Flying from London to Dubai with your Pet

What documentation do I need to travel from London to Dubai?

Overview

Summary

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Check your pet's microchip and vaccination requirements (see below or here).
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Apply for a Dubai Pet Import Permit on the MOCCAE website.
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Apply for an Export Health Certificate (EHC) online, verified by DEFRA.
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24 hours before flying, your pet must attend one last pre-travel appointment with an Official Veterinarian (OV) or Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI).
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Upon arrival in Dubai, your pet will receive a visual examination and be free to go – no quarantine periods needed.

Conditions

General Conditions

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You are allowed to travel with a maximum of 2 companion animals per person per year, except for resident companion animals returning to UAE.
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Cats and dogs must be identified with a permanent microchip; which must match the chip number in your pet's health certificate.
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The minimum age of pets travelling from the UK to Dubai is 12 weeks.
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Cats and dogs must be shipped directly from the UK to the UAE. In cases where another country is crossed, pets must not mix with other pets during transit.
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Animal welfare legislation and standards must be taken into consideration.
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To fly Bengal and Serval cats, a pedigree certificate (fifth generation) must be provided, for both individuals and commercial companies.

Requirements

You will need

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An Import permit, issued prior to travel through the MOCCAE website. These permits are valid for 90 days. It is not possible to import pets with an expired import permit.
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A permanent microchip for your cat or dog, which matches the chip number on their health certificate.
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  Microchips should normally comply with ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO Standard 11785.
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  If an alternative type of microchip is to be used, prior notification must be obtained.
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  If permission is granted in these cases, the owner/agent will be responsible for ensuring that a suitable reader is available at the point of entry.
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A vaccination document or passport, which must include:
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  Your pet's microchip number.
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  A full animal description (species, colour, sex, date of birth).
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  All vaccination requirements, including:
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    Vaccine name.
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    Manufacturing company.
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    Batch number.
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    Vaccination date.
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  Any vaccinations issued should be done at an age of no less than 12 weeks.
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  The validity of vaccines will be in accordance with the manufacturing company.
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An authorised Export Health Certificate (3926EHC), issued by the UK government-approved veterinary authority (DEFRA).
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  Register for your pet's EHC on the gov.uk portal here.
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  As part of the EHC requirements, take your pet for a clinical examination within 24 hours before flying. This must be done with an Official Veterinarian.
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  Your EHC will then be valid for 10 days.
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  Find out about the requirements for export on the gov.uk website here: guidance notes.
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  Download the specimen certificate you will need here: Export Cats and Dogs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE): 3926EHC version 8.

Guidance

Further Recommendations

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How to comply with the 24-hour pre-flight pet examination:
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  You must get an Official Veterinarian to sign off on your export form.
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  Find the UK's list of verified OVs here.
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  These are registered professionals who are able to sign export health certificates.
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  UK OVs typically date the certificate but do not always include a precise time.
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  In practice, this means the appointment should be on the same day as the flight, or the afternoon/evening before for an early morning flight.
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Vaccination requirements for dogs:
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  Preventive doses for internal and external parasites – received within 14 days of travelling. This must be stated in the health certificate or the passport of the animal.
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  Rabies – a valid vaccination applied according to instruction of the vaccine manufacturer.
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    The initial dose should not be applied before 12 weeks of animal age.
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    If your pet is getting vaccinated for the first time, or if there is a discontinuity in the vaccination schedule, a period of not less than 21 days must pass from the Rabies vaccination.
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    If your pet has a valid booster vaccination, the 21-day interval period is not required, and the test can be done directly.
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    The validity of the Rabies Testing certificate is 365 days, provided the rabies vaccine is valid, and no booster dose has been given; otherwise, the test should be repeated.
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    For dogs arriving directly from the UK, a rabies titer test is not required because the UK is classified as a "low-risk" country.
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  Canine Distemper Virus (CDV).
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  Canine Parvo Virus.
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  Infectious Canine Hepatitis.
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  Leptospirosis (can be dispensed with and replaced by lab test in case that the exporting country does not apply vaccination).

Need further assistance? Speak to a member of our team.