Cats in United Arab Emirates: rules and travel
Dog owners need a licence and must keep dogs on a lead in public, and dogs and cats are registered and microchipped through the emirate (Abu Dhabi registration is compulsory and free, Dubai charges a small fee). Bringing a pet in needs an online MOCCAE permit, a chip, rabies vaccination, usually a rabies antibody test, and entry as cargo.
Registration, licence tags, fees and public place rules are set by each emirate (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and others), while import rules and dangerous animal laws are federal.
Registration and microchip
Cats must be registered in the same way as dogs in Abu Dhabi (free, through TAMM) and Dubai (AED 10).[1]
Cats must be microchipped and registered. Dubai chip about AED 50 plus fees.[2]
Travelling to United Arab Emirates with a cat
An online import permit from MOCCAE is mandatory before travel (AED 200 per pet, valid 30 days per the ministry service steps) and a release permit on arrival (AED 500 per dog, AED 250 per cat). Pets need an ISO microchip, rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older and at least 21 days before travel, a vet certificate and parasite treatment within 14 days. A rabies antibody test is needed unless the country is on MOCCAE's low risk list. Maximum 2 pets per person.[3]
Same permit and release permit. Per a Canadian government certificate: 2 pets maximum, at least 15 weeks old, microchip, rabies vaccine 21 days before departure, antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml done within 365 days of arrival, parasite treatment within 14 days, a vet exam within 5 days and a certificate valid for 10 days.[4]
Required from countries not on MOCCAE's low risk list: at least 0.5 IU/ml from an accredited lab, valid for 365 days. If the vaccine was a first dose or lapsed, sample at least 21 days after vaccination.[3]
Not confirmed yet: Quarantine. We only show what an official or named source states.
Laws change: this is general information, not legal advice. The authority linked on each line has the final word.
Sources
- blog.wego.com/uae-pet-registration/ (secondary source)
- propertyfinder.ae/blog/pet-rules-dubai (secondary source)
- khaleejtimes.com/life-and-living/uae-travelling-with-a-pet-permit-process-vaccines-explain (secondary source)
- inspection.canada.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2026-06/United_Arab_Emirates_UAE_2839_d (official)