How to Get an EU Pet Passport
It’s pretty remarkable how difficult it is for a human to get a foreign passport, compared to the ease of getting one for your pet! We liked to joke that Sora was Norwegian because she had the passport to prove it.
If you plan on living in or traveling to the European Union with your pets, it makes sense to get the proper documentation. An EU Pet Passport ensures that your pet meets all the requirements for travel across EU borders.
Table of Contents
- What is a European Pet Passport?
- How to Get a Pet Passport
- What Does an EU Pet Passport Contain?
- How Much does a Pet Passport Cost?
- Advantages of Getting an EU Pet Passport
- How to Use a Pet Passport
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What is a European Pet Passport?
An EU Pet Passport is a document that contains information about your pet, including:
- Name
- Microchip number
- Owner information
- Vaccination history
Pet passports for dogs, cats, and ferrets are issued by official veterinarians within the European Union. They cannot be obtained outside of the EU.
They are meant to facilitate the travel of pets between European Union countries, including many non-EU countries, without the need to complete the Annex IV form required for pets.
How to Get a Pet Passport
Getting a pet passport is a simple and painless process that takes about a half hour.
You do not need to apply for a pet passport. Simply find a licensed veterinarian and make an appointment after you have arrived in Europe.
Be sure to bring the following documents along to the appointment:
- Annex IV Form completed by your home veterinarian and endorsed by the governing body (USDA if your from the US)
- Rabies vaccination certificate or rabies titer test results
- ISO microchip information
- A local address
- Your own passport
These are the same documents required to fly internationally with a pet, so they should already be in order.
Generally, your pet’s documents should not be older than 21 days.
Travelers headed to countries like the United Kingdom are also required to provide proof of tapeworm treatment administered at least 24 hours, but no more than five days prior to arrival.
What does an EU Pet Passport Contain?
There is a ton of information inside the little blue book including:
- Details of ownership (name, address, passport number, telephone, etc.)
- Description of the animal (name, species, breed, date of birth, etc.)
- Microchip number and details
- Veterinarian details issuing the passport
- Vaccination against rabies
- Rabies antibody titer test approval
- Anti-echinococcus treatment records
- Other parasite treatment records
- Other vaccinations recorded and treatment records
All records are signed and stamped by your veterinarian with official stickers from the medication used.
How Much does a Pet Passport Cost?
We have obtained pet passports in Germany, Norway, and Spain and the price varies by country, but expect to pay between $60 and $100.
Some veterinarians may ask to do a quick check up or require a rabies shot, , which can add on additional fees.
Advantages of Getting an EU Pet Passport
While pets are not required to travel with a passport, it sure makes crossing borders easier.
The main reason to get a pet passport is to facilitate the ease of travel within the EU. However, there are many more benefits of getting an EU pet passport.
- Easily travel across European borders, including the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and the Balkans.
- You can store all of your pet’s medical records in one location.
- Travel back and forth between the US and some other countries without the need to obtain all of the importation paperwork (provided it is a non-commercial relocation)
How to Use a Pet Passport
You pretty much use it just as you would your own passport!
At the border crossing, inform the customs agent that you are bringing your pet and present the passport.
Keep in mind that vaccinations must remain up to date and remember to check border requirements prior to entry.
If you plan to travel back and forth between the US and the EU, never allow a non-EU veterinarian to enter information into the passport. This invalidates it and means going through the importation process all over again.
Tip: bring your pet’s passport with you to your veterinary appointments. This way, they can update any vaccines and other important medical information and keep your pet’s medial records current.
Do you have any tips for getting a pet passport?
What is your experience using one?
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- How Fly Internationally with a Dog
- Moving to Europe with a Dog
- Best Dog Kennels for Flying
- Flying with a Dog: Is it safe?
- Travel with a Dog Gear Guide
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Hey there, thanks for this helpful blog post! We are preparing to slow travel through eastern europe with our two pups, including some EU and non EU countries. We will get serology tests done >3 mo beforehand and pet passport upon arrival in EU.
My question for you is, in your experience, did you require health certificates for each non-EU country or was pet passport widely accepted instead? From my research it sounds like Bosnia and Serbia will be ok with just the passport, but I haven’t found clear info about Montenegro and Turkey. Just hoping you might know if we need to see a vet for certificate <10 days before arriving those countries. We will be traveling over land.
