Latest News About Eu Pet Passports

Here’s the latest on EU pet passports as of April 2026.

• What changed for GB residents traveling to the EU: EU-issued pet passports from the UK are no longer valid for entry into EU countries for Great Britain residents. For each trip, you’ll need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an authorized veterinarian closer to departure. This replaces relying on an EU passport previously used by many UK travelers. This change affects Britons who split time between the UK and continental Europe, including those with holiday homes or frequent cross-border trips.[1]
• What you’ll need to travel now: Before each trip, obtain an AHC for your dog, cat, or ferret, ensuring the pet is microchipped and up to date on rabies vaccination. Certificate costs vary by vet and location (roughly in the mid-hundreds of pounds range per trip in reporting sources). Some sources note that the old passport system is being phased out and that documentation checks at EU borders have tightened as part of broader pet-travel reforms.[2][4][1]
• Wider EU reforms on pet movement: The EU is introducing more digitalized and centralized tracing for pet data, including potential euro-wide databases and pre-registration for certain non-commercial travels, with stronger documentation checks at entry points. The reforms are being rolled out gradually with some elements applying from 2025–2026 and others phased in later (the legacy rules are being superseded but parts may still apply during a transition).[8][2]
• Practical steps for now:
  • Contact your vet to book an AHC appointment close to your travel date.
  • Verify that your pet is microchipped and rabies vaccination status matches your destination country’s requirements.
  • Check the specific EU country you’re visiting for any additional entry requirements (some destinations have extra forms or local rules).[3][7][1]

Illustrative note: If you were planning multiple trips per year, expect more planning per trip due to the per-trip AHC requirement, and stay updated on country-specific rules through official sources and your veterinarian.[7][1]

If you’d like, I can summarize the current requirements for a specific EU country you plan to visit and estimate potential costs per trip. Also, I can provide a quick checklist you can print for preparation.