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Pet travel route

Dog or cat from Taiwan 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 13 October 2026From 7 official pages

Make my dated plan Reverse: Saudi Arabia → Taiwan

In short

Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Taiwan publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. APHIA's own pages (aphia.gov.tw) did not open from our network, so this is built from the law itself, in the Ministry of Agriculture's official English texts: the Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases (Art. 36), the regulations for animals carried by passengers and the quarantine fee regulations. They say when APHIA issues an export certificate and what you bring, but not where or how far ahead to apply, whether a vet's health certificate or other records are needed, or how long the inspection takes. Ask the APHIA branch at your airport of departure.

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)

  • Import permit needed

Part of this route is still under review, so we don’t say what it doesn’t need.

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)

  • Import permit needed

Part of this route is still under review, so we don’t say what it doesn’t need.

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

Taiwan → Saudi Arabia

What your pet needs

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

Dogs

Taking a dog or cat out of Taiwan (APHIA): we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.

  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. PaperworkTaiwan 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.

      APHIA export animal quarantine certificate (when your destination asks for one): Your destination asks for an official certificate, so apply to APHIA (Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency) for export quarantine: fill in the application form and show your passport, your ticket and other relevant documents (the law doesn't list them: ask APHIA). APHIA inspects your pet and, if it meets the requirements, issues the export animal quarantine certificate. Your pet may only leave once it has the certificate.

      The law doesn't say how far ahead to apply or how long the inspection takes. Ask the APHIA branch at your airport.

      “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).”

      “The quarantine objects may be exported only after they are inspected and certified as qualified by import/export animal quarantine authorities, and an export animal quarantine certificate is issued”

      “must complete the application form with the presence of passport, ticket and other relevant documents.”

      “Animal quarantine objects: Veterinary certificates must be issued by the import/ export animal quarantine authority”

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.
  • APHIA issues an export animal quarantine certificate for a pet when your destination's authority asks for Taiwan's certificate, and turns down applications otherwise. Check what your destination asks for before you apply.
  • A passenger taking up to 3 dogs and 3 cats pays no quarantine fee and no quarantine-label fee. APHIA charges NT$100 per application for computer processing unless you enter the application yourself, on the computer at the counter or online.
  • Planning to bring your pet back to Taiwan? Apply for Taiwan's import permit before your pet leaves. If it will stay somewhere that isn't on Taiwan's rabies-free list, have its rabies blood test done before it leaves Taiwan: coming back within one year of that sample, it can skip the post-entry quarantine.

Cats

Taking a dog or cat out of Taiwan (APHIA): we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.

  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. PaperworkTaiwan 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.

      APHIA export animal quarantine certificate (when your destination asks for one): Your destination asks for an official certificate, so apply to APHIA (Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency) for export quarantine: fill in the application form and show your passport, your ticket and other relevant documents (the law doesn't list them: ask APHIA). APHIA inspects your pet and, if it meets the requirements, issues the export animal quarantine certificate. Your pet may only leave once it has the certificate.

      The law doesn't say how far ahead to apply or how long the inspection takes. Ask the APHIA branch at your airport.

      “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).”

      “The quarantine objects may be exported only after they are inspected and certified as qualified by import/export animal quarantine authorities, and an export animal quarantine certificate is issued”

      “must complete the application form with the presence of passport, ticket and other relevant documents.”

      “Animal quarantine objects: Veterinary certificates must be issued by the import/ export animal quarantine authority”

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.
  • APHIA issues an export animal quarantine certificate for a pet when your destination's authority asks for Taiwan's certificate, and turns down applications otherwise. Check what your destination asks for before you apply.
  • A passenger taking up to 3 dogs and 3 cats pays no quarantine fee and no quarantine-label fee. APHIA charges NT$100 per application for computer processing unless you enter the application yourself, on the computer at the counter or online.
  • Planning to bring your pet back to Taiwan? Apply for Taiwan's import permit before your pet leaves. If it will stay somewhere that isn't on Taiwan's rabies-free list, have its rabies blood test done before it leaves Taiwan: coming back within one year of that sample, it can skip the post-entry quarantine.

Money

What it costs

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

Government fees on this route

  • Export quarantine fee for a pet travelling with youLeaving TaiwanFree

    Exempt for the number of pets a passenger is allowed to carry (fee regulation, Art. 7).

    “The quarantine fees shall be exempted for the following cases: 1. The articles are used for military purposes and accompanied with proof from military authorities. 2. The articles of imported food are used for military or official purposes and accompanied with proof from food administration authorities. 3. The allowed quantity of quarantine objects or regulated articles carried by passenger or crew serving on vehicles, vessels and aircrafts pursuant to the Regulations for Quarantine of Animal/Plant Regulated Articles Carried by Passengers and Service Personnel on Vehicles”

    Regulations Governing Fees for Animal and Plant Quarantine (English, amended 14 Nov 2025) · as of 2025-11-14

  • MEWA Pet Entry and Exit Permit (Naama)Entering Saudi ArabiaFree
    “5-7 Day Service Period Immediate Response Time Free Service Cost”

    Pet Entry and Exit Permit (Naama platform, Requirements tab) · as of 2026-10-13

May also apply, depending on your case

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

We have no published vet or lab prices for Taiwan 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 Taiwan

Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Taiwan.

The trip back asks for 10 steps: microchip, rabies vaccination (over 90 days old), rabies vaccination 30 days to 1 year before arrival and rabies blood test (at least 0.5 IU/ml) and more.

Every step from Saudi Arabia to Taiwan

Nearby routes

Other routes

Where this comes from

Official sources

Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.

Entering Saudi ArabiaLeaving TaiwanReport a mistakeGet rule-change alerts

Questions owners ask

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

We couldn't find this in our summary of the rules, but that summary is short and still under review. Ask the official authority before you rely on it.

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?

We couldn't find this in our summary of the rules, but that summary is short and still under review. Ask the official authority before you rely on it.

How early should I start preparing my pet for Taiwan 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

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