Cheers,
Gillian
Hi Gillian,
For the most part, once you have your EU Pet Passport, you will not hit any import/export issues. What you need to think about is if you’re planning to re-enter the Schengen zone from a high risk rabies country. For example, Bulgaria > Turkey > Greece. Turkey will let you enter no problem, but going back into the Schengen zone (Greece) will require a titer test (serology test as you mentioned in your comment). Honestly, I think you’ll have very few issues with an EU Pet Passport. Just make sure you buffer the time it takes to the titer test certificare in the mail. We wrote more about this here: https://longhaultrekkers.com/titer-test-for-dogs-and-cats/
-dave
Dave, thanks your reply.
I’ve checked out your post and yes we will definitely get the titer test done well ahead of time to ensure safe transit back into Schengen. Good to know that the EU pet passport should do the trick all across Europe – will be great to save the hassle of extra trips to the vet for certificates during our travels.
Cheers,
Gillian
Hi! I live in Spain with my cat and want to bring my cat to the Unites States and then obviously back to Spain. I have not yet bought my plane ticket. How far in advance can I get the pet passport? Does it expire? If I get it in March, could I still use it for my cat in, say, June?
Thank you!
Yes, you can get the passport as early or late as you want. In my opinion, it’s better to get the passport sooner than later as your cats may need some recommended vaccinations and you won’t have any surprises like ISO microchips vs US microchips.
To undernstand – do you mean that I can staple any other document issued by American doctor in my pet EU passport? Like rabbis vaccinations etc? I live in US but because I’m EU citizen I got EU passport for my dog when I travel to visit my familie in Europa. Do I need to vaccinate my pet in EU or I actually can do it in US and just as you mention staple the document with the passport ? “Alternatively, staple in the official signed paper copy of any vaccinations or other treatments performed by a non-EU vet.”
You can use your US vaccinations assuming they have not expired. No need to staple them in, as long as you have them present when showing the pet passport.
HI Dave. If I arrive from Cape Town to Amsterdam with my 2 dogs as excess baggage ( not allowed this way into UK , only EU, into UK must travel as Cargo and 20 times more expensive) and want to cross to UK by ferry , how can I do this ? Any advice. I will land in Amsterdam and have NO Address, thats my worry ? How can I get EU passport to catch ferry to UK please ?
Hi Suzana,
I believe you’ll be able to cross the ferry without issue, but I have not done it. Have you contacted the ferry lines directly? As for getting an EU Pet Passport, you can use any address like an airbnb, hostel, or campground. They just need something. Any private vet will be able to get the documents produced for you.
Absolutely wonderful news! Thank you. A day ago I had no way to get to the UK ( unless I paid 3000 pounds. With help from people like yourself Im leaving CT with both pups for a total cost of 283 pounds as excess baggage on klm to Amsterdam, where I will consult a local vet, stay for a few days and cross to UK ! Much Love !!!!
Glad we could help. Have you figured out how to cross from mainland Europe to the UK? People do it all the time so I think it will be a non-issue.
Thanks for this post! I have a pet passport for my cat but accidentally made the mistake of letting a US vet write in one of the vaccine slots. Did they still let you back into Europe when you did this for Sora? I will get a new one when I’m back in France but I don’t want to go through the money and hassle of getting another USDA health certificate.
Don’t sweat it and we’ve had mistakes like this made in the past and no customs agent is going to care or even know about it.
In this post it mentions that my paperwork should not be older than 21 days. If my paperwork is older than 21 days, what would you advise me to do? I am currently living in Spain, and I am from the United States originally. All of the paperwork I got it’s from the United States.
Hi Erik,
What are you planning or trying to do? Obtain an EU Pet Passport? Tell me more and I can help out.
-Dave
Hi Dave. I’m so grateful I came across your blog! It has so much info that I need for arranging to bring my cat and dog with me to Europe, so thank you!
I just have a question – does all of this apply to the UK as well? I mean, if we prepare our pets with shots etc and have everything in order before we leave, can we obtain a pet passport from a vet once we arrive in the UK? Although, I’m just thinking now Brexit will potentially cause a snag in that idea as the UK will potentially no longer be an EU member when it comes time for us to travel.
Sorry to pick your brain even more but do you know if the UK requires a pet passport? I’m thinking maybe we arrive firstly in mainland Europe and get the pet passports from somewhere there and then move on to the UK once we have them.
Thanks again for your input, very very helpful!
Bridie
Hi Bridie,
Egh, planning for the UK right now is tricky. When are you planning to travel? Generally speaking, if you plan for the worst in terms of documentation then you’ll be fine. Basically, assume you’ll need a titer test 3 months before and have rabies, microchip, tapeworm, etc. all done in advance.
