Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Australia → the United Arab Emirates
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
How early to start
2 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
2 weeks
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Australia is in the group “On MOCCAE's low-risk list — no rabies titer test” in the United Arab Emirates’s published list.See every group
Headlines for the United Arab Emirates
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Import permit needed
What your dog needs
Dogs
Permit
UAE import permit
Apply online on the MOCCAE website before your pet travels (AED 200 per animal). It's issued in 1 working day and is valid for 90 days — your pet can't enter on an expired permit.
Details and the official words
“validity of permit is 90 days. It is not allowed to import pets with an expired import permit”
Identification
Permanent microchip
Your pet needs a permanent microchip, and the number on the health certificate must match it.
Details and the official words
“The cats and dogs must be identified with a permanent microchip”
Age rule
Minimum age
From a low-risk country your pet must be at least 12 weeks old; from a high-risk country at least 15 weeks old.
Details and the official words
“the minimum age for importing from the high risk countries is not less than 15 weeks”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination
A valid rabies vaccination (per the vaccine maker's instructions), with the first dose given at 12 weeks old or older, recorded with vaccine name, maker, batch number and date.
Details and the official words
“initial dose should not be applied before 12 weeks of animal age”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations
Dogs: distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis (or a lab test if your country doesn't vaccinate for it). Cats: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus.
Details and the official words
“Leptospirosis (Can be dispensed with and replaced by lab test in case that the exporting country does not apply vaccination)”
Treatment
Internal and external parasite treatment
Treat your pet for internal and external parasites within the 14 days before it's shipped, and have it recorded on the health certificate or passport.
Details and the official words
“The animal was received preventive doses for internal and external parasites during the 14 days prior to shipment”
Paperwork
Health certificate from your country's veterinary authority
An authorised health certificate issued by the competent veterinary authority of the country you're travelling from, with the microchip number.
Details and the official words
DAFF pre-export appointment: export permit and health certificate: At your pre-export appointment with DAFF's certifying veterinary officer (a pet transport company can go for you; some countries need DAFF to see your pet, in which case you bring it), DAFF checks all your documents and issues the export permit and health certificate. You pay at or before the appointment. Your pet must then leave Australia within 72 hours of the permit being issued.
“Authorized health certificate issued from the competent veterinary authorities.”
“This appointment must be before your appointment with our certifying veterinary officer.”
“Your animal must be exported from Australia within 72 hours after the permit is issued. This is a condition of the export permit.”
“Your export permit and health certificate will be issued when we are satisfied the:”
On arrival
Release on arrival (dog)
On arrival, apply for release with the customs declaration or bill of lading, vaccination record, health certificate (and titer certificate if needed). Your dog is inspected; the release fee is AED 500 per dog.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements are rejected at the owner's expense or confiscated.
“A customs declaration or bill of lading showing the delivery data”
Notice
Submit a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Export
Complete the NOI to Export Live Animals (other than Livestock) form with your supporting documents and email it to DAFF's regional office in your state or territory, at least 10 working days before departure (or before any pre-export isolation starts). Use the same form to book your pre-export appointment, and book the final vet exam at the same time. If the destination needs an import permit, send it with the NOI.
Details and the official words
If your destination requires pre-export isolation, the 10 working days run to the start of isolation, not to departure. Check the importing country's requirements for the isolation dates.
NOI approval doesn't guarantee DAFF will issue the export permit and health certificate.
“Email the NOI and documents to the regional office in the state or territory of departure. Do this at least 10 working days before the departure date or start of isolation.”
Vet exam
Final health and welfare exam with your registered vet
Your registered vet examines your pet and you both sign the pre-export veterinary health and welfare declaration. It must be within 72 hours of departure (or the period the importing country sets), and before your DAFF appointment.
Details and the official words
If the importing country sets a shorter or longer period, that period applies instead; check its requirements.
“This must be within 72 hours of departure, or a period set by the importing country.”
Good to know
- Banned in the UAE: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Bully Kutta, Presa Canario and Japanese Tosa (service, support and medical dogs excepted under the rules).
- DAFF says each country has its own health requirements, which can be complex and can change without notice. Get the importing country's requirements in writing (and an import permit if it needs one) and give them to your registered vet.
- Planning to bring your pet back to Australia? Contact DAFF's imports team before you export. Within 6 months of export, extra pre-export requirements may apply, and some animals can't be imported or returned under any circumstances.
- Your pet's crate must meet IATA standards, and your registered vet must inspect it before it is used. Some countries (including Fiji and Singapore) require the crate to be sealed; DAFF provides the seal.
- DAFF charges a fee to assess the Notice of Intention, a time-based fee to prepare the health certificate and a fee for the export permit. We don't show these amounts yet; see DAFF's charging guidelines.
