Animal transport to Saudi Arabia needs an import permit from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), issued through its Anaam online platform and valid for 30 days. Your pet must be microchipped, at least 4 months old, and vaccinated against rabies with at least six months of validity left on the travel date. Individuals can import up to two cats or two dogs every six months, and several dog breeds, including Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, are not allowed.
If you cannot leave your pet when moving, you should get know how animal transport to Saudi Arabia looks like. Although the easiest way to inform yourself is in the embassy, there are so many regulations that are hard for understanding. The very first advice that we should provide you is to start to plan up front. It means at least two months before traveling. There are many reasons for that.
- You should know which documents you will need for animal transport to Saudi Arabia;
- Pets usually should have a passport and other documents for travel;
- Your vet should provide you the necessary certificates that your pet is capable of traveling;
- Every owner should know that pets cannot move abroad without confirmation that they got all vaccines;
- Before moving you should also know which animals can to Saudi Arabia.
All of these regulations are well known for people that work on airports and embassies. Along with that, animal transport to Saudi Arabia presumes preparation for international relocation. The best advice could give your vet.
Saudi Arabia’s pet import rules are set by MEWA, and every application goes through the Anaam platform. The table sums up the main requirements for animal transport to Saudi Arabia, based on MEWA’s published import procedures.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Import permit | Apply on the Anaam platform. The permit is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued. |
| Identification | An electronic microchip, with the number recorded in the pet’s passport or vaccination record |
| Rabies vaccination | Valid, with at least six months of validity remaining when the pet travels |
| Health certificate | Issued by an accredited veterinary clinic and approved by the government of the exporting country |
| Minimum age | 4 months |
| Number of pets | Up to two cats or two dogs per person every six months |
| Banned dog breeds | Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Boxer, Mastiff, Tosa, Bulldog, Perro de Presa Canario, and crosses of these breeds |
| Country of origin | Only countries listed on the Anaam platform |
| Port of entry | The port named on the import permit. MEWA schedules arrival dates based on quarantine capacity. |
| Travel crate | New, clean and sterile, with enough food and water for the journey and no contact with other animals |
Cats must also be free of parasites, especially toxoplasma. Rules can change, so check the current conditions on the Anaam platform before you book flights.
Documentation that you will need for animal transport to Saudi Arabia
Although documents for animal transport are pretty much the same for every country, you should inform yourself about it before moving. Some of them presume passports and certificates from your vet. Other ones are proof of the ownership of the pet.
Find out if your pet can move to Saudi Arabia
The only animals you can transport to this country are dogs and cats. You can take with you turtles, parrots, and rodents but only with a special certificate. Even some dog breeds are not allowed. Those are mostly big dogs and those known to aggressiveness. They also allow only two pets per ownership.
Your pet must have a microchip
Although pet owners presume that their pets should have a chip, it is not common in every situation. For that reason, Saudi Arabia demands to have the microchip in every circumstance. It could contain information about you and your pet.
Passport
Animal transport to Saudi Arabia includes having documents for your pet. It means that a pet should have a passport. Since it includes information about health, but also the age and personal characteristics of your pet, it is crucial for legitimization. It also contains a photo of your pet. Also, the passport includes information if your dog is guard or guide dog.
Your company information
Maybe it doesn’t look important, but you cannot transport the pet to Saudi Arabia without some explanations. Those include information about the company where you work or own. That information should prove that you will be able to care about your pet.
SA certificate
You surely can prepare the needed documentation before moving to Saudi Arabia. However, among those is one of the most important documents. It is a certificate that Saudi Arabia provides to future visitors. It is not a visa but includes information about you and your pet. You can easily get it in the embassy.
Your pet’s health is also important when moving abroad
Predicting your pet’s health is not always easy. Nobody knows how your pet will behave in another climate or weather conditions in a particular country. For animal transport to Saudi Arabia, it is not vital that much. However, you should know if your pet got vaccines or have chronic diseases. That information should know your vet.
Certificates
It is great if you have chosen Saudi Arabia for your future place of living. It should not be hard to move there. You should easily come to Saudi Arabia by international movers Jeddah. Animal transport to Saudi Arabia is not that simple, though. You should know that there are certificates that your veterinarian could provide you before traveling. The most important is the International Certificate for Good Health that your pet should have before moving abroad to any country in the world.
Rabies titer test
Every animal owner worries about rabies, and that is not by accident. An animal with rabies inevitably dies, and humans could have it, too. Thankfully, some vaccines prevent this disease, as well as tests that show if your pet has it. Your pet does not need to have a rabies test before animal transport to Saudi Arabia. However, it is important to have proof that it got the vaccine. Rabies is a severe and dangerous disease, so do not avoid this obligation.
Vaccines
Along with rabies, there are many other diseases that your pet can have. You should have proof that it had those vaccines before moving abroad. Most of them are allowed within 30 days before traveling. If you are not sure in vaccines that your pet has, you should ask your veterinarian. There is a list of obligated vaccines for moving abroad.
Traveling with the pet
You will go on a long trip with your pet. Animal transport to Saudi Arabia is not particularly defined, so you will mostly be forced to travel by plane. It presumes special conditions and preparations for your pet. Before this trip check how your pet behaves in a small space or the box, just in case.