-dave
Hi Dave, very helpful thanks. I am arriving to Amsterdam from Egypt & I will have all the paperwork needed to get in but I wanted to get the eu passport for travel to the Uk. I am going by ferry from hook of holland. What I am after is a vet contact that speaks English & is able to give me the passport on the same day. Thanks for any advise you can give,
Hi Sarah,
I’m guessing there is a good chance a vet in your departing Holland town will speak English. They are use to this issue with the UK. Worst case scenario, you can still get a EU Pet Passport by using Google Translate.
-dave
Hi Sarah! Sorry for jumping in here but would love to know how it all worked out for you because that’s pretty much why I want to do (apart from initial country of departure) ! Any way we could chat or if you posting an update here? Would love any recommendation I can get 🙂
Hi I just got a visa to live in Spain for a year & plan to bring my dog along. He already has an Avid microchip (9 digit). I was planning to get my own scanner to avoid the double microchip with an ISO but do you think its better to have an ISO to get the EU pet passport?
Hi Kathleen,
Where are you moving to in Spain? We live in Granada. As for the microchip, get the ISO chip installed and make your life easier. You don’t want to travel with a reader, plus vet offices here won’t be able to read the chip properly. Without out a doubt it’s the right thing to do.
-dave
We’re moving to Barcelona! Thank you for the advice, much appreciated!!
hooray!
Thanks for this. One question still eludes me. When you return to the US (I’m an American citizen -It’s not my fault!), do you have to stop by an EU vet to sign the passport shortly before your flight? What are the American officials checking when they look at the $250. APHIS papers I’ve carried with me each time before?
Hi Henry,
I think you’re a bit confused on the process. The EU Pet Passport is only travel for around Europe. The USA will accept your EU passport when entering the States assuming your rabies shots are ok.
The APHIS documentation is for exportation from the US to any other country in the world, like within the EU.
-dave
Hey Dave! Thank you so much for this blog post! I had a question and was hoping you’d have some insights. I’m currently in Mexico and am planning on moving back to the UK (I’m German though) and seeing as the UK does not accept emotional support dogs I was going to aim for the Netherlands as initial place of arrival. Now I don’t know whether I’d be allowed to apply for a passport there if I’m not actually residing there? Do you have any idea on what the procedure would be like? Thanks for any advice!
All flights direct from the US must support ESAs. For getting an EU Pet Passport, you don’t have to reside there for a vet to give you one.
Unfortunately that ESA rule still does not apply for the UK. I did read about that law in the US but somehow it seems to not apply for the isles.
Martin, you’re 100% correct. I completely forgot the rules change for island countries due to health regulations. An alternative is to fly to mainland Europe via ESA and then cross via ferry/car into the UK.
Yeah, unfortunately they’re not making it easy. Btw have you ever needed to fill out an ‘animal health certificate for the non-commercial movement into a Member State from a territory or third country of dogs, cats or ferrets’ ? I was looking at a template and it’s rather complicated. Especially when trying to sort it out with a vet that doesn’t speak English. Would you happen to have compiled a guideline for that document?
Yes, the form is the standard EU form. You are flying from Mexico correct? You can download and use the Spain version of the document for translation: http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/WASHINGTON/es/Embajada/agricultura/Documents/EEUU%20CERTIFICADO%20BILINGUE%20NO%20COMERCIAL%20APHIS.pdf
Just keep in mind, this isn’t the form your vet should fill out. They need the one that is for your destination country. Ex) the German form would have English/German in it.
hi dave,
i am a basketball player in Germany and have decided to stay and live here in Germany. however, my puppy has been staying with my mom while away. I would like to get him here with me permanently. she has the rabies certificate and nothing further. how do I go about seeing a vet here in Germany if 1. my pet isn’t with me and 2. I don’t have all the paper work. and 3. how do I go about getting all the paper work needed and micro chip if I am not in the states at the moment. what are the steps I should take in this situation? please help!
-thanks
Hi Tatiana,
Thanks for reaching out and hopefully I can assist. First, the EU Pet Passport is only good for travel within the EU. It has no bearing on your dog being able to travel from the US to Germany. You would need to first export the dog from US according to Germany’s import requirements. It’s not too complicated and you can find all the information here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/by-country/eu/pettravel-germany. You’ll need a few more things like an ISO microchip, health certificate, and the EU health form filled out by a accredited US vet. The previous link lays it all out and the time frame for when you need to complete the process.
