Most pet owners preparing to relocate to Dubai or Abu Dhabi know they need an import permit—but a surprising number don’t realize the MOCCAE process involves two separate applications: one before departure (the Import Permit) and one when your pet arrives (the Release Permit). Getting the first half right but missing the second is a remarkably common and expensive mistake.

This guide walks through both applications, the official fees, what documents you’ll need, and the critical timing constraints that make the UAE’s system stricter than most other destinations. The same two steps apply whether your pet flies as manifest cargo or in the cabin on Etihad into Abu Dhabi. For a complete overview of UAE import requirements, see our UAE Pet Relocation Hub.

1. Understanding the MOCCAE Two-Step Process

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) governs all pet imports into the UAE. Unlike Singapore’s AVS or Australia’s DAFF, MOCCAE requires pet owners to interact with its portal twice:

Step 1 — Import Permit (pre-departure): Applied for before your pet leaves Vietnam. This authorizes the animal to enter UAE territory.
Step 2 — Release Permit (post-arrival): Applied for after your pet lands in the UAE. This physically releases your pet from the airport quarantine holding area into your custody.

Both are handled through the same MOCCAE digital services portal. Both require separate payments.

2. Official MOCCAE Fees (2026)

The following fees are sourced directly from the MOCCAE official service page, last updated October 2025:

Fee Type	When Applicable	Amount (AED)	Approx. (USD)
Import Permit	Per animal, applied before departure	AED 200	~ $55
Release Permit — Dog	Per dog, applied upon arrival in UAE	AED 500	~ $136
Release Permit — Cat	Per cat, applied upon arrival in UAE	AED 250	~ $68

PLANNING NOTE: You cannot pay the Release Permit in advance. It must be applied for and paid after your pet has landed in the UAE and is held at the airport quarantine facility. Budget for this separately from your pre-departure costs. For a complete cost breakdown by category, see our Pet Relocation Cost to UAE guide.

3. Required Documents for the Import Permit Application

The MOCCAE portal states that no documents are required at the time of applying for the basic pet import permit (for personal cats and dogs). However, the documents below must be ready for the Release step when your pet arrives:

Customs declaration or bill of lading — provided by the airline or cargo agent.
Vaccination record or pet passport — must include microchip number, full animal description (species, color, sex, date of birth), and all required vaccinations with vaccine name, manufacturer, batch number, and date.
Official health certificate — Vietnam’s export certificate (Form 13a) plus MOCCAE’s form Annex No.(3), both signed and stamped by the airport animal quarantine station. The Annex states that the pet was examined within 24 hours before shipping.
Rabies Antibody Titer Test (RNATT) result — mandatory for Vietnam (High-Risk Country). Must show ≥ 0.5 IU/ml from an approved laboratory. Learn more about the RNATT test process here.
Parasite treatment record — internal and external antiparasitic treatment within 14 days before shipment, recorded in the health certificate or passport.

4. How to Apply: Import Permit (Pre-Departure)

Register on the MOCCAE Digital Services Portal
Go to eservices.moccae.gov.ae and create an account. You will need a valid email address and a phone number to receive OTP verification.

Navigate to “Import of Pets (Cats/Dogs)”
From the services dashboard, find the service titled Import of pets (cats / dogs) under the Export & Import section. Alternatively, access it directly at: ds.moccae.gov.ae/ImportAnimalPets.

Fill the Electronic Application Form
Enter your pet’s details: species, breed, sex, date of birth, microchip number, and your personal information as the owner/importer. Confirm the country of origin (Vietnam) and the destination emirate (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, etc.).

Pay the Import Permit Fee
Fee: AED 200 per animal. Payment is via credit/debit card on the MOCCAE portal. Each pet requires a separate permit and a separate payment.

Receive the Electronic Import Permit
MOCCAE states processing takes 1 working day for standard personal pets. The permit is issued electronically and emailed to your registered address. Validity: 90 days from issue date. Each permit covers one pet and names the importer in the UAE, the port of entry and the expected arrival date. Do not apply too early — plan the application to fall within 90 days of your scheduled flight.

5. How to Apply: Release Permit (Post-Arrival)

Once your pet’s flight has landed and the animal is held at the UAE airport quarantine inspection point, you or your UAE-based contact must initiate the release process.

Present All Documents to MOCCAE Inspection Officers
At the airport veterinary quarantine center (Dubai Cargo Village, Zayed International, etc.), an MOCCAE veterinarian will conduct a physical inspection of the animal and review all documentation.

File the Release Application via MOCCAE Portal
The release application is filed through the same MOCCAE portal used for the import permit. Navigate to the release section and reference your pet’s import permit number.

Pay the Release Fee
AED 500 for dogs / AED 250 for cats — paid online via the portal. Keep the payment confirmation.

Receive the Electronic Release Permit
Once approved and paid, the electronic release permit is issued. Your pet can then be collected from the quarantine holding facility.

MOCCAE UAE release permit and health certificate documentation reviewed by veterinary officer at Dubai airport — Figure 2: At Dubai’s cargo quarantine facility, MOCCAE veterinary officers check every document against the physical animal — microchip, vaccine records, and RNATT must all match.

6. Key Restrictions and Limits

Maximum 2 pets per person per year — you may import up to 2 cats, 2 dogs, or 1 of each annually. Returning resident animals are exempt from this limit.
Age requirement (High-Risk Countries): Pets from Vietnam must be at least 15 weeks old at the time of import. Airlines can set a higher minimum.
Breed restrictions: Certain breeds are banned from import into UAE. See our full guide on Banned and Restricted Dog Breeds in UAE.
Transit requirements: If your pet transits another country, it must not be mixed with other animals during transit. A transit permit is required if the animal physically leaves the airport transit zone.

7. Vietnam-Specific Requirements (High-Risk Country)

Vietnam is classified as a High-Risk Country by MOCCAE for rabies — meaning standard vaccination alone is insufficient. The following additions apply:

RNATT (Rabies Titer Test) is mandatory, from an approved laboratory.
For primary vaccinations: blood sample must be drawn at least 21 days after the rabies vaccination.
For animals with a valid booster vaccination (continuous, uninterrupted): the 21-day wait does not apply — the test can be done immediately.
The microchip should be implanted before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination, so the vaccination record carries the chip number.

8. Processing Timeline Summary

Application Step	Processing Time	When to Do It
Import Permit application	1 working day	At least 4–8 weeks before flight (within 90-day validity window)
Release Permit application	Same day / immediate	After pet lands in UAE and passes inspection

To see exactly when each step falls on the calendar, follow our Pet Shipping Timeline from Vietnam to the UAE — a step-by-step countdown that sequences the titer test, permit and flight booking.

9. Leaving the UAE Later?

Pets leaving the UAE need a different MOCCAE document, the export health certificate. If your pet is heading back to Vietnam, see our guide to bringing a pet from Dubai to Vietnam.

Last updated 16 Oct 2026

Compiled by our specialists from the regulations in force on the date above, for reference only. Rules may change after this date. Please verify with the competent authorities or contact us for the most accurate information.

Official sources cited in this guide