Taking Your Dog or Cat to Saudi Arabia from the UK
Everything you need to know in 2026
Are you thinking about taking your pet to Saudi Arabia?
We are here to help you.
We specialise in veterinary documentation for international pet travel. For Saudi Arabia, we provide home and hotel visits across London, making the final veterinary examination and certification as straightforward as possible.
Requirements
There are several requirements to consider before travelling.
Some are time-sensitive, so we recommend checking your pet's documents well before your planned departure.
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Before we start checking the requirements, it is important to note that some breeds are banned in Saudi Arabia, with the exception of watch/guard dogs, hunting dogs and guide dogs for the blind.
LANCASHIRE HEELER
SWEDISH VALLHUND
MASTIFF/OLD ENGLISH MASTIFF
NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF
BULLMASTIFF
NEW FOUNDLAND
GREAT DANE
LEONBERGER
HOVAWART
BOXER
BULLDOG/ENGLISH BULLDOG
ROTTWEILER
BULL TERRIER
STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER
JAPANESE AKITA
CHINESE SPITZ
AFFENPINSCHER
GRIFFON BRUXELLOIS
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Each pet must be identified with a microchip compliant with ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO Standard 11785.
We will scan the microchip during the appointment and check that the identification details correspond with your pet's veterinary records and the documentation used to prepare the Export Health Certificate.
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Dogs and cats travelling to Saudi Arabia must have a valid rabies vaccination.
Saudi Arabia has specific timing requirements for the vaccination: it must have been administered at least 30 days and no more than 6 months before export.
We therefore ask you to send us your pet's rabies vaccination record before confirming the appointment. This allows us to check the details in advance and identify any problems before the certificate is prepared.
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A Saudi import permit is required before your pet travels.
This is obtained through the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), and the permit is currently valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
Obtaining the import permit is the owner's responsibility, so we recommend arranging this well before the final veterinary appointment.
If you need help with the process, we work with some excellent pet travel agents who can assist with the import permit and other aspects of your relocation.
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Dogs and cats travelling from Great Britain to Saudi Arabia require Export Health Certificate 2914, which must be completed and signed by an appropriately authorised Official Veterinarian.
The veterinary examination and certification must take place within 96 hours before your pet's departure from the UK.
This is the part we take care of.
Before your appointment, we will review the veterinary documentation you send us and prepare the Export Health Certificate in advance. During the appointment, our vet will examine your pet, scan and verify the microchip, and complete the certification.
You will receive the completed Export Health Certificate at the end of the appointment, so that you will be able to travel immediately afterwards.
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Current UK government guidance states that, once the Export Health Certificate has been signed by an Official Veterinarian, it must be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
The current guidance no longer lists the additional Saudi Embassy legalisation step that was required under previous guidance.
Please note that we provide the veterinary certification only. The subsequent legalisation of the certificate is the owner's responsibility.
As we specialise in veterinary certification rather than document legalisation, we recommend checking the current procedure and turnaround times directly with the FCDO or with a professional document legalisation service, particularly because of the short timeframe between veterinary certification and travel.
Why Choose Us? 🐾
International pet travel paperwork is a specialist area of veterinary work, and Saudi Arabia has particularly tight timing requirements.
At AHC Specialists, pet travel documentation is what we do every day.
Your paperwork is reviewed and prepared before we arrive, and the appointment takes place at your home or hotel rather than requiring another trip to a veterinary clinic.
You'll deal with a small, independent veterinary service that specialises in helping pets travel internationally — and if we spot a problem with the veterinary documentation you've sent us, we'll tell you before the appointment wherever possible.