For how to fly with your dog internationally, you can follow all the details on our Flying with a Dog Internationally post: https://longhaultrekkers.com/how-to-fly-internationally-with-a-dog/
-dave
@Dave Hoch, I am flying from the US to Lisbon, and my dog has a valid European pet passport. Is that all I need? Or do I also need to get a USDA vet here in the states to complete a health certificate? Or can i just use my EU pet passport?
Hi Hayley, I believe that as long as you travel within 30 days of entry to either continent, then you all need is the passport. If the timing has exceeded that amount of time, then you need the USDA vet certificate.
Hello Dave, Thank you for a very informative post.
I am looking at the list of pet documents that need to be brought to a vet in Europe. (I my case, in Paris.)
You mention that the documentation need to be issued within 21 days of the vet visit. For instance, the official health certificate (USDA endorsed ) will of course be issued within that time frame. A vaccination certificate can be re-issued by the US vet shortly before my departure from the US. (I’ll be flying to Paris for a 2 ½ week stay.)
Since I took my dog to Japan earlier this year, we have a FAVN Report (Rabies Antibody Titer) from Kansas but it was done in December 2018. Will this be acceptable in applying for an EU pet passport?
Thank you for your attention in advance. I would like to try to get an EU Pet Passport for my dog next time I am in Paris, in late October to November.
Hi there,
You don’t need a Titer test for a pet passport. The pet passport is just a single document that is for all your paperwork. If your vaccination for rabies was done in the last year, you should be fine for import. I assume you’ve got an ISO microchip since you went to Japan. Go to the APHIS site and they’ll have all the info and your local vet will double check everything is in order. Here is the link for France: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/by-country/eu/pettravel-france
-dave
Yes, an ISO microchip is in there.
Thank you, Dave!
So we are in Italy and came from the US so I have our USDA paperwork for Italy. Our plan was to get an EU pet passport but every vet we contact says to go to the local ASL but the ASL seems to all be human related health services. Know of any vets in upper Italy (we are in Genoa but don’t mind going a little ways to get this done) that will issue the pet passport?
I don’t know of any vets in your region, but that is really strange. I’ve gotten pet passports from veterinarians in three different European countries and have never had an issue.
@Jen Sotolongo,
You probably figured this out by now but yes, you have to have all the pet’s paper work verified by the ALS vet who issues the passport. It’s a bit of a pain. You have to ask a local EU vet for the email and then you have to wire money to the ALS – always get a receipt- and make an appt. with ALS. A local EU vet – certified EU vet can walk you through the process. I just did this last year in Rome.
It is a pain, but worth it if you want to bring your pup along! Glad you figured out what to do!
Hello! I just moved to Germany and want to get an eu passport for my dog, she has all her rabies vaccine records in her vaccine book from China. Will she need to do another rabies vaccine in order to get the pet passport or will the vet use her past (unexpired) ones?
and thankyou for the informative post!
It depends on when your dog had her last vaccine. If it’s been over a year, then it’s likely that they will give her another one. If you don’t have a health certificate proving the date of the last vaccine, then they may also request another vaccine.
This is the most up to date information on this that I have seen! Have y’all had any luck traveling with a dog internationally on a commercial flight without having to book using an IPATA dog relocation service? I know to get into the UK the dog has to travel as manifesto cargo but all of the airlines seem to require ipata to assist with booking the dog as cargo?
I’ve also considered just trying to go into an EU country, get the pet passport, and travel to the UK. But don’t know if that would be easier or cost efficient.
Would be so appreciative to hear yalls experience with this? Not sure if all airlines have switched over to this?
I’m thinking I need to start an IPATA business myself…
Hi! I’ve never had to use IPATA relocation service before. Are you trying specifically to get to the UK? I have a post about how to do so here: https://longhaultrekkers.com/travel-with-a-dog-to-the-uk/. Let me know if you still have questions!
Hi Jen. We have a pet passport for our Spaniel and have travelled with ease to France over the past few years but now the UK has technically left the EU, would there be any benefit getting an additional pet passport from a French vet next time we are visiting?
If your pet’s passport is already from the EU, then you should be fine in that regard. Where you’ll need to be extra cautious is that you follow the entry rules exactly, meaning any record of skipped vaccines will hurt your chances of getting into the UK.
Hi there,
Our dog has an EU pet passport issued in Italy. We now live in Germany. We are repatriating to the USA this summer. The EU pet passport has our Italian address listed. Can we just cover it and write in our current German address?
I don’t think it matters since you’re coming to the US. The US doesn’t require pet passports, so they shouldn’t care what address is on it. To be sure though, I’d ask a vet or the local agriculture department.
