Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Germany → 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.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Germany publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Germany has no single national procedure: the certificate comes from the veterinary office (Veterinäramt) of your district or city, and deadlines and fees differ between offices. This file shows two official examples (the district of Munich and the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick). Ask your own office.
How early to start
3 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
1 day
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
Germany is in the group “Not on the low-risk list — rabies titer test needed” 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”
Blood test
Rabies blood test (titer)
Because your pet comes from a country the UAE treats as high-risk, it needs a rabies antibody test (at least 0.5 IU/ml) at a lab approved in the exporting country, done before shipping. After a first vaccination (or a lapse) wait at least 21 days before the test; after a valid booster it can be done straight away. The result is valid for 365 days — but a new booster means repeating the test. There's no waiting period after the test.
Details and the official words
Allow time for the lab result before you fly — the certificate (or the result on the health certificate) must travel with your pet.
“a period not less than 21 days must pass from vaccination against Rabies”
“The test result should not be less than (0.5 IU / ml)”
“The validity of the Rabies Testing certificate is 365 days, in a condition that the rabies vaccine is valid and continue and no booster dose was given”
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
Official health certificate (amtstierärztliche Gesundheitsbescheinigung) from your district's veterinary office: Send your veterinary office the completed application with the required documents (in Berlin's Treptow-Köpenick three to four weeks before the trip; in the district of Munich the application and a copy of the EU pet passport must arrive at least 3 working days before departure). Then you book an appointment: the pet must be brought in person, so the official vet can examine it and read its microchip. Bring the destination's own health-certificate form.
Deadlines and fees differ between offices (see the notice above): ask yours. The destination decides how recent the certificate must be.
“Authorized health certificate issued from the competent veterinary authorities.”
“Geforderte Bescheinigungen können von uns ausgestellt bzw. bestätigt werden.”
“Ihr vollständig ausgefüllter Antrag und die Kopie des EU-Heimtierausweises mindestens 3 Werktage vor Abfahrt bei uns im Veterinäramt vorliegen muss”
“Das Tier muss zum Termin mitgebracht werden, da es im Veterinäramt von einem Amtstierarzt untersucht werden muss und seine Identität durch das Ablesen des Mikrochip festgestellt werden muss.”
“übersenden Sie uns einfach das ausgefüllte und unterschriebene Antragsformular einschließlich der erforderlichen Unterlagen, drei bis vier Wochen vor der geplanten Reise.”
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”
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).
- The UAE only lists low-risk countries; everywhere else — including the USA, Canada, Germany, France and Italy — counts as high-risk, so a rabies blood test is needed.
- When you travel to a non-EU country, the rules of that country apply. As the owner you must find out the current rules yourself and in good time, for example from the embassy or consulate. The Berlin office says it cannot give information on other countries' entry rules.
- If the country you travel to, or your return to the EU, needs a rabies titer value, talk to your own vet about it.
- Fees depend on the office. In the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick the fee follows the time spent, from 41 to 615 euros, and covers the final check of all documents, preparing the health documents and the official vet's consultation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
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”
Blood test
Rabies blood test (titer)
Because your pet comes from a country the UAE treats as high-risk, it needs a rabies antibody test (at least 0.5 IU/ml) at a lab approved in the exporting country, done before shipping. After a first vaccination (or a lapse) wait at least 21 days before the test; after a valid booster it can be done straight away. The result is valid for 365 days — but a new booster means repeating the test. There's no waiting period after the test.
Details and the official words
Allow time for the lab result before you fly — the certificate (or the result on the health certificate) must travel with your pet.
“a period not less than 21 days must pass from vaccination against Rabies”
“The test result should not be less than (0.5 IU / ml)”
“The validity of the Rabies Testing certificate is 365 days, in a condition that the rabies vaccine is valid and continue and no booster dose was given”
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
Official health certificate (amtstierärztliche Gesundheitsbescheinigung) from your district's veterinary office: Send your veterinary office the completed application with the required documents (in Berlin's Treptow-Köpenick three to four weeks before the trip; in the district of Munich the application and a copy of the EU pet passport must arrive at least 3 working days before departure). Then you book an appointment: the pet must be brought in person, so the official vet can examine it and read its microchip. Bring the destination's own health-certificate form.
Deadlines and fees differ between offices (see the notice above): ask yours. The destination decides how recent the certificate must be.
“Authorized health certificate issued from the competent veterinary authorities.”
“Geforderte Bescheinigungen können von uns ausgestellt bzw. bestätigt werden.”
“Ihr vollständig ausgefüllter Antrag und die Kopie des EU-Heimtierausweises mindestens 3 Werktage vor Abfahrt bei uns im Veterinäramt vorliegen muss”
“Das Tier muss zum Termin mitgebracht werden, da es im Veterinäramt von einem Amtstierarzt untersucht werden muss und seine Identität durch das Ablesen des Mikrochip festgestellt werden muss.”
“übersenden Sie uns einfach das ausgefüllte und unterschriebene Antragsformular einschließlich der erforderlichen Unterlagen, drei bis vier Wochen vor der geplanten Reise.”
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”
Good to know
- The UAE only lists low-risk countries; everywhere else — including the USA, Canada, Germany, France and Italy — counts as high-risk, so a rabies blood test is needed.
- When you travel to a non-EU country, the rules of that country apply. As the owner you must find out the current rules yourself and in good time, for example from the embassy or consulate. The Berlin office says it cannot give information on other countries' entry rules.
- If the country you travel to, or your return to the EU, needs a rabies titer value, talk to your own vet about it.
- Fees depend on the office. In the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick the fee follows the time spent, from 41 to 615 euros, and covers the final check of all documents, preparing the health documents and the official vet's consultation.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
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 Germany to the United Arab Emirates?
Yes: Because your pet comes from a country the UAE treats as high-risk, it needs a rabies antibody test (at least 0.5 IU/ml) at a lab approved in the exporting country, done before shipping.
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.