All pets arriving to Saudi Arabia require an import approval from Ministry of Environment, Agriculture & Water (MEWA). We can apply on your behalf.
Import permit approvals take 10 working days, and the permit is valid for 30 days from issue.
An expedited service is available for approval in 3 working days; additional fees will be incurred
To apply for an Import Permit we will need:
1. Copy of Importers’ Passport
2. Copy of Importers’ IQAMA (residency visa), National ID (Saudi or GCC Nationals ONLY) – Importers must have access to Absher
3. Clear copy of the pet’s details and vaccination records
4. Photo of your pet
IMPORTANT - MEWA are overwhelmed with priority requests so their expedited service may take longer, please allow up to 5 business days for permit approvals
No, to apply for an Import Permit the Importer must have a Saudi National ID, GCC Nationality or Saudi Iqama. You can ask a friend or colleague to act as the Importer on your behalf, they do not need to be travelling with your pet.
To enter Saudi Arabia each pet must have:
A pet medical history is NOT sufficient evidence of vaccinations. MEWA require a vaccination book or vaccination certificate. If you would like to email us copies of your supporting vet documents, we would be happy to check that all is in order.
Yes, to import cats the Importer must be aged 18 or over, for dogs they must be aged 21 or over…..this is the age of the Importer, not the pet.
All domestic cats can be imported, please check our list of banned breeds for dog imports.
Birds and other exotic animals may require CITES documents and approval by the NCW, for more information please send your details to pettravel@expatlogistics.com
Yes, but this depends on your circumstances.
Your pet must have an Import Permit to enter Saudi Arabia and then a separate Export Permit to leave. Your pet will need to be in Saudi Arabia for a minimum of 3 business days so we can process the export documents for travel.
Exporters must have a valid Iqama or Saudi National ID to apply for the permit, you can ask a friend or colleague to act as the Exporter on your behalf, they do not need to be travelling with your pet.
Standard processing time for Export Permits if 10 business days, but the Ministry do offer an expedited service which takes 3 business days.
If you are flying from Riyadh Airport with your pet we can provide all export documents required for travel. Unfortunately we are unable to assist with export documents for accompanied travel from other Saudi airports.
IMPORTANT - MEWA are overwhelmed with priority requests so their expedited service may take longer, please allow up to 5 business days for permit approvals
Yes!
We can provide a complete door-to-door service from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain or Kuwait to anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
Please note the same rules apply for Imports by road, so the Importer must have a Saudi National ID, GCC Nationality or Iqama.
We have a fleet of air-conditioned vehicles with experienced pet handlers, and have worked with our GCC partner for over 10 years to ensure smooth border crossings and many happy Customers.
We will arrange all documents (QID holders must arrange their own Export Permit), agree when we will collect, arrange the import documents and deliver your pet to their temporary home or your chosen boarding facility.
For a quote and to check vehicle availability please email pettravel@expatlogistics.com