Hello,
I’m moving to France from the US (I have dual citizenship) with my vaccinated & ISO microchipped cat. How do I get an EU Passport to come into France if only an EU located vet can grant the EU passport?
Do I have to do the annex IV form and provide all documentations for my first entry with my cat, and therefore only get and use the EU passport after that for future travel?
You get your pet passport in France after you land. You do not need it to enter from the US, but you can use it in the future, as long as your travels between the two continents remain under 30 days.
@Jen Sotolongo,
Hi Jen,
Thanks for all this great info.
Could you clarify the “under 30 days” requirement and the “within 21 days” requirement listed further above?
We will be going to Italy for 3 months with our dog (will do the APHIS/USDA papers less than 10 days before arrival, and my understanding was that those are valid for 4 months of travel in the EU). I was also under the impression that the EU pet passport is valid indefinitely, as long as the vaccines do not expire and are administered by an EU vet. What is the 30 day limit for?
Separately, because Italy does not appear to be willing to issue pet passports to nonresidents (we do not have long term visas and will not be registered with the local anagrafe), we were planning to transit through Amsterdam to get a pet passport there on the way (which will be harder on the dog) OR make a separate trip from Italy to Amsterdam later in the 3mo stay (hopefully easier on the dog) to get the pet passport in the Netherlands. (Yes, France is closer, but they seem to be cracking down on nonresidents as well.) Are you saying the 2nd plan is not an option due to the 21 day limit between the issuance of the USDA documents and the vet visit for the EU pet passport? Like I can’t just go anytime within the 4mo validity of my USDA papers to get an EU pet passport; it must be in the first 21 days?
Thank you!!
I think what you’re referring to is the comment directly above, so I’ll answer with that in mind. You need to obtain your pet passport within 21 days of entering the country (in general, check with the country). You may travel between the EU and the US (and potentially other non-high-risk rabies countries, again, be sure to check) with the passport as long as the travel period does not exceed 30 days. So, if you stay in Europe for four months, go back to the US for 20 days, then go back to Europe, you can travel using the passport without needing to go through the USDA paperwork again. If you stay in the US for 31 days, then you need to go through the process again.
Regarding Italy not issuing passports to non-residents, we never ran into that issue. If you’re staying in the EU, then I’m not sure it’s really worth getting a passport. The US doesn’t have requirements for reentry aside from rabies, I believe. However, if you do feel that you need one, then you would need to get it within the 21 days of entry to the EU. I hope this makes sense and helps!
Hi i’m planning to visit Spain from Us so in that case i just need to give a local adress like a friends adress?
Also i’m originally from Turkey so i’m planning to go to Turkey from Spain and then from Turkey back to home to the USA. Do you think this is doable? I have a very small breed rescue dog i can’t be without 😁
Hey Cagla. Yes, I think that should be fine to use your friend’s address, but you should double check with a veterinarian there. Also, since Turkey is a high rabies country, you cannot go from Turkey back to the EU without a titer test, which needs to be three months old, I believe. So unfortunately, I’m not sure that you’ll be able to bring your pup along. Can you leave them in Spain with your friend when you go to Turkey?
Hello 👋🏼
So in March I travelled with my dog to Canada from Greece
So my dog has an EU passport which I got from Greece
(He is also vaccinated, micro) he has everything
But now I am going back to Greece
And I’m not sure what paperwork needs to be done
I actually got a fit to fly from the vet but he told me that I need to go get his health certificate from Canada, signed and stamped by the CFIA here
Do I have to go there? Or with his passport and the fit to fly certificate do it’s job for me to fly back?
Any ideas?
You’ll have to check with the Greek agricultural department. In general, I believe that you can use the passport and not have to redo all of the paperwork. However, some countries only allow 30 days in between travel, and then require certificate of health, but just the one from the vet, not the Canada agricultural department. To summarize: every country is different, so it’s best to just call directly to find out! Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you!
Hi Dave-
My dog is 16 years old, blind and weighs 8 pounds. I am planning to take her to Italy and since she has never been micro chipped, it’s been advised it could be detrimental to her health as her age. Is there a contact in Italy that I can reach out to in order to get the Micro Chip portion of her documents waived? Second question, we were hoping to take a ferry the next morning to Corfu, but I see she will need an EU Passport and since we arrive in Italy late evening and planned to leave the next morning, I was wondering if there are any Vets at either the Zurich Airport or Brindisi Airport to assist with a Pet Passport. Thank you in advance.
