Entry Rules
Last verified against USDA APHIS and CDC rules: October 11, 2026
Getting a dog or cat from the US into Dubai takes a microchip, a rabies vaccine, a titer test, a MOCCAE import permit that lasts 30 days, and a cargo booking. Most guides stop there. The part that catches people is the trip home: the UAE is on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, so a dog coming back to the US needs a USDA-endorsed CDC form that has to be done before it leaves. Everything below is checked against USDA APHIS rules for the UAE and the CDC high-risk country list.
In this guide
| Import permit | MOCCAE, valid 30 days; expired permit means entry refused |
| How pets fly | Manifested cargo only |
| Pets per year | 2 cats, 2 dogs, or 1 cat and 1 dog |
| Minimum age | 15 weeks at import; 12 weeks at rabies vaccination |
| Rabies vaccine | At least 21 days before travel |
| Titer test | Required, 0.5 IU/ml or higher, blood drawn within 12 months of travel |
| Parasite treatment | Within 14 days before travel, on the health certificate |
| Health certificate | USDA-accredited vet, USDA-endorsed, valid 10 days |
| Banned breeds | Pit bull types, 10 mastiff breeds, Presa Canario, Japanese Tosa and their mixes |
| Return to the US | UAE is CDC high-risk; get the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination before you leave |
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, CDC high-risk country list, checked October 11, 2026.
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, checked October 11, 2026.
For a pet that has never had a rabies shot, the 21-day gap before the titer draw plus lab time sets the pace [VERIFY: typical lab turnaround for the rabies titer test]. Start as soon as the move is likely.
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, checked October 11, 2026.
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) issues the import permit, and port officials check your pet against it on arrival. USDA APHIS lists it as valid for 30 days; if it expires, entry is refused. A copy travels with the pet, together with the health certificate, vaccination certificate and titer result.
Permit fees and processing time are set by MOCCAE [VERIFY: current MOCCAE import permit fee and processing time].
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, checked October 11, 2026.
The UAE doesn't accept these dogs or any mix or hybrid of them: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian Mastiff), Dogo Argentino, Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Bully Kutta, Presa Canario and Japanese Tosa.
Check this before paying for a titer or a cargo booking. If your dog is a mix that could include one of these breeds, sort it out first.
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, checked October 11, 2026.
Dubai's heat matters for cargo: airlines can refuse to load pets in high temperatures, so summer dates may not work [VERIFY: airline heat embargo dates for pets on US to Dubai routes].
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, checked October 11, 2026.
The UAE is on the CDC high-risk country list. For a dog vaccinated against rabies in the US, the CDC requires two documents:
With both, the dog can arrive at any US airport, as long as it matches the CDC receipt. The dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped before the rabies vaccine, and healthy on arrival. Without the certification, the dog follows the rules for foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, which include a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility and landing at that facility's airport.
Returning to the UAE later: a pet that left with a MOCCAE health certificate doesn't need a new titer if its rabies vaccine is still valid.
Source: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, CDC high-risk country list, checked October 11, 2026.
| UAE | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Titer | 0.5 IU/ml, within 12 months | 0.5 IU/ml |
| Wait after titer draw | No waiting period listed | At least 180 days |
| Rabies shots | 1, at least 21 days before travel | 2 or more after the microchip |
| Advance paperwork | MOCCAE permit, valid 30 days | Notify Animal Quarantine Service 40+ days ahead |
| CDC status for the return | High-risk | Not high-risk |
From the US, the UAE is fast to get into and slower to come back from. Japan is the opposite: months of waiting going in, a simple return.
Sources: USDA APHIS rules for the UAE, USDA APHIS rules for Japan, CDC high-risk country list, checked October 11, 2026.
Heat shapes daily life with a dog more than any rule. For much of the year, midday pavement can burn paws, so walks happen early and after dark, with water on hand. Never leave a dog in a parked car.
Not every building accepts pets, and some set their own size or breed limits. Get the building's pet policy in writing before you ship the animal.
Yes. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher, from a blood sample taken no more than 12 months before travel, and it goes on the health certificate. After a first or lapsed rabies vaccination, the blood can't be drawn until at least 21 days after the shot. With a valid booster, it can be drawn the same day or any day after.
No. Dogs and cats from the US enter the UAE as manifested cargo. Airlines add their own rules on crates, breeds and heat on top of that.
30 days, according to USDA APHIS. It's issued by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), and an expired permit means entry is refused, so apply once your cargo date is firm.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Bully Kutta, Presa Canario and Japanese Tosa, plus any mix or hybrid of them.
Two cats, two dogs, or one cat and one dog per year. Pets must be at least 15 weeks old at import.
The UAE is on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies. A U.S.-vaccinated dog needs the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before the dog leaves the US. Without it, the dog has to follow the stricter rules for foreign-vaccinated dogs.
Only with a transit permit from MOCCAE. If your pet passes through other countries before the UAE, you also need an attestation that it had no contact with other animals in transit.
Every rule on this page was checked against USDA APHIS rules for the UAE and the CDC on October 11, 2026. Import rules change, so check both again before you book.
The paperwork is one half of the move. The flight has its own rules: cargo only, temperature limits, breed and crate restrictions. Compare which airlines will take your dog or cat on the route to the UAE before you lock in dates.
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