Permit
Although you have all the documents above, you cannot merely come to Saudi Arabia. You should have import permit for your pet. It is a document that you can ask 14 days before moving. Basically, you should send an e-mail to the airport chief and ask for this permit. Speaking about the letters, you should inform the customs or director of the airport in Saudi Arabia before traveling. They will inform you if you need anything else for animal transport to Saudi Arabia.
Traveling by plane
There are only three airports in Saudi Arabia that accept animal transport. Those are Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Local movers Riyadh surely have information that you will need so they will provide you advice on how to organize that. Besides this airport, Jeddah and Dammam could also accept pets. It is imperative to follow their instructions since that is the only place that allows animal transport to Saudi Arabia through.
Which dog breeds are banned in Saudi Arabia?
MEWA does not allow the import of these dog breeds or their crosses:
- Pit Bull,
- Rottweiler,
- Boxer,
- Mastiff,
- Tosa,
- Bulldog,
- Perro de Presa Canario.
Dog imports have historically been more restricted than cat imports in Saudi Arabia, with priority given to working dogs such as guard, hunting and guide dogs. If you own a dog of any breed, confirm its eligibility before you apply for the permit. A refused application at the border is far harder to fix than a question asked months in advance.
How do you apply for a pet import permit to Saudi Arabia?
The import permit is valid for only 30 days, so plan the steps backwards from your travel date.
- Register on the Anaam platform run by MEWA.
- Check that your pet is eligible: species, breed, age and country of origin.
- Prepare the documents: a copy of the health certificate, the pet passport or vaccination record showing the microchip number, a copy of your passport or iqama, and a photo of the pet.
- Submit the application and wait for the permit, which names the port where your pet must arrive.
- Book the flight within the 30-day window, and keep the original health certificate with the pet during travel.
Start at least 2 months before the move. Vaccinations, the microchip and the health certificate all take time, and the rabies vaccine must still have six months of validity on travel day.
How do you take your pet out of Saudi Arabia?
Leaving the Kingdom with a pet also needs a MEWA permit. According to MEWA’s conditions for exporting pets, you need to:
- apply on the Anaam platform,
- get a health certificate from a veterinary clinic accredited by MEWA, confirming your pet is free of disease, especially rabies and toxoplasmosis,
- show the pet passport or vaccination booklet with a valid rabies vaccination,
- make sure the pet is microchipped.
The export permit is valid for 30 days. If you travel with your pet and plan to return to Saudi Arabia, MEWA’s procedures allow an exit and return permit for a period of no more than 60 days.
Your destination country sets its own entry rules. Saudi Arabia does not require a rabies antibody titer test for entry, but some countries ask for one when a pet arrives from the Kingdom, and the test result can take weeks. Check your destination’s requirements as soon as your move is confirmed.
How should you time your pet’s travel with your household move?
Your pet and your household goods travel on different schedules. A pet flies on a date fixed by the permit and MEWA’s arrival schedule, while a sea shipment of furniture can take several weeks. Plan the two together:
- Book the pet’s flight first, because the 30-day permit window is the least flexible date in the move.
- Keep the pet away from packing day. Boarding or a friend’s home for that day avoids stress and open doors.
- Pack a pet bag that travels with you: food for the first week, bowls, a lead, medication and copies of every document.
- Have the new home ready before the pet arrives, so it settles into one place, not a house full of boxes.
Four Winds Saudi Arabia handles the household side of the move, from packing and crating to international moving, and can plan the shipment around your pet’s travel dates.
If your new home is not ready on arrival, our storage services hold your goods until it is.
Plan your pet’s move as carefully as your own
Successful animal transport to Saudi Arabia comes down to three things: an eligible pet, documents timed to the 30-day permit, and a household move planned around the flight. Four Winds Saudi Arabia has moved families into and out of the Kingdom since 1979, and we will schedule your shipment so your home is ready when your pet arrives. Request a free moving estimate to start planning.
FAQs
Can I bring my dog to Saudi Arabia?
Yes, if the breed is allowed and you get an import permit from MEWA through the Anaam platform. Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Boxers, Mastiffs, Tosas, Bulldogs, Perro de Presa Canarios and their crosses are banned. Dog imports are more restricted than cat imports, so confirm eligibility before applying.
How long is a Saudi pet import permit valid?
A Saudi pet import permit is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued. Your pet must arrive within that window, at the port named on the permit.
Does Saudi Arabia require a rabies titer test for pets?
No. Saudi Arabia requires a valid rabies vaccination with at least six months of validity remaining on the travel date, but not a titer test. Some destination countries require a titer test for pets leaving Saudi Arabia, so check before you move out of the Kingdom.
How many pets can I bring to Saudi Arabia?
Under MEWA rules, an individual can import up to two cats or two dogs every six months. Each pet must be at least 4 months old and microchipped.
What documents do I need to take my pet out of Saudi Arabia?
You need an export permit from the Anaam platform, a health certificate from a MEWA-accredited veterinary clinic, the pet's passport or vaccination booklet with a valid rabies vaccination, and a microchip. The export permit is valid for 30 days.