If you think getting a resident’s visa to the Emirates is difficult try being a pet!

Years ago cats were the easiest pets to take on an airplane. They were small enough that most airlines let them on as hand luggage. Because of their size and disposition they were rarely scrutinized in the same way dogs are for health certificates and vaccine cards when they arrived at airports, particularly outside Europe. That has all changed, especially in the UAE. Last year, the small matter of a war forced me to relocate my family to Sharjah. Getting the paperwork — work permits and residents visas — in order is always a headache but I groaned when I learned that pets, in this case our Siamese cat Simone, were not exempt and needed their own papers. To avoid having your pet quarantined on entry here are the steps one needs to follow: make sure your pet’s vaccines are up to date. Then, take said pet to its vet