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Pawhopper

Pet travel route

Dog or cat from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia: the rules

Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 2 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: microchip or other approved identification, rabies vaccination, entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform) and original veterinary health certificate.

Rules checked up to 12 October 2026From 3 official pages

In short

Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Bahrain publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Bahrain describes the export health certificate for dogs and cats in a few lines of the ministry's 2024 services guide (in Arabic). It doesn't say how long before departure to apply or how long the certificate is valid. The destination decides what the certificate must say, so ask the Veterinary Quarantine Section early.

Limited official guidance. The authority for entering Saudi Arabia publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. MEWA's permit page lists only the conditions below. It does not mention a rabies blood test, quarantine or which origin countries are allowed, and MEWA's older printed pet-import guide is no longer online. Those rules may still exist, so ask MEWA (call 939) what applies to your route before you travel.

At a glance

How early to start (dogs)

2 weeks

whether or not your pet is already microchipped and vaccinated

Set by: Entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform) (apply at least 15 days before shipping)

The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.

On this route (dogs)

  • No rabies blood test
  • Import permit needed
  • No quarantine

How early to start (cats)

2 weeks

whether or not your pet is already microchipped and vaccinated

Set by: Entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform) (apply at least 15 days before shipping)

The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.

On this route (cats)

  • No rabies blood test
  • Import permit needed
  • No quarantine

Prefer a feed reader? Bahrain rule changes · Saudi Arabia rule changes

Bahrain → Saudi Arabia

What your pet needs

In the order you do them. Each step says whether Bahrain (leaving) or Saudi Arabia (entering) asks for it.

Dogs

  1. Get ready

    1. Age ruleEntering Saudi Arabia

      At least 4 months old

      Your pet must be at least four months old.

      Details and the official words

      The page doesn't say on which date the age is counted; we count it on the day your pet leaves.

      “The pet must be at least 4 months old”

    2. IdentificationEntering Saudi Arabia

      Microchip or other approved identification

      Your pet must be identified with an electronic microchip or another approved method.

      Details and the official words

      “Pets must be identified with an electronic microchip or another approved identification method.”

    3. VaccinationEntering Saudi Arabia

      Rabies vaccination

      A rabies vaccination certificate must travel with your pet. The vaccination must still have at least 6 months of validity left.

      Details and the official words

      The page doesn't say on which date the 6 months are counted; we count them from the arrival date. It also doesn't say how long after the shot your pet may travel.

      “The remaining validity period of the rabies vaccination must not be less than 6 months.”

  2. In the days before you travel

    1. PermitEntering Saudi Arabia

      Entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform)

      Apply online on the Naama platform at least 15 days before the shipping date (it takes 5–7 days and is free). The permit is valid for 30 days from issue, and your pet must enter through the port named in it.

      Details and the official words

      “The request must be submitted at least 15 days before the shipping date”

      “The permit is valid for 30 days from the issuance date”

    2. PaperworkBahrain and Saudi Arabia

      Original veterinary health certificate

      Your pet must travel with the original veterinary health certificate issued by the competent authorities in your country, plus the rabies vaccination certificate. You upload copies of both (and the vaccination record) with the permit application.

      Details and the official words

      The page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be.

      Export health certificate from the Veterinary Quarantine Section: Go in person to the ministry's Veterinary Quarantine Section with your dog or cat and say which country it is going to. Bring the destination country's import permit and your pet's original vaccination booklet. A vet examines your pet and issues the health certificate once satisfied that it is healthy for export. The fee is 5 Bahraini dinars for a personal export.

      The guide lists the destination's import permit as a required document. If your destination doesn't issue import permits, ask the section what to bring instead.

      “The pet must be accompanied by the original veterinary health certificate issued by the competent authorities and a rabies vaccination certificate (or for any other required diseases).”

      “شهادة صحية للتصدير (طيور /كلاب/ قطط)”

      “يجب الحضور الشخصي أو حضور ممثل عن الشركة لتقديم الطلب لشهادة صحية للتصدير مع إحضار الكلاب والقطط والطيور المراد تصدريها وتحديد الدولة المراد التصدير لها”

      “يجب إحضار تصريح الإستيراد”

      “معاينة الكلاب والقطط وفحص الطيور”

      “يتم إصدار الشهادة الصحية بعد التأكد من صحة الحيوانات لتصديرها من قبل الطبيب البيطري وتحصيل الرسوم المطلوبة على ذلك”

      “تصريح الإستيراد من الدولة المستوردة”

      “دفتر التطعيمات الأصلي للقط أو الكلب”

      “5 دينار للشخصي”

Good to know

  • The person applying for the permit must be at least 21 years old for a dog and at least 18 for a cat.
  • Banned in Saudi Arabia, pure or mixed: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Boxer, Mastiff, Tosa, Bulldog and Perro de Presa Canario. Dogs must belong to a breed that is allowed.

