Pet import requirements for Qatar
What Qatar asks for before a dog or cat can enter — the microchip, the rabies work, the permit and the paperwork — and how far ahead you need to start. We handle all of it on a move we arrange.
Import rules change, and they change without notice. Last verified 2025-10-02 by the country-profile service Furry Freight uses; profile last updated 2025-10-02. Confirm every requirement with the authority named below, or with us on (424) 421-1650, before you book a flight or start any vet work.
Qatar at a glance
| Requirement | For Qatar |
|---|---|
| Microchip Required | Microchip required |
| Rabies | RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date |
| Rabies antibody test Required | RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date |
| Import permit Required | Approved Import permit is required on arrival |
| Quarantine | Not required |
| Minimum age to travel | Minimum of 7 months old for both kittens and puppies |
| Customs clearance | A customs broker is required for Qatar |
| Agent at destination | Strongly advised |
Where this fits in the timeline. The order matters more than the effort: a rabies vaccination given before the microchip was implanted does not count in most regimes, and a titer test drawn too early restarts a waiting period. On a move we handle, we check your pet's existing dates against these rules on the free consultation before anything is booked.
The detail
A customs broker is required for Qatar. Highly Recommended. Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. Have the HAWB issued to DIA and DOH unless the airline assigns a different live-animal station.
Import requirements
Minimum of 7 months old for both kittens and puppies.
Only one pet per Qatar resident ID holder with the above noted microchip, vaccination and rabies serology is allowed
- Original, unaltered vaccination booklet for each pet
- Original microchip certificate for each pet
- 1 Original Veterinary Health Certificate for each pet
- Import Permit
- Original RNATT
(Microchip ID must be noted on all the above documents)
Only one pet per Qatar resident ID holder is allowed.
NOT allowed for in dividuals.
None - Unified requirement for all origins
BANNED BREEDS:
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Boerboel
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Bull Terrier
• Bulldog
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Doberman
• Great Dane
• Japanese Akita
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Afghan Hound
• Rottweiler
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Identification and microchip
Microchip required. All pets must have an ISO approved microchip implanted subcutaneously.
Rabies and vaccinations
RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date.
Cats: Rabies, PCH
Dogs: Rabies and DHPPL
Tests and treatments
RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date.
On the export health certificate flea, tick treatments and deworming are required and should be done within the validity of that health certificate.
Health certificate and permits
Your pets require a Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) completed by your family vet within 14 (fourteen) days of departure.
Approved Import permit is required on arrival.
Required application forms for Import Permit can only be done on line through Ministry of Municipality Website:
Quarantine
None
Restrictions and banned breeds
Importer should have a valid Qatar ID and a local mobile phone number linked to his Metrash application
A special dispensation to import the banned breeds as proven family pets has to be obtained.
BANNED BREEDS:
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Boerboel
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Bull Terrier
• Bulldog
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Doberman
• Great Dane
• Japanese Akita
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Afghan Hound
• Rottweiler
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Customs, agents, and airports
A customs broker is required for Qatar.
Highly Recommended.
Pets must enter Qatar via Hamad International Airport in Doha.
Airports listed on this destination file: DIA, DOH.
Simplified version: Upon arrival of your shipment (pet) in Doha Qatar, you will be required to submit your Identification and the corresponding approved import permit of your pet. At the same time, an airline personnel will provide the original documents (from point of origin) that your pet has been travelling with. From here on, there will be a series of steps to go through until your pet is cleared and handed over to you.
It is advised that your pets arrive at their destination during the week and preferably during normal office hours. This will ensure timely clearance through Customs and the
presiding State Veterinarian while avoiding additional charges.
Where applicable and unless stated otherwise, the consignee is responsible for import
Permit, Import Customs, and Clearance at destination.
Export notes
Follow the other destination rules
Other pets / CITES / extra rules
For CITES pets only
Standard final predeparture health checkup should be done by a licensed veterinarian 10 days or less prior to departure. Then, the licensed veterinarian will provide the documentation and they will issue the in ternational health certificate through the Ministry of Municipality.
Below are the requirements for bringing your pet out of Qatar and into a different country:
Check the animal transport requirements and regulations of the country you will be bringing your pet to. Also, keep in mind that they may vary from country to country and be subject to change.
All pets that leave Doha should have a physical exam, administered by a licensed veterinarian, four to eight days prior to your flight departure date. This is required for a health certificate (which is valid for only 14 days from the issue date) to be issued. Please bring the following items to the physical exam:
Your pet’s original vaccination records
Your passport
A copy of your Qatari ID
Official contacts
Agent Details: Pet Station Kennels & Cattery
https://www.petstationgroup.com/home/
head office located in Dubai: +971 4 321 4430WhatsApp number +971 50 660 1293Email: relocation@petsttiongroup.comDepartment of Animal HealthMinistry of Municipality
Unified Call Center (184) which will serve you 24/7.
info@mm.gov.qa
Current as of Oct. 2024
Disclaimer
Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2025-10-02.
Next: measure your dog, find the kennel size, then get a free travel quote. Moving on military orders? PCS moves. Going to Hawaiʻi instead? Hawaiʻi has its own regime.
Other destinations: Algeria · Angola · Bahrain · all destinations
Official sources for Qatar
- HERE animalcert.mme.gov.qa
Questions about moving a pet to Qatar
Does my dog or cat need a microchip for Qatar?
Microchip required
From the country profile, last verified 2025-10-02.
What rabies vaccination does Qatar require?
RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date
Is a rabies antibody (titer) test needed for Qatar?
RNATT is required for all dogs and cats and should be done more than 90 days prior to expected flight departure date
A titer test is the single most common reason a move takes months rather than weeks, because the waiting period runs from the blood draw.
Do I need an import permit to bring a pet into Qatar?
Approved Import permit is required on arrival
Will my pet be quarantined on arrival in Qatar?
Not required