Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from the United Arab Emirates → Saudi Arabia
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 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.
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.
Headlines for Saudi Arabia
- Import permit needed
What your dog needs
Dogs
Identification
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.”
Age rule
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”
Vaccination
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.”
Paperwork
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.
MOCCAE veterinary health certificate: Register in MOCCAE's digital services system, fill in the electronic form, pay (AED 100 for up to 2 pets for personal use), then your pet has a physical examination (and lab tests if the destination needs them). The certificate is issued electronically, usually in 1 working day, and is valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
“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).”
“valid for 30 days from the date of issuance”
“The time to obtain the service : 1 working days”
Permit
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”
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.
- The UAE certificate only covers the UAE side. The importing country sets its own rules (tests, permits, timing): get them from its veterinary authority. MOCCAE asks for a copy of the importing country's import permit, except for companion animals, and for any extra test reports the importing country wants.
- This service is governed by Federal Law No. 6 of 2025 on Veterinary Quarantine. For questions, MOCCAE's call centre is 8003050.
What your cat needs
Cats
Identification
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.”
Age rule
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”
Vaccination
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.”
Paperwork
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.
MOCCAE veterinary health certificate: Register in MOCCAE's digital services system, fill in the electronic form, pay (AED 100 for up to 2 pets for personal use), then your pet has a physical examination (and lab tests if the destination needs them). The certificate is issued electronically, usually in 1 working day, and is valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
“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).”
“valid for 30 days from the date of issuance”
“The time to obtain the service : 1 working days”
Permit
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”
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.
- The UAE certificate only covers the UAE side. The importing country sets its own rules (tests, permits, timing): get them from its veterinary authority. MOCCAE asks for a copy of the importing country's import permit, except for companion animals, and for any extra test reports the importing country wants.
- This service is governed by Federal Law No. 6 of 2025 on Veterinary Quarantine. For questions, MOCCAE's call centre is 8003050.
Government fees we know of
- MOCCAE veterinary health certificate (export, personal pets)100 AED
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 the United Arab Emirates 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 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 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.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet must be identified with an electronic microchip or another approved method.