Hi there,
Thank you for the above. My daughter will be in Dublin for university for 4 years. We live in USA. I figure i want to take our dogs often when we go to visit and travel through Europe for the next few years. I just am not fully clear on acquiring the passport. So i get all my papers/vaccination records in order and go through our vet here in the USA. Then travel to Dublin and there i set up an appointment with a vet in Dublin to review, examine our dogs and that vet will issue the passport? Then after that I’m good to travel without issue back and forth to Europe with our dogs just keeping the vet records/vaccinations up to date?
Primary focus is going to and from Ireland with the dogs.
Kate
NYC
Hi Kate, hmm not quite. You also need to get a certificate and papers filled out by a USDA veterinarian prior to departing. Also, given that Ireland is an island, I’m not sure what the rules are for entry. Islands are very strict, so I would contact the USDA equivalent in Ireland before doing anything. My understanding is that once you have a pet passport, you can come and go between continents every 30 days, after 30 days, you’ll need to get only a certificate of health from your local vet, I believe. The rules change, so triple confirm with all of the people who approve!
We will be traveling back to the US from Italy. We would like to get a pet passport for easy entry into Europe next time around. Like others on this thread, I’m experiencing Italian Vets not issuing Pet Passports. Does anyone have any updated recommendations? One a separate note, we just read that Italy requires a pet export certificate to fly out of Italy into the US. Any experience with this? Is it actually needed?
I would check in with the Animal Traveler Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/animaltravelers?_rdr) and ask about the Italian vets and the pet passport issue. I’ve not tried to get one there, so I’m not sure what the situation is. Based on what I know from experience in other EU countries, if you have the pet passport, then you don’t need the export paperwork to go back to the US, but I would contact the Italian export department directly to ask. I’m sorry I’m not of much help here!
Hi There!
Thanks so much for this resource. It’s been so helpful.
I was wondering if you could clarify something for me. I will be traveling to Italy from the US for two months with my dog. Will it be necessary for me to aquire the EU pet passport if we remain within Italy, or will his UDSA edorsed export health certificate suffice for the duration of the trip?
Or, since I have read I will need to get an export certificate from an Italian vet before departing back to the US, perhaps it would just be better to go ahead and get the EU passport, since the vet visit is necessary anyway?
Thanks so much!
My understanding is that all paperwork lasts only 30 days, so you’ll need to get the export paperwork from Italy when you go back to the US if you don’t get the passport. If you’re staying over 30 days, don’t mind getting the export paperwork, and don’t plan to go back and forth between the two countries, I don’t think that a pet passport is necessary if you plan to stay in Italy.
@Jen Sotolongo,
Thanks so much for that! I really appreciate it. I may just go for the EU passport, just in case. Plus, it’s just so cute.
Hi Dave.
I’ve from the UK and have taken my dog to Spain (Valencia) this August using the health certificate issued in the UK. I’ve asked a local vet about getting a EU pet passport for my dog and they have said its not possible as they need the owners ID number (only Spainish resident have this).
Have you got any advise please?
Oh Spain. Does the UK not issue pet passports? If so, I’d get one there. If not, I am making the assumption that you drive to Spain, since you have your dogs, you could try getting a pet passport in France, if that’s the case. Otherwise, you may just need to get a health certificate each time, which is annoying, but just the way it is, unfortunately!
Hello, great article, thanks! Our dog has an ISO compliant chip from the USA called HomeAgain. She is up to date on all her vaccines. Everything is ready for our trip to France in a few weeks. I am trying to find a vet in Paris who will give me an EU passport for my dog as we will only be in France for a week and will then be traveling everywhere in Europe and Turkey for about a year. I am getting some push back from vets about her being chipped in the US and me coming from the US. What is the best info to provide the vet with in order to get the EU passport without push back?
Hey Claudine, sounds like a great trip! You’re going to have to get an ISO Microchip for your dog in addition to the one you currently have. This will need to be done before you depart for Europe, OR you can get your own microchip scanner that can read the US chip. It’s easier to just get the second microchip. Also keep in mind, that you’re going to need a Titer test to re-enter the EU from Turkey. To re-enter, the test must be at least three months old, so that would be something else I recommend doing before you leave, or right when you get to Europe (where I think it will be less expensive if you ask them to send it to a less expensive lab).
Hi There….
I travelled to France in the summer from the UK & had the Animal Health Certificate.
Then when in France went to a vets who then gave me a EU ( French) Pet Passport.
The vet insisted that my dog should have another Rabbis Vaccination, even though the Animal Health Certificate shows that there was an up to date Rabbis Vaccination.
