine name, manufacturing company, batch number, vaccination date.
Vaccinations for dogs
- Rabies – Initial dose should not be applied before 12 weeks of animal age. The vaccine applied must be valid, according to the instruction of vaccine manufacturer.
- Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
- Canine Parvo Virus
- Infectious Canine Hepatitis
- Leptospirosis – The vaccine can be dispensed with and replaced by lab test if the exporting country does not require vaccination.
Vaccinations for cats
- Rabies – Initial dose should not be applied before 12 weeks of animal age. The vaccine applied must be valid, according to the instruction of vaccine manufacturer.
- Feline Pan Leukcopenia
- Feline Rhinotracheitis
- Feline Calicivirus
Import from high risk countries for rabies
To import pets from countries considered to be at high risk for rabies, a certificate from an accredited laboratory in the exporting country is required. The certificate must contain information on the sampling date, date and test method and certify that the animal was subjected to an antibody titer test before shipment. The following guidelines must also be followed:
If the pet has been vaccinated for the first time or if vaccination has been discontinued, testing can only be performed at least 21 days after the rabies vaccination.
If the animal has received a valid booster vaccination, the 21-day interval after vaccination is not required and testing can be performed directly.
The test result must not be less than (0.5 IU/ml). The validity of the rabies test certificate is 365 days, provided the rabies vaccination is current and valid and no booster vaccination has been administered.
Low-risk countries
Below is a list of countries categorised as “low risk” for rabies:
- Australia
- Austria
- Andorra
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- French Polynesia
- Falkland Islands
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Liechtenstein
- Mauritius
- Malta
- Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Singapore
- San Marino
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- Vanuatu
- Netherlands
- Bulgaria
- Slovenia
- Palau
- Latvia
- Albania
- Croatia
- Maldives
- Spain (excluding Melilla)
- Cyprus
- Korea
- Montenegro
- Seychelles
- Suriname
- Micronesia
- Greece
- Marshall Islands
- Bahamas
- Lithuania
- Macedonia
Transit Procedures
When cargo transits the UAE on its way to another country, certain guidelines must be followed.
For dogs and cats passing through the country’s territory as transit cargo, a transit permit must be obtained in advance from the Ministry.
A veterinarian’s health certificate or vaccination certificate stating that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies is required.
An import permit (no objection) must be obtained from the importing country. 4,444 animals in transit are treated the same as imported animals in the classification of countries according to risk level.
If air transport is via the same airport or sea transport is via the same port, no transit permit is required and the animals must be isolated from all other animals.
Dog breeds that cannot be imported
The following dog breeds cannot be imported into the UAE:
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- American Bully, Brazilian Mastiff (Fila Brasiliero)
- Argentinian Mastiff (Dogo Argentino)
- Tibetan Mastiff
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- French Mastiff (Dogue de Bordeaux)
- Boerboel
- Bullmastiff
- Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff)
- Bully Kutta (Alangu Mastiff, Indian Mastiff)
- Perro De Presa Canario (Canary Mastiff)
- Japaneese tosa
- Presa Canario
These breeds can not be imported into the country, with the exception of those used as service animals, emotional support animals or “for medical purposes and in accordance with the regulating requirements,” according to the MOCCAE website.
Exporting a pet out of UAE
If you are leaving the UAE with a pet, then these are the requirements by the country. It is important to also note the import regulations issued by the concerned authorities in the country you are relocating to.
What are the required documents?
- Animal passport
- Vaccination booklet
- Veterinary health certificate
- A certificate of origin is needed for the consignment. Unless they are required from the importing country, the following consignments do not need the certificate of origin: animals of Gulf origin exported to the GCC countries, dogs, cats, and falcons
- A copy of the import or approval permit issued by the importing country, except for companion animals
- Any additional documents or test reports required by the importing country
You must go to the export port (e.g. airport) before 48 hours, for inspecting the animal and to issue the veterinary health certificate by the MOCCAE veterinarian, along with the required documents – animal passport, vaccination booklet, and any additional documents.
How do I obtain a veterinary health certificate?
The certificate is valid for 30 days after issuance. It is required for exporting or re-exporting pets. These are the steps to follow to issue a veterinary health certificate:
- Visit moccae.gov.ae
- Go to the ‘Our services’ tab, hover your cursor over ‘Service directory’ and click on ‘Export and import services’
- Go to ‘Request for a veterinary health certificate for exporting or re-exporting live animals’ and click on ‘Start service’
- Login with UAE Pass
- Fill out the electronic form
- Pay the fees online
- Conduct the physical examination and laboratory tests (if required)
The certificate will then be issued online.
Fees
- Dh400 – Request to issue a veterinary health certificate
- Dh100 – Request to issue a veterinary health certificate for an animal consignment not exceeding 2 animals for personal purposes