Moving to a new country can be daunting, especially with pets. Luckily, importing them into the UAE is straightforward. Some documents, such as up-to-date vaccinations and import permits, are needed and it is advisable to use a pet relocation company if in doubt.
Here’s everything to know.
What are the requirements for importing pets into the UAE?
Paperwork must be filled out beforehand to bring an animal into the UAE. This includes a health certificate from a government-certified vet clinic, a certificate for all the vaccines received with their dates and an import permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
What is the typical cost?
The costs of transporting pets as cargo or accompanied baggage can vary from a few hundred dirhams to thousands. It depends on things such as where the animal is coming from and the size, but some airlines and specialist pet transport operators offer a door-to-door service.
"It is generally least expensive to bring small pets that can be carried as carry-on with you," says Amanda Hyden, founder of Abu Dhabi's Pet Sitting Company. "The price for that varies by airline but starts at $250 and can be as much as $1,500. Pets can only be carried in hand luggage to Abu Dhabi. Dubai only accepts imported pets as cargo."
For those in Dubai, pets can travel through Emirates SkyCargo to transport animals on its flights.
Emirates Pets Plus is the premium option, covering everything from initial pick-up to drop-off, including pet paperwork and welfare needs.
Pets can be checked in as accompanied baggage with a passenger and will be taken by porters to be transported in the climate-controlled hold of an aircraft. Ticket prices depend on the weight of the animal and flight duration.
However, Emirates does not allow pets to travel in the cabin except for guide dogs.
Etihad Airways imports pets with an option to do so in the cabin. It costs $1,500 or 215,000 Etihad miles to transport a cat or dog one-way in economy.
If travelling business or first class, an extra seat must be purchased in addition to the $1,500 fee. For animals to travel in flight, they must be at least 16 weeks old and weigh no more than 8kg including their carriers.
Etihad also offers transportation of pets through cargo, although costs also depend on where the animal is coming from and size.
What is the difference between manifest cargo and excess luggage?
Depending on which airline is used, there is the option for pets to go as manifest cargo or excess luggage.
If travelling as the first, the pet goes in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without being on the same plane as their owners. The cost is based on the size of their travel crate.
If travelling as excess luggage, the pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be on the ticket of a passenger. The cost of the pet's travel is based on the combined weight of the pet and its crate.
What vaccines are needed?
Cats are required to have vaccines for feline calicivirus, panleukopenia and rhinotracheitis. Dogs must be vaccinated for canine distemper, parvo, hepatitis and leptospirosis. All pets must have an up-to-date rabies vaccine that is administered 21 days prior to arrival in the UAE.
Some animals that come from a high-risk rabies country will also need an antibody titration (sometimes called serology) test unless exempt. At the time of writing, the full list of low-risk countries and territories exempt are:
Australia, Austria, Andorra, Barbados, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, French Polynesia, Falkland Islands, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Malta, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Qatar, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Palau, Latvia, Albania, Croatia, Maldives, Spain except Melilla, Cyprus, South Korea, Montenegro, Seychelles, Suriname, Micronesia, Greece and the Marshall Islands.
How do I get a pet passport?
Pet passports are free and usually issued after pets have had their first vaccines and are microchipped. If a passport is lost, the vet clinic should have an animal’s history of vaccines on record and should be able to easily create a new one.
Are any dog or cat breeds banned in the UAE?
Yes. The MOCCAE website has a list of what dog breeds are not allowed to be imported into the UAE unless they are classified as emotional support animals or service dogs.
The list of dogs are:
Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American bully, Brazilian mastiff (fila Brasiliero), Argentinian mastiff (dogo Argentino), Tibetan mastiff, Neapolitan mastiff, French mastiff (dogue de Bordeaux), Boerboel, bull mastiff, Italian mastiff (cane corso), Indian mastiff (bully kutta, Alangu mastiff), canary mastiff (perro de presa canario) and Japanese tosa.
Although there is no ban on cat breeds, some airlines have restrictions on flying out snubbed nose cats such as Himalayans, Persians or British shorthairs, so that should be a consideration while importing cats in.
"Brachycephalic [snub-nosed] pets are limited on the times that they can travel in and out of the UAE by air," Hyden adds. "Due to regulations, airlines put a moratorium on the movement of brachycephalic pets when the temperature is unsafe, which can be from as early as April or May to October in UAE. Some airlines do not transport brachycephalic breeds at all."
Brachycephalic dogs include pugs, shih-tzus, boxers and Pekingese breeds.
What else should I consider?
Kate Lindley is the owner of Paw Pals, a company in Dubai that specialises in pet sitting and relocations. She highlights pets having to adjust to the soaring temperatures as an important factor to consider.
“The UAE has made loads of strides to become more pet friendly but there are still limited places to take them,” she says. She advises that owners consider the “cost of daycare in the summer, cost of boarding and the heat.
“Prepare your pets, get them used to boots and cooling jackets.”
She also suggests paying attention to vaccination dates as any pets without valid inoculations may be barred from travelling.
Hyden echoes concerns about hot summers and vaccination validity.
"First, what will be your living situation when you arrive? Few hotels accept pets and so you'll need to make sure you have housing lined up," she says.
"Also, some buildings are not pet friendly. Brachycephalic dogs and cats may find the UAE too dusty, humid and hot. They would need to be fully indoor pets, particularly during the summer months."
More information is available at moccae.gov.ae
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
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The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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