The process was straight forward & cost about 60 Euro.
I have a question….. I’ve read that the Rabbis Vaccination sticker should be laminated . Is this true ??….
The Pet Passport doesn’t have any spare laminate, but I could get some & do it myself if this is actually correct.
I’ve heard of people trying to leave the UK with a EU Pet Passport, and refused because of some issue, like the date not being written in the correct sequence… Date/ Month/Year
Then after missing the boat & having to run around trying to get a vet to issue the horrendously overpriced Animal Health Certificate
I’m due to travel soon & would like to be fully informed about leaving the UK with this EU Pet Passport.
If anyone could advise, I’d very much appreciate it.
Kind Regard’s
Dave
I’ve never heard that about the rabies vaccination needing to be laminated, but that could be a new requirement. The best place to ask are the agricultural departments for both the EU and for the UK. They will have the most up-to-date answers.
Travelling to Spain and need a passport
Did you have a question, April? I need some more information before I can help you out!
Hi there,
Thanks for writing this informative article. We are trying to get our dog an EU pet passport because we travel to Europe quite frequently. We are not EU citizens and have heard that unless you live in the EU, it can be quite difficult to get these passports. Is that true? If we find a vet that is willing to provide us with a passport but not the rabies stamp, do we still have to bring USDA certified paperwork with us when we travel to Europe next? Or would a normal rabies certificate suffice?
Thank you!
I’ve not had an issue getting a passport for my dogs in the EU (I’ve gotten one in Norway and in Spain). My understanding is that if you cannot find a vet who will give you the rabies stamp based on your records from the US, then you will need to bring a rabies certificate with you for sure, I’m not sure about the USDA certified paperwork. I don’t *think* so since you will have the passport, but I would confirm with someone who represents the EU!
Hi, Great info thank you!
I will move from the US to Portugal, then get a dog from the UK brought to me in Portugal. Then I will get the EU pet passport. So, then when I fly with the very small dog to the US for a visit, I need to stay within the 30 day window while visiting the US, so that I do not need to do the USDA hoops to return to Portugal? And, I count day 1 landing and day 30 flying out? The airline on leaving the US will accept just the EU pet passport?
Thanks again!
G
That is my understanding, but it’s always best to check with the USDA equivalent in Portugal to confirm.
Hello,
I was curious if you were aware if France was still issuing EU pet passports to people from the US? We found on a vet in Paris’ website that it was no longer being offered after January of 2022.
I’m not sure. I’d maybe ask in the Animal Travelers Facebook group!
Hi there – not sure if you still check this page as its been few years but really hoping you can help. I am going to Amsterdam in April and am going through the process of getting international health certificate from vet- while in europe, i want to go to paris and luxembourg and the vet had said that the health certificate is valid for 4 months and that i can travel to other countries with it.
is that not true? in other words, do i also need the eu pet passport to be able to travel between countries?
Was it US-based vet that told you that or a European vet? To my knowledge the health certificates are only valid for 30 days without a pet passport, but it’s entirely possible that the rules have changed. I’d check in the Animal Traveler’s FB group!
Hello!
I am from the USA. My dog and I are traveling to Italy, staying for two weeks, then flying to Spain. Will the EU health certificate I receive in the US (from my USDA certified vet) be enough to get my dog to Spain from Italy or will I need to get my dog an EU passport while I am in Italy, before going to Spain?
I have seen a lot of conflicting information. Some sources say her health cert is good for 4 months and I should be able to travel within the EU just with that. Some sources say I will need to get an EU pet passport while I am in Italy, before our flight to Spain while other sources say you can only get an EU pet passport if you are living in the EU.
Any help is greatly appreciated!! I have everything figured out on getting her to Italy, just not sure about the flight from Italy to Spain. Thanks!!
I’m fairly certain that you’ll be fine with the health certificate traveling between Spain and Italy, especially since they are borderless entry. If you go into a non-EU country, then you might have some trouble without a passport. My understanding with the health certificates is that they are only good for 30 days, so unless the rules have changed and depending on how long you’re staying then I’d look into that to verify.
Hi! I am planning to fly from the US to Germany and then back to the US with my cat (a 3 week trip). I am plan to get the health certificate from my US vet, but I’m wondering a little more about the return process. I see there aren’t requirements for cats to enter the US, but the APHIS page mentions state-specific requirements.
My question is–where/how do they enforce the state requirements? Does US customs ask about your destination state, or is it like a separate event of some kind?
