All pets must be microchipped before any vaccination is administered. An ISO-compliant 15-digit microchip is required. The microchip number must appear consistently on the health certificate, vaccination records, and import permit — any discrepancy will block entry. If the chip cannot be read on arrival, the import may be refused.

Required for all pets. The vaccination must have been administered at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before entry. The rabies vaccine must remain valid for the entire 30-day validity period of the import permit. Note: some origin country government agencies (notably the UK, South Africa, and Australia) may still certify the rabies requirement as 1 to 6 months on their health certificate formats — verify whether the certifying authority in the origin country will attest a vaccine given between 6 and 12 months ago, and confirm this is accepted before travel.

Dogs must be vaccinated against distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza (DHPPi or equivalent), in addition to rabies. Core vaccines must be current and valid on arrival. Saudi Arabia does not recognise overlapping combination vaccines as substitutes — each required disease must be clearly covered. Vaccination records must show the pet's details and include original vaccine stickers or labels, stamped and signed by the veterinary clinic.

Cats must be vaccinated against feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia (Tricat or equivalent), and feline leukaemia (FELV), in addition to rabies. All vaccinations must be current and valid on arrival, with records clearly documenting the vaccine stickers, dates, and clinic stamp and signature.

An original government-issued or government-endorsed health certificate is required. The certificate must be signed in blue ink (any colour other than black is accepted). The following must match the import permit exactly: importer name, pet breed and details, microchip number, and country of export. The certificate must be endorsed or stamped by the governing veterinary authority in the country of departure and issued in the country listed on the import permit as the country of export.

The health certificate must be endorsed by the official government veterinary authority of the origin country before departure. USDA electronically endorsed certificates are accepted. Original vaccination documents must accompany the health certificate.

A MEWA import permit is required for every import, applied through the Naama electronic platform (naama.sa). Standard processing takes approximately 10 working days; expedited processing (1–3 working days) is available through AgriServ at an additional cost of SAR 345 per pet. The permit is valid for only 30 days from the date of issue. The importer must hold a valid Saudi residency (Iqama) or National ID for cargo shipments — tourist visas may be used for accompanied travel but applications may take longer and can be rejected. The importer must be at least 21 years old to import a dog and at least 18 years old to import a cat. Documents required for the permit application include a passport copy, Iqama, vaccination records, and a clear photo of the pet.

The following dog breeds and their hybrids are prohibited from entering Saudi Arabia: Pit Bull Terrier (all types including American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier), Rottweiler and hybrids, Boxer, all Bulldog types (including French Bulldog), all Mastiff types and hybrids (including Fila Brasileiro and Dogo Argentino), Japanese Tosa, and Perro de Presa Canario. Photos of the pet must be submitted at the time of permit application and approval is subject to a government veterinary official. Bengal cats require a breed certificate confirming 5th generation or above domestic ancestry and National Wildlife Commission approval before any import permit can be issued.

A maximum of 2 pets per owner may be imported every 180 days from the closing of a previous permit. To import additional pets, they must be registered under a different adult passport holder. Dogs imported to Saudi Arabia must be classified as working dogs — guard, hunting, or guide/assistance dogs. This classification must be stated on the veterinary health certificate.