What your cat needs
Cats
Permit
UAE import permit
Apply online on the MOCCAE website before your pet travels (AED 200 per animal). It's issued in 1 working day and is valid for 90 days — your pet can't enter on an expired permit.
Details and the official words
“validity of permit is 90 days. It is not allowed to import pets with an expired import permit”
Identification
Permanent microchip
Your pet needs a permanent microchip, and the number on the health certificate must match it.
Details and the official words
“The cats and dogs must be identified with a permanent microchip”
Age rule
Minimum age
From a low-risk country your pet must be at least 12 weeks old; from a high-risk country at least 15 weeks old.
Details and the official words
“the minimum age for importing from the high risk countries is not less than 15 weeks”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination
A valid rabies vaccination (per the vaccine maker's instructions), with the first dose given at 12 weeks old or older, recorded with vaccine name, maker, batch number and date.
Details and the official words
“initial dose should not be applied before 12 weeks of animal age”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations
Dogs: distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis (or a lab test if your country doesn't vaccinate for it). Cats: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus.
Details and the official words
“Leptospirosis (Can be dispensed with and replaced by lab test in case that the exporting country does not apply vaccination)”
Treatment
Internal and external parasite treatment
Treat your pet for internal and external parasites within the 14 days before it's shipped, and have it recorded on the health certificate or passport.
Details and the official words
“The animal was received preventive doses for internal and external parasites during the 14 days prior to shipment”
Paperwork
Health certificate from your country's veterinary authority
An authorised health certificate issued by the competent veterinary authority of the country you're travelling from, with the microchip number.
Details and the official words
DAFF pre-export appointment: export permit and health certificate: At your pre-export appointment with DAFF's certifying veterinary officer (a pet transport company can go for you; some countries need DAFF to see your pet, in which case you bring it), DAFF checks all your documents and issues the export permit and health certificate. You pay at or before the appointment. Your pet must then leave Australia within 72 hours of the permit being issued.
“Authorized health certificate issued from the competent veterinary authorities.”
“This appointment must be before your appointment with our certifying veterinary officer.”
“Your animal must be exported from Australia within 72 hours after the permit is issued. This is a condition of the export permit.”
“Your export permit and health certificate will be issued when we are satisfied the:”
On arrival
Release on arrival (cat)
On arrival, apply for release with the customs declaration or bill of lading, vaccination record, health certificate (and titer certificate if needed). Your cat is inspected; the release fee is AED 250 per cat.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Pets that don't meet the requirements are rejected at the owner's expense or confiscated.
“A customs declaration or bill of lading showing the delivery data”
Notice
Submit a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Export
Complete the NOI to Export Live Animals (other than Livestock) form with your supporting documents and email it to DAFF's regional office in your state or territory, at least 10 working days before departure (or before any pre-export isolation starts). Use the same form to book your pre-export appointment, and book the final vet exam at the same time. If the destination needs an import permit, send it with the NOI.
Details and the official words
If your destination requires pre-export isolation, the 10 working days run to the start of isolation, not to departure. Check the importing country's requirements for the isolation dates.
NOI approval doesn't guarantee DAFF will issue the export permit and health certificate.
“Email the NOI and documents to the regional office in the state or territory of departure. Do this at least 10 working days before the departure date or start of isolation.”
Vet exam
Final health and welfare exam with your registered vet
Your registered vet examines your pet and you both sign the pre-export veterinary health and welfare declaration. It must be within 72 hours of departure (or the period the importing country sets), and before your DAFF appointment.
Details and the official words
If the importing country sets a shorter or longer period, that period applies instead; check its requirements.
“This must be within 72 hours of departure, or a period set by the importing country.”
Good to know
- DAFF says each country has its own health requirements, which can be complex and can change without notice. Get the importing country's requirements in writing (and an import permit if it needs one) and give them to your registered vet.
- Planning to bring your pet back to Australia? Contact DAFF's imports team before you export. Within 6 months of export, extra pre-export requirements may apply, and some animals can't be imported or returned under any circumstances.
- Your pet's crate must meet IATA standards, and your registered vet must inspect it before it is used. Some countries (including Fiji and Singapore) require the crate to be sealed; DAFF provides the seal.
- DAFF charges a fee to assess the Notice of Intention, a time-based fee to prepare the health certificate and a fee for the export permit. We don't show these amounts yet; see DAFF's charging guidelines.
Government fees we know of
- MOCCAE import permit200 AED (+200 per extra pet)
- MOCCAE release (dog)500 AED (+500 per extra pet)
- MOCCAE release (cat)250 AED (+250 per extra pet)
Vet, lab and courier costs are not included. The final amount can depend on how many tests or pets are on the certificate.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Australia to the United Arab Emirates?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into the United Arab Emirates?
Yes: Apply online on the MOCCAE website before your pet travels (AED 200 per animal).
Will my dog be quarantined in the United Arab Emirates?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet needs a permanent microchip, and the number on the health certificate must match it.