Pet relocation from France to Dubai

UAE entry rules for this corridor

• Obtain a MOCCAE import permit before the pet leaves France; the permit is valid for 90 days from issuance — the animal must enter the UAE within that window.
• UAE entry for most dogs and cats is as manifest cargo under IATA live-animal conditions (cabin into Dubai is not the default). Etihad cabin into Abu Dhabi is a published exception for eligible small pets — confirm current policy.
• ISO 11784/11785 microchip must match the health certificate; implant the chip before the rabies vaccination used for UAE import.
• When a rabies antibody titer (RNATT) is required, the blood sample must be taken within 90 days before travel and result ≥ 0.5 IU/ml — this is a pre-travel sample window, not a 90-day waiting period after the draw.
• Confirm on the official MOCCAE portal whether this origin is on the current rabies-controlled / exempt list before you skip a titer. We do not publish an unverified exempt-country list.
• Government-endorsed origin health certificate and parasite treatments must meet MOCCAE timing — verify current portal requirements before flight week.
• MOCCAE and on-arrival release fee amounts: confirm on the official portal — we do not publish fee numerals here.

Rules summarised from the regulatory source of truth. Always re-check MOCCAE and your airline before travel. Dubai Pet Relocation is not affiliated with MOCCAE or any airline.

How a France move actually works

Scenario: a family leaving the 6th arrondissement of Lyon for Dubai Hills, one medium dog, one cat. Month −4: decide whether the crate truly exports from Lyon–Saint-Exupéry or must reposition to Paris Charles de Gaulle; do not promise a Nice departure because a cousin has a Côte d’Azur flat. Confirm whether a rabies titer is required for this French origin on the current MOCCAE portal. If yes, schedule the blood draw so the sample date will still sit within 90 days before the eventual travel date and keep the ≥0.5 IU/ml result with the file. On a France file, confirm the ISO microchip precedes the rabies vaccination that will be cited for UAE import. Month −3 to −2: start the MOCCAE import permit so issuance leaves enough of the 90-day validity for the booked cargo date, and hold a French official-vet appointment that can still be valid on departure. Week −3: lock Air France, Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways live-animal acceptance for France → UAE — Air France cabin-or-cargo seed, Gulf rows cargo, all unverified on this page. Week −1: parasite treatments per the current portal checklist, crate fit, and cargo booking confirmation. Arrival in the UAE is a DXB or DWC cargo and veterinary release pathway for most consignments, not a stroll through passenger baggage reclaim. This is a planning narrative, not a guaranteed SLA.

Deep-dive the documents on UAE import requirements, the MOCCAE 90-day import permit, and the titer sample window. Crate sizing sits on the IATA crate guide.

Frequently asked questions