Cats

  1. Get ready

    1. Age ruleEntering Saudi Arabia

      At least 4 months old

      Your pet must be at least four months old.

      Details and the official words

      The page doesn't say on which date the age is counted; we count it on the day your pet leaves.

      “The pet must be at least 4 months old”

    2. IdentificationEntering Saudi Arabia

      Microchip or other approved identification

      Your pet must be identified with an electronic microchip or another approved method.

      Details and the official words

      “Pets must be identified with an electronic microchip or another approved identification method.”

    3. VaccinationEntering Saudi Arabia

      Rabies vaccination

      A rabies vaccination certificate must travel with your pet. The vaccination must still have at least 6 months of validity left.

      Details and the official words

      The page doesn't say on which date the 6 months are counted; we count them from the arrival date. It also doesn't say how long after the shot your pet may travel.

      “The remaining validity period of the rabies vaccination must not be less than 6 months.”

  2. In the days before you travel

    1. PermitEntering Saudi Arabia

      Entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform)

      Apply online on the Naama platform at least 15 days before the shipping date (it takes 5–7 days and is free). The permit is valid for 30 days from issue, and your pet must enter through the port named in it.

      Details and the official words

      “The request must be submitted at least 15 days before the shipping date”

      “The permit is valid for 30 days from the issuance date”

    2. PaperworkBahrain and Saudi Arabia

      Original veterinary health certificate

      Your pet must travel with the original veterinary health certificate issued by the competent authorities in your country, plus the rabies vaccination certificate. You upload copies of both (and the vaccination record) with the permit application.

      Details and the official words

      The page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be.

      Export health certificate from the Veterinary Quarantine Section: Go in person to the ministry's Veterinary Quarantine Section with your dog or cat and say which country it is going to. Bring the destination country's import permit and your pet's original vaccination booklet. A vet examines your pet and issues the health certificate once satisfied that it is healthy for export. The fee is 5 Bahraini dinars for a personal export.

      The guide lists the destination's import permit as a required document. If your destination doesn't issue import permits, ask the section what to bring instead.

      “The pet must be accompanied by the original veterinary health certificate issued by the competent authorities and a rabies vaccination certificate (or for any other required diseases).”

      “شهادة صحية للتصدير (طيور /كلاب/ قطط)”

      “يجب الحضور الشخصي أو حضور ممثل عن الشركة لتقديم الطلب لشهادة صحية للتصدير مع إحضار الكلاب والقطط والطيور المراد تصدريها وتحديد الدولة المراد التصدير لها”

      “يجب إحضار تصريح الإستيراد”

      “معاينة الكلاب والقطط وفحص الطيور”

      “يتم إصدار الشهادة الصحية بعد التأكد من صحة الحيوانات لتصديرها من قبل الطبيب البيطري وتحصيل الرسوم المطلوبة على ذلك”

      “تصريح الإستيراد من الدولة المستوردة”

      “دفتر التطعيمات الأصلي للقط أو الكلب”

      “5 دينار للشخصي”

Good to know

  • The person applying for the permit must be at least 21 years old for a dog and at least 18 for a cat.

Money

What it costs

Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Bahrain publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.

Government fees on this route

Government fees in total: 5 BHD (each currency separately)

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

We have no published vet or lab prices for Bahrain yet.

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Round trip

Coming back to Bahrain

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Bahrain (dogs).

The trip back asks for 7 steps: cat or dog import permit from the Veterinary Quarantine Section, vaccinations, including rabies, complete before the permit, rabies blood test (RANAT) certificate and original government health certificate and certificate of origin and more.

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Bahrain (cats).

The trip back asks for 7 steps: cat or dog import permit from the Veterinary Quarantine Section, vaccinations, including rabies, complete before the permit, rabies blood test (RANAT) certificate and original government health certificate and certificate of origin and more.

Every step from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain

Nearby routes

Other routes

Where this comes from

Official sources

Questions owners ask

Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia?

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 or cat into Saudi Arabia?

Yes: Apply online on the Naama platform at least 15 days before the shipping date (it takes 5–7 days and is free).

Will my dog or cat be quarantined in Saudi Arabia?

Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.

How early should I start preparing my pet for Bahrain to Saudi Arabia?

With nothing done yet, start at least 2 weeks ahead for a dog. The main steps: microchip or other approved identification, rabies vaccination, entry permit from MEWA (Naama platform) and original veterinary health certificate.

Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake

Read next

Turn this into dates for your pet

Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.

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