I think the only state requirements are for Hawaii since it’s rabies-free. Otherwise, I don’t believe there are other specific state requirements. The only think I can think of is that maybe some states might require certain vaccinations or pills, for something like worms.
Hi! Some great information here, I’ve been taking notes. Thank you!
One question I would love help with (and I’ve looked everywhere for an answer!)
I’m flying with my dog from Mexico to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is technically EU, but also part of the UK. I don’t need a rabies titer test to get there.. but I can get an EU passport once I arrive.
But do you know if I would then need the titer test to obtain the EU pet passport? As he is a Mexican dog?
If Mexico is on the high rabies list, then I would get a titer test, just to be safe. You can contact the UK agricultural office to verify. And yes, because your flight originates from Mexico, your dog would be considered Mexican.
Hi, I am a U K resident, my dog has a passport in Spain, we are travelling back to Spain, but the rabies booster will be out of date, can I have the booster done in the, U K, as Spain the rabies only lasts one year. Thanks Ian
I believe that would be acceptable, but you’d really need to contact the Spanish department of agriculture to confirm.
HI this is a great article and maybe this has been answered but I just wanted to make sure I understood right. I moved from the US to Madrid about a year ago and had to do all the paperwork. Now my cat is registed and has a EU passport. We are going back to the US thanksgiving to just after Christmas about 37 days. Can I just use the EU pet passport? Do I need to get a health certificate in the US to return to Madrid?
Hi Becky, my understanding based on rules from several years ago when I was living in Spain is that if the passport is “untainted” meaning a non-EU vet has not marked in it at all, then yes, you can use the passport to travel between the US and Europe without official health certificates. You may still need one from your vet, just not the USDA and EU equivalent. But do be sure to check with your vet to be certain!
My dog does not have a microchip but she has a tattoo ID. Is that sufficient to travel to the EU or does she need to be microchipped?
Your dog will need an ISO microchip per EU standards.
I just thought I could offer some information on the pet passport. In June, I traveled from US to France. I was able to get an EU pet passport very easily in Paris. I made an appointment with a vet a couple days after arrival and it took about fifteen minutes.
Thanks so much for the helpful information! I appreciate it!
I’m a bit confused. I got my dog a pet passport when I was last in France. The recorded rabies in the passport is recorded from his initial rabies vaccine he received in the USA. Can he still travel with just this since the EU vet recorded in the passport? There is no sticker but all the info is in the passport recorded by EU vet. I plan to get his booster when in France this next trip. Any info would
I believe that as long as the passport isn’t “tainted” meaning that a non-EU vet has not marked in it, you should be ok to travel in and out of the EU.
Hi I live in the UK, but spend 3 months in Spain in winter. AHC are very expensive and I was wondering if I could get a Spanish passport for my dog ?
Hi Juliette, I’m not sure what AHC are and I’m not certain about the Spanish passport. I think it may depend on whether you own property in Spain or have a place you rent every year. You’d have to check with a knowledgeable veterinarian in Spain.
My dog has an EU-issued pet passport from Poland and we will be moving to UK soon. Can I use the same EU pet passport to travel between UK and Europe after for holidays? If yes, do I need maintain my dog’s yearly rabies vaccination record in the EU pet passport by an EU vet (ie. France) or keeping the certificate from a UK vet is sufficient?
Hey Sher, I’m honestly not sure anymore since Brexit. Your best option is to check with the UK and EU governments! I’ll try to find some information and update my post! It long overdue!
Hello,
I’m traveling to Madrid in May again. My dog was born in the USA and I did the Health Certificate (USDA) to travel to Madrid back in September 2024. We stayed in Madrid for 44 days.
While in Madrid around October 20, 2024. I got my dog a Pet Passport and 1 week prior to my flight ar Madrid airport during check-in. I gave the pet passport and rabies certificate (USA certificate) the pet passport does not have any vaccination dates because all vaccines were made in USA and they were not expired.
We checked in without no problem. At the JFK airport custom agent only asked me if my dog was born in USA. I said yes and to show his rabies certificate. I entered to USA with no problem.
With all this said, can I travel with my dog and the pet passport to Madrid? Do I still need a health certificate from the USDA to be able to get on the plane?
I read UNITED AIRLINES pet policy and it says Health Certificate and rabies certificate.
I’m a little confused because when I traveled with IBERA airlines the first time they were asking for a health certificate or a Pet Passport.
We plan to stay 2 months in Spain this time May to August 2025. Any recommendations would be be truly appreciated.
Regards,
Kathy O.