PetTravelPass

Bringing a dog or cat from the United Arab Emirates to the United States

Under the United States's rules, pets from the United Arab Emirates are in the group “Dogs from CDC high-risk countries with a foreign rabies vaccine”. A dog from the United Arab Emirates needs a microchip, a rabies vaccine, a rabies titer test and an official health certificate. There is no quarantine if every rule is met. Plan for 58 days from the first vaccine to arrival.

About the United States: Easy for dogs that have only been in low-risk countries (microchip, 6 months old, CDC Dog Import Form). Hard for foreign-vaccinated dogs that were in a CDC high-risk country in the last 6 months: they must fly into one of a handful of airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility and have a CDC-approved-lab titer or do 28 days' quarantine. Cats have no CDC federal entry requirement beyond being healthy.

Dogs: Dogs from CDC high-risk countries with a foreign rabies vaccine Blood test

Titer test
Required
Wait after blood test
28 days
Import permit
Not required
Quarantine
28 days if no valid titer

Minimum preparation: 58 days from the first rabies vaccine to arrival.

Step by step

  1. Microchip, then vaccinate

    Implant the microchip first. A rabies vaccine given before the chip is not valid. The first vaccine must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or older. Vaccines given before 12 weeks are not accepted.

  2. Do a titer at a CDC-approved lab

    Draw blood at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before arrival. Results from labs that CDC has not approved are rejected. If you skip this, plan for 28 days' quarantine.

  3. Book a CDC-registered animal care facility

    Reserve a place at the facility at your arrival airport. The facility does the exam and the US rabies revaccination, plus quarantine if needed. The importer pays. The facility reviews your documents before it confirms.

  4. Get the foreign vaccination certificate

    A vet completes the 'Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip' and an official government vet of the exporting country endorses it. It is valid for one entry, for 30 days after signing.

  5. Submit the CDC Dog Import Form

    Name the same arrival airport as your facility reservation. The receipt is valid only for that date and airport.

  6. Fly directly into an approved airport

    The dog must arrive on an international flight directly into ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL or SEA (SEA facility is cargo-only). It cannot take connecting domestic flights until the facility releases it.

  7. Carry the documents

    Bring the CDC receipt, the endorsed certificate, the titer report and the facility confirmation. All must be in English or come with a certified translation.

28 days at the CDC-registered animal care facility if there is no valid titer. Every dog in this group must still visit the facility for an exam and a US-licensed rabies revaccination.

Cats: Cats (any origin) Paperwork only

Titer test
Not required
Wait after blood test
—
Import permit
Not required
Quarantine
None if rules are met

No long wait: No federal CDC requirement.

Step by step

  1. Check state rules

    CDC does not require a rabies vaccine or form for cats, but many states require a current rabies vaccine. Check the destination state's rules.

  2. Check airline rules

    Airlines often ask for a recent health certificate and set their own crate and cabin rules.

Cats that look sick on arrival can be examined and refused. Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine rules.

Good to know

Cats
No CDC federal entry requirement for cats: they must only look healthy on arrival. Rabies vaccines and health certificates depend on the state and the airline.
How many pets
No CDC limit on the number of dogs. Each dog needs its own CDC Dog Import Form. Importing for resale or adoption falls under extra USDA commercial rules.
Parasite treatment
No CDC parasite rule. USDA: dogs from New World screwworm-affected countries (including Mexico) need a certificate signed by a full-time government vet (in Mexico, a SENASICA-authorized vet) stating the dog was inspected within 5 days before shipment and is screwworm-free, or was treated until free. Dogs from foot-and-mouth disease regions must have clean coat and bedding, be bathed on arrival and kept away from livestock for 5 days.
Arrival
Low-risk dogs and all cats: any US port. Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries: only airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility (ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL, SEA), on a direct international arrival.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to bring a dog from the United Arab Emirates to the United States?

The United Arab Emirates counts as "Dogs from CDC high-risk countries with a foreign rabies vaccine" for the United States. Starting from a pet with no rabies vaccine, the minimum is 58 days: rabies vaccine, a blood test at least 30 days later, then the waiting period before arrival.

Does my pet need a rabies titer test to travel from the United Arab Emirates to the United States?

Yes. The blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccine, and the pet can arrive 28 days after the sample.

Will my pet be quarantined in the United States?

Not if every rule is met. 28 days at the CDC-registered animal care facility if there is no valid titer. Every dog in this group must still visit the facility for an exam and a US-licensed rabies revaccination.

Do I need an import permit?

No import permit is needed for pets from the United Arab Emirates.

Are the rules the same for cats?

No. Cats from the United Arab Emirates fall under "Cats (any origin)": no titer test is needed.

Sources

Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Full rules: United States pet import rules.

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