Pet passports and advice for travel with dogs and cats after Brexit

Pet Life

Do I need a pet passport to travel abroad? Post-Brexit pet travel, explained

The rules about travelling with pets to EU countries changed on 1 January 2021. As a pet parent, we imagine you’ll have all kinds of questions about how the new rules work, from ‘Do dogs need passports?’ to ‘What vaccinations does my pet need for travel?’ Here’s everything you need to know about how to travel with your dog after Brexit (or your cat, or your ferret)!

Do dogs need passports?

If you want to travel with dogs after Brexit in the EU or Northern Ireland, you can no longer use dog passports issued in Great Britain. However, you can still use dog passports that were issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland.

To travel to the EU or Northern Ireland, your dog will need:

a microchip
a valid rabies vaccination
an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) – unless they have a valid dog passport
tapeworm treatment (for certain countries).

What about cats – do I need a pet passport to travel abroad?

You can’t use cat, ferret and dog passports that were issued in Great Britain to travel to the EU or Northern Ireland anymore, but you can still use those that were issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland.

If you want to travel to the EU or Northern Ireland with your cat, they must be:
microchipped
vaccinated against rabies
issued with an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), unless they have a valid cat passport

What vaccinations does my pet need for travel?

If you want to travel with your dog after Brexit to the EU or Northern Ireland, they’ll need to be vaccinated against rabies. This is also the case for cats and ferrets. It means your pet has to:

be vaccinated against rabies before travelling to the EU or Northern Ireland
be at least 12 weeks old in order to be vaccinated
wait at least 21 days after their vaccination before they can travel
be microchipped before their rabies vaccination, or at the same time.

To travel with your dog after Brexit, you may also need to treat them for tapeworm. This rule applies upon your return to Great Britain, unless you’re coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway.

What is an Animal Health Certificate (AHC)?

An AHC is a document that has replaced cat, ferret and dog passports. It includes details about:

you, the pet parent
your pet
your pet’s rabies vaccination and, if needed, tapeworm treatment
which country you’re travelling to

Unlike a pet passport, which can be used over and over again, an AHC has to be issued for every trip you take to the EU or Northern Ireland.

How do I get an AHC?

You can get an AHC from your vet. It can only be issued by an official veterinarian (OV), so it’s worth calling your practice and checking that they have one – otherwise, you’ll need to go somewhere else. Only people aged 16 years and over can apply for an AHC. As a pet parent, you have to apply for the AHC yourself, or nominate someone else in writing to do so. How long does it take to get an AHC? You need to wait at least 21 days after your pet’s rabies vaccination before they can have their appointment to get an AHC. Once it’s issued, your pet’s AHC will be valid for entering the EU or Northern Ireland for the next ten days, and will last four months, allowing you to travel between EU countries and return to the UK. Always make sure to start planning your trip with your vet as soon as you can to avoid any stress and inconvenience.

You can find more advice and guidance on travel with dogs after Brexit – as well as cats and ferrets – on the government website. And if you need any more pet tips, take a look at our advice pages.

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