Bringing a Pet to Qatar: Import Permit, Vaccines and Banned Breeds

Moving a pet to Qatar takes planning, because several steps depend on dates. The permit has to be issued shortly before arrival, the vaccine has to be old enough, and the health certificate has to be fresh. Miss one and the pet can be refused entry.

This guide relies mainly on a DohaGuides article (updated November 2025) and on a search summary of other third-party guides. We found no official MME page we could read, and the sources conflict on several points, which we flag below. It is general information, not veterinary or legal advice.

Who can bring a pet into Qatar?

DohaGuides says you need a Qatari residence visa to get an import permit, and that tourists cannot bring pets. It also says Qatar allows one pet per person, and that permits are only issued for animals over four months old. A 2022 news item about Hayya card holders reported a seven month minimum age instead, so check the age limit with MME for your pet.

How to get the import permit

The permit comes from the Livestock Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. DohaGuides says it must be issued no more than 30 days before the animal arrives.

1. Apply online through the MME Animal Certificates page using your Qatar ID and mobile number, or apply in person at a Municipality or Government Services Complex.

2. DohaGuides says the permit is normally issued in one working day and is valid for 30 days.

3. Enquiries can reportedly go to the Livestock Department on (974) 4426 1656 or 4426 3639. Confirm the numbers on the MME website.

We found no permit fee in any source. One search result said a US-origin dog needs no permit, which contradicts the rest, so do not rely on it.

Microchip, vaccines and health certificate

• **Microchip:** DohaGuides says it must be ISO 11784/11785 compliant, and the number must match on every document.
• **Rabies:** the vaccine must be current and given at least 30 days before arrival, within the last 12 months. DohaGuides also lists a rabies titre test (RNATT) result from a recognized lab. Another summary says 21 days. Use the stricter figure if you are unsure.
• **Other vaccines:** dogs need DHLPP, and cats need FVRCP, according to DohaGuides.
• **Health certificate:** an international certificate of good health in English, government-issued or government-endorsed, dated within 10 days of departure. Another guide says 14 days, so again, leave margin.

Which dog breeds are banned?

DohaGuides lists Afghan Hound, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boerboel, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bull Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei, Doberman, Great Dane, Japanese Akita, Neapolitan Mastiff, Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier as not importable. A newer summary claims Qatar has no official breed bans, and airlines may have their own. Treat the list as the cautious answer until MME confirms.

Travel and arrival

Pets enter through Hamad International Airport in an IATA-approved carrier. DohaGuides says Qatar Airways accepts pets as checked baggage under its conditions, and that some airlines allow small pets in the cabin. Ask your airline early, because it has its own limits. Birds, rabbits, fish and rodents also need a permit and a health certificate.

No quarantine applies to pets that meet every requirement. A pet that fails the checks can be quarantined or sent back, at the owner's cost, according to the guides we read.

Before you move

Your residence status decides whether you can do this at all. See our guides to the Qatar residence permit and to family visa sponsorship. If your pet is a tourist's, the sources say it cannot come in.

What we could not verify

• Any official MME page, fee, or current age limit.
• Whether the breed list is enforced as written.
• Exact vaccine and certificate timing, which differ between sources.