Pet travel to United Arab Emirates from Great Britain
Taking a dog or cat to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or elsewhere in the UAE? Plan the import permit, vaccinations, export certificate, final examination and arrival.
Coordinate the permit, certificate and flight
A move to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or another part of the UAE needs the import permission, veterinary preparation and transport booking to agree with one another. The final examination is particularly time-sensitive, so start with a coordinated plan rather than arranging each element independently.
This guide covers dogs and cats being prepared in Great Britain. Share the animal's age, breed or type, microchip, vaccination history and previous countries of residence before choosing a flight. A pet arriving from Britain after recent travel elsewhere may need more assessment than a straightforward UK-resident pet.
Check eligibility before paying for transport
The current UK export certificate, EHC 3926, includes a minimum age of 15 weeks at export and restrictions on specified dog breeds and their crosses. Check the exact current list against your dog's type before making a non-refundable booking.
A breed description on a rescue record may need clarification if the ancestry is uncertain. The airline can also have its own breed or welfare restrictions. Being accepted by one party does not prove acceptance by the other.
Give the receiving address and importer details to the team early. If travelling with several animals, check the current personal-import limits and whether any returning-resident provisions apply. Do not assume every family pet can be included under one person's permit arrangement.
Obtain the UAE import permit
MOCCAE's pet-import service issues an import permit, currently described as valid for 90 days from issue, followed by examination and release at the entry port. Obtain the permission before the animal travels and check the details and expiry on the actual permit.
Compare the microchip number, species, owner or importer and destination details with the veterinary records. Keep the permit available for the certifying vet and transport provider; a pending application is not the same as an issued permit.
Check the animal's country history against the conditions attached to the permit, including any rabies-test requirement. Do not borrow a high-risk-country checklist for a straightforward UK route, or assume a UK departure erases earlier residence elsewhere.
Vaccinations need a complete record
EHC 3926 requires the relevant rabies evidence and species-specific vaccinations. For dogs, its schedule covers distemper, parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis alongside rabies. For cats, it covers panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus alongside rabies.
The initial rabies vaccination must have been given at an eligible age, at least 12 weeks, and more than 21 days before export under the current certificate wording. Ask the vet to calculate the eligible date rather than treating 'three weeks' as a loose estimate.
Send the full vaccination history, including product, manufacturer, batch, administration and expiry details where recorded. If a booster or primary course is incomplete, resolve it early enough for the vaccine and certificate conditions to be met.
The final examination has a 24-hour window
The current UK certificate requires the dog or cat to be examined within 24 hours of export. That is a different clock from the certificate's stated ten-day validity. The longer validity does not allow the clinical examination to be booked a week before departure.
Schedule the appointment against the confirmed export time, with the Official Veterinarian and transport provider using the same itinerary. For an early flight or a weekend departure, establish who can complete the examination and certification before committing to the booking.
If the flight is delayed or moved, contact the certifying vet promptly to check whether the examination or paperwork must be repeated. Do not amend the certificate yourself or assume that an airline change automatically extends its conditions.
Parasite treatment and the appointment sequence
The current EHC requires specified internal and external parasite treatments less than 14 days before shipping. The vet must select an appropriate, species-safe product that meets the certificate wording and record the evidence needed for signing.
Do not choose a product solely from an online list, especially when travelling with both a dog and a cat. Products suitable for dogs may be unsafe for cats. Send any recent treatment history to the vet so the correct plan can be made.
A useful sequence is: resolve eligibility and vaccinations; obtain the import permit and pet booking; arrange the compliant parasite treatment; then complete the final examination and certification in the required window. Keep every date on one checklist.
The document pack to prepare
Gather the issued import permit, microchip evidence, complete vaccination records, parasite-treatment details, owner and importer information, destination address and confirmed flight or air waybill details.
APHA lists EHC 3926 for UK dog and cat exports to the UAE. The Official Veterinarian needs the current certificate and supporting evidence, not simply a form downloaded and completed by the owner. Send the records in advance so missing information can be resolved before the final 24-hour period.
Keep originals and clear backups in the places specified by the carrier. Check who carries or attaches the documents when the pet travels as cargo, and make sure the receiving handler has a readable set before arrival.
Choose the transport arrangement explicitly
Do not assume the pet can travel in the cabin because another airline or another country allows it. Confirm the precise arrangement with the operating carrier, including cargo handling, the accepted crate, check-in location and the UAE arrival point.
Ask about temperature-related or seasonal restrictions and how the pet is cared for during any connection. A long layover can affect both welfare planning and the documentary route, so get the complete itinerary checked before accepting it.
Agree who will arrange entry inspection and release, who pays local handling charges and who is authorised to collect the animal. Have a contact number that will work on arrival, rather than relying only on a British number with uncertain roaming.
After arrival: plan a calm first day
Allow time for official checks and release before making onward plans. Arrange suitable transport to the accommodation and a secure, comfortable place for the animal to settle. Avoid scheduling the collection around an immediate onward commitment.
For a relocation, confirm the property's pet policy before signing or arriving. Check local registration and veterinary arrangements, and make a plan for walking and transport that suits the climate and your pet's needs.
Keep the full travel pack after clearance. It will help a local vet understand the vaccination history and can be important when preparing a future export or return journey.
Returning to Great Britain from the UAE
For a qualifying return from the UAE, Great Britain's listed-country pathway applies. A rabies antibody blood test is not routinely required for that straightforward route, but identification, valid rabies preparation and accepted return documents remain necessary.
Arrange the UAE export formalities and the appropriate Great Britain health certification before the return flight. The outward EHC and import permit should not be assumed to serve as the return paperwork.
Dogs normally need a vet-administered tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival in Britain. Include the full flight and transfer time when booking it. Disclose any additional country visited during the stay so the return plan reflects the animal's actual history.
Keep the separate deadlines visible
A permit valid for 90 days, a certificate with ten-day validity, a final examination within 24 hours and parasite treatment within its own window are different requirements. Meeting one does not extend the others.
The most useful final check is a single comparison of the permit, certificate, veterinary records and itinerary. Any disagreement in identity, timing or destination should be resolved before handover to the airline.
UAE pet travel: common questions
Is an import permit needed as well as an EHC?
Yes, the ordinary UAE pet-import pathway uses prior import permission alongside the appropriate veterinary documentation. Have the issued permit checked before the final certification appointment.
Can I have the health examination a week before flying?
The current UK EHC requires the examination within 24 hours of export. Its stated ten-day validity does not replace that examination deadline.
Are all dog breeds accepted?
No. The current certificate includes prohibited breeds and crosses, and airlines may impose further restrictions. Check the exact dog type early rather than relying on a generic breed description.
Does travelling from Britain automatically remove a rabies blood-test requirement?
The UK route and the animal's history must be assessed against the current permit conditions. Tell the team about previous residence or travel elsewhere instead of assuming the final departure airport determines every rule.
Plan your paperwork with TPPC
For help with your UAE travel paperwork, send The Pet Passport Co. your proposed dates, full route, pet details and available veterinary records. Include any import permit, previous overseas residence and whether you are planning to return to Britain.
Ask for the relevant pathway and appointment availability to be confirmed before committing to a tightly timed flight. The aim is a clear preparation plan, with the right evidence ready for certification.
Ask us about your pet's journey
Official sources and review date
Guidance checked on 11 October 2026. Requirements can change; the current official conditions, individual permit where applicable and transport operator's rules should be checked again for your travel date.