Home/Routes/Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates
BA
Bosnia and Herzegovina
✈️
AE
United Arab Emirates
Pet Transport from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Arab Emirates
Moving a dog or cat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates is very doable with the right preparation. Expect about 8-10 weeks. Nothing here is unusually complex, but the deadlines matter. There is no routine quarantine, …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates
typically takes around 8-10 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Microchip your pet (ISO 11784/11785) and administer the rabies vaccination.
Responsible: BiH vet
At least 21 days before travel if this is a first course.
2
Rabies titre test, blood drawn and sent to an accredited laboratory.
Responsible: BiH vet, accredited laboratory
At least 30 days after vaccination.
3
Vet inspection through the Border Veterinary Inspection Department, then health certificate issued on MOCCAE's model form and endorsed by the State Veterinary Office.
Responsible: BiH vet, State Veterinary Office
Close to departure, once the titre result is confirmed passing; endorsement usually takes 2-3 working days.
4
Apply for the MOCCAE import permit online.
Responsible: Owner or agent
Once travel dates are realistically fixed; valid roughly 30 days from issue.
5
Book cargo space with flydubai for the direct Sarajevo-Dubai sector, or Turkish Airlines/Qatar Airways as an alternative.
Responsible: Owner or cargo agent
Once documentation and permit dates align.
6
Arrival inspection at Dubai International or Abu Dhabi International.
Responsible: MOCCAE officials
On landing.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter United Arab Emirates
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 required, implanted before the rabies vaccination and scannable on arrival.
Rabies vaccination
Required, at least 21 days before travel if this is a first course.
Rabies titre test
Required. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not appear on MOCCAE's low-risk rabies country list, so a rabies antibody titre test (FAVN or RNATT, minimum 0.5 IU/ml) applies before entry. Minimum import age from a non-low-risk origin is 15 weeks. MOCCAE sets no fixed wait once a passing result is confirmed, unlike the roughly 90-day wait the UK requires from an unlisted country. Source: MOCCAE, moccae.gov.ae, 2026.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for a pet arriving with complete documentation and a passing titre result.
Import permit
Required, applied for online through MOCCAE or the relevant emirate's municipality before departure, valid roughly 30 days from issue.
Health certificate
MOCCAE model veterinary health certificate, endorsed by the State Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented with the import permit on arrival.
Export permit (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Not formally required for a pet travelling with its owner. The government-endorsed health certificate below is the operative export document.
Government endorsement
The State Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina endorses the export health certificate, typically within 2 to 3 working days. Source: Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, vet.gov.ba, checked 2026.
Costs
What this route typically costs
BiH vet fees, vaccination, titre test and State Veterinary Office endorsement: EUR 150-350
MOCCAE import permit: roughly AED 200-400
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 70-250
Direct cargo, Sarajevo to Dubai on flydubai: EUR 800-1,800
Total typical range: EUR 1,400-3,000 over 8-10 weeks
Critical points to read before you book
flydubai's direct Sarajevo-Dubai service actually carries pets, a genuine reversal of the UK route from the same city, where the only nonstop flights, Wizz Air and Ryanair, exclude pets entirely. Don't assume the two routes share the same flight-booking headache; they don't.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not on MOCCAE's low-risk list, so the titre test still applies here even with the simpler flight. A lighter routing does not mean lighter paperwork.
The MOCCAE import permit runs roughly 30 days from issue. Apply once titre results and flight dates are realistically confirmed, not months ahead.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
FLYDUBAI
flydubai
Flies Sarajevo to Dubai direct, roughly 5 hours 30 minutes, the only nonstop service on this city pair. A genuine contrast with Bosnia and Herzegovina's UK route, where the equivalent direct flights, Wizz Air and Ryanair, carry no pets at all: flydubai does, exclusively as manifest cargo through flydubai Cargo, never as checked baggage.
Cargo Only
TURKISH
Turkish Airlines
An alternative routing via Istanbul, useful if flydubai's cargo capacity or schedule doesn't fit, with its own Pet Lounge at Istanbul for animals on a longer layover.
Cargo Only
QATAR AIRWAYS
Qatar Airways
A second alternative via Doha, worth comparing if neither the direct flydubai service nor the Istanbul connection lines up with travel dates.
Cargo Only
What United Arab Emirates requires
The path into United Arab Emirates is straightforward to follow once you know the steps. Give the time-sensitive items priority and check the details below.
Avoiding the common mistakes
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
FAQ
Common questions about Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates pet transport
Yes. flydubai operates a direct Sarajevo to Dubai service, roughly 5 hours 30 minutes, the only nonstop flight on this city pair. Pets travel exclusively as cargo through flydubai Cargo, never as checked baggage.
The flight is genuinely easier, since flydubai’s direct service actually carries pets, unlike the direct Sarajevo-London flights on Wizz Air and Ryanair, which carry none. The paperwork is comparable: a titre test applies on both routes, though MOCCAE sets no fixed wait afterward while the UK requires roughly 90 days from an unlisted country.
Yes. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not appear on MOCCAE’s low-risk rabies country list, so a FAVN or RNATT titre test with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml is required before entry.
Roughly 30 days from issue. Apply once the titre result and flight dates are realistically confirmed, since applying too early risks the permit lapsing before travel.
Airline guides
flydubai
Turkish Airlines
Qatar Airways
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.
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