Pet Relocation UAE: Vet Records Translation Required

You’ve sorted the visa, the apartment, the furniture shipping. Then you remember: the cat. Or the dog. They’re family too, and they’re coming with you. The UAE has strict pet import rules. Buried in those rules is a requirement most people do not think about: your pet’s documents might need translation.

What the UAE requires for pet import

MOCCAE (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment) manages pet imports. The requirements vary by the country of origin, but generally include:

• Import permit. Applied for through MOCCAE before travel. The permit is specific to your pet and the country they’re coming from.
• Health certificate. Issued by a licensed vet within 10 days of travel. Confirms the pet is healthy and fit to travel.
• Rabies vaccination certificate. Showing the pet was vaccinated at least 21 days before travel but not more than 12 months ago.
• Rabies titre test. Required for pets from certain countries. Shows the rabies antibody level is adequate. The test must be done at an approved lab.
• Microchip certificate. The pet must be microchipped, and the microchip number must appear on all documents.
• Vaccination booklet. Showing all vaccinations are current.

When translation is needed

MOCCAE and Dubai Municipality accept documents in English and Arabic. If your vet records are already in English, you’re fine. The issue comes when documents are in another language.

Common scenarios where translation is needed:

• European vet records. If your pet’s vaccination booklet and health certificate are in French, German, Spanish, or Italian, common for pets coming from continental Europe.
• Russian or Eastern European records. Vet clinics in Russia, Ukraine, and neighbouring countries issue documents in the local language.
• Titre test results from foreign labs. Some approved labs issue results in the country’s language. The result needs to be readable by MOCCAE.

A certified translation into English is sufficient for MOCCAE. You don’t need Arabic translation for pet documents: English is accepted. And you don’t need MOJ certification. MOCCAE is a government ministry, but they accept certified translations for pet imports.

Timing matters

The health certificate is valid for only 10 days. If you need it translated, that translation needs to happen fast, ideally within a day of receiving the certificate from your vet. Don’t wait until the day before travel to discover your French vet certificate needs an English version.

The vaccination booklet and titre test can be translated earlier since they don’t expire as quickly. Get these done well in advance so the only last-minute document is the health certificate.

The one thing people forget

Airlines also have document requirements for pet cargo. Some airlines require all documents to be in English regardless of the destination country’s rules. If you’re flying Emirates, Etihad, or another carrier, check their pet cargo documentation requirements separately from MOCCAE.

If you’re bringing a pet to the UAE and need vet records translated, send them on WhatsApp: +971 50 862 0217. Same-day certified translation for pet import documents.