Before you move
Time
8 weeks to 6+ months lead time
Cost
AED 8,000 to 25,000+ all in, including flights
Difficulty
Hard
What to bring
An ISO 11784/11785 microchip, implanted before or on the day of the rabies shot
A MOCCAE import permit, applied for online before you fly
A government-endorsed veterinary health certificate from your origin country
Not needed: A cabin booking. Pets enter the UAE as manifest cargo, not in the cabin
Not needed: Quarantine, in the normal case. Complete paperwork means release the same day
Your options
IPATA-member pet relocation specialist
Permit, crate, cargo booking, and airport clearance handled end to end
AED 12,000 to 25,000+
Worth it here in a way it isn't everywhere. They know the MOCCAE portal, the titre-test timing, and the summer cargo embargoes, and a permit error at the airport is not something you can fix from the arrivals hall.
DIY permit plus airline cargo booking
You handle MOCCAE and the vet, the airline flies the pet
AED 5,000 to 12,000
Workable from a low-risk country where no blood test is involved, and cheaper. Much less forgiving from a high-risk country, where one mistimed vaccination costs you months.
Flying your pet in the cabin
What worked on your last move
Not available
Not an option into the UAE. Cats and dogs arrive as manifest cargo, with certified service dogs the only real exception. Any plan built on cabin travel has to be rebuilt.
Prices checked August 2026
Do it
- 1
Check the breed list before anything else
The UAE bans import of pit bull types, a long list of mastiffs including the Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Boerboel, Bullmastiff and Presa Canario, and the Japanese Tosa, plus crosses of them. Rottweilers, Dobermans and Boxers are not banned but are restricted and need registration and strict handling. Penalties for getting this wrong run into the tens of thousands of dirhams and confiscation of the dog.
- 2
Get the microchip and rabies order right, in that order
The ISO 11784/11785 chip must go in before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination. A vaccine given before the chip does not count and the clock restarts. The pet must be at least 12 weeks old at vaccination, and the shot must be at least 21 days before travel.
- 3
Find out whether your country needs a blood test
MOCCAE keeps a list of roughly 50 low-risk countries whose pets skip the blood test. Everywhere else is high risk and needs a rabies antibody titration (RNATT/FAVN) of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an approved lab, drawn at least 21 days after vaccination. This is the step that turns an 8-week move into a 6-month one, so confirm your country's category first.
- 4
Apply for the MOCCAE import permit and book cargo
The permit is applied for online before departure, costs around AED 200 per animal, and is issued against the health certificate and chip number. Book manifest cargo at the same time, and avoid high summer where you can, since heat embargoes close cargo to animals on many routes for months and snub-nosed breeds are often refused outright.
- 5
Budget for the release at the airport
On arrival the pet goes to the animal reception facility for inspection and a release fee, roughly AED 500 for a dog and AED 250 for a cat. With complete paperwork this is a same-day formality. With incomplete paperwork it is not, and the pet stays where it is until it is resolved.
Common questions
How many pets can I bring?
Two per person per year, so two cats, two dogs, or one of each. Returning resident animals are treated separately.
Will my pet go into quarantine?
Not in the normal case. With a valid permit, a matching chip number and a complete health certificate, the pet is inspected and released the same day. Quarantine and holding are what happen when the paperwork does not match the animal.
Can I do this at the same time as my own visa?
Yes, the pet's permit is separate from your residence visa and does not wait on it. But you will want somewhere to live first, because a lot of Dubai buildings and communities have their own pet rules on top of the national ones, and some towers do not allow dogs at all.
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Ternli app for Dubai.