How to Get a Pet Passport

How to get a pet passport depends on where you live. A pet passport is an official EU identification booklet recording your dog, cat, or ferret's microchip, rabies vaccination, and owner details for border checks. EU residents get one from an authorised veterinarian after microchipping and rabies vaccination, per the European Commission. UK residents in England, Scotland, or Wales need a single-trip Animal Health Certificate from an official vet instead, per GOV.UK. The United States does not issue pet passports; USDA-accredited veterinarians issue export health certificates, according to USDA APHIS.

As of August 2026, rules differ by residency. This guide covers the official steps for each situation and explains how Animal Passport's digital biometric ID differs from government travel paperwork.

What a Pet Passport Is (and Who Can Get One)

An EU pet passport is an identification document that facilitates movement of pet dogs, cats, or ferrets between EU countries while recording traceability and animal health conditions, according to the European Commission's pet travel FAQs. It is exclusively intended for pets whose owners habitually reside in an EU country as their primary place of residence—the European Commission states this explicitly in its 2026 guidance.

The passport is valid for the animal's lifetime as long as rabies vaccinations remain current, per the European Union's Your Europe portal. It covers dogs, cats, and ferrets only. Other species such as rabbits, birds, and reptiles follow separate national rules.

Outside the EU, "pet passport" often means whatever travel paperwork a pet needs—a usage that causes most confusion.

How to Get an EU Pet Passport: Step-by-Step

If your main residence is in an EU member state, follow these steps to obtain an EU pet passport from an authorised veterinarian—the only official route the European Commission recognises.

1. Microchip your pet. The pet must be identified by a microchip implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, per Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 as summarised on the European Commission's within-EU travel page. A clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 may also be accepted on older animals.
2. Vaccinate against rabies. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old at vaccination. The vaccination date must not precede the microchip implantation date. After the primary vaccination course, you must wait at least 21 days before travelling, according to Your Europe guidance last checked in June 2026.
3. Book an authorised veterinarian. Only a veterinarian authorised by your EU country's national competent authority may issue EU pet passports, the European Commission confirms in its FAQs.
4. Attend the appointment with your pet. Bring your pet, proof of microchipping, and vaccination records. The vet records the microchip code, animal description, owner details, and rabies vaccination in the passport booklet.
5. Keep vaccinations current. Booster doses must be given before the previous vaccination expires. If a booster lapses, the next dose counts as a primary vaccination and the 21-day waiting period applies again, per Your Europe.
6. Add tapeworm treatment if required. Dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, or Norway need Echinococcus multilocularis treatment administered by a veterinarian 24 to 120 hours before entry, recorded in the passport, according to the European Commission within-EU travel rules.

Once issued, the EU pet passport supports repeated within-EU travel while vaccinations stay current—no new booklet is needed for each trip.

If You Live in the UK: How to Get Pet Travel Documents Instead

Residents of Great Britain—England, Scotland, and Wales—cannot obtain a new EU pet passport for travel to the EU. The European Commission states that EU pet passports issued to pet owners resident in Great Britain are no longer valid documents for travelling from Great Britain to the EU. Northern Ireland remains aligned with EU pet movement rules and can still issue pet passports through authorised vets, per GOV.UK and European Commission guidance.

For Great Britain residents travelling to the EU, GOV.UK instructs owners to obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). Here is the process:

1. Microchip your pet if not already done.
2. Vaccinate against rabies. Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old. Wait at least 21 full days after the primary rabies vaccination—or longer if your vet says the specific vaccine requires more time, per GOV.UK's Animal Health Certificate guidance.
3. Find an official veterinarian. The AHC must be signed by an official veterinarian (OV). Not every practice employs one; GOV.UK advises checking whether your vet can issue AHCs or referring you to an OV.
4. Visit the vet within 10 days of travel. Take your pet and proof of microchipping and vaccination. The certificate is valid for entry into the EU any time within 10 days after issue—Day 1 is the date the certificate is issued, GOV.UK confirms.
5. Plan for single-trip use. Your pet needs a new AHC for each trip to an EU country from Great Britain or Northern Ireland, according to GOV.UK.

After entry, the certificate remains valid for onward EU travel and Great Britain re-entry for six months, per GOV.UK.

If you are entering Great Britain from an EU country or another territory that issues pet passports—such as Switzerland, Norway, or Iceland—your pet may use a valid pet passport issued by an authorised vet in that country, according to GOV.UK's pet passport entry page.

If You Live in the United States: No Pet Passport Exists

The United States does not issue a national pet passport for dogs, cats, or ferrets. Instead, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) governs export health certificates for pets leaving the US, and each destination country sets its own entry requirements.

To prepare a US-based pet for international travel:

1. Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel. USDA APHIS advises starting early because every country has its own health requirements that may include microchipping, specific vaccinations, or laboratory tests, per the USDA APHIS Pet Travel Process Overview last modified June 18, 2026.
2. Verify destination country requirements. Country requirements change frequently; USDA APHIS instructs pet owners to verify destination requirements every time they plan to travel.
3. Complete required vaccinations, tests, and treatments on schedule. Your accredited veterinarian builds a timeline so all steps fall within the destination's required windows.
4. Obtain a pet health certificate. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must issue export health certificates that require USDA endorsement. Not all veterinarians are accredited—accreditation is state-specific and voluntary, USDA APHIS notes.
5. Get USDA endorsement if required. When the destination country requires a USDA-endorsed certificate, your veterinarian submits it through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) or you ship the original to a USDA Endorsement Office. The original endorsed hard copy must accompany your pet, according to USDA APHIS.

Americans travelling to the EU do not receive an EU pet passport unless they become habitual EU residents. They must follow non-EU entry rules and obtain an EU Animal Health Certificate from an official veterinarian in the US before departure.

How Non-EU Residents Enter the EU Without a Pet Passport

If you live outside the EU—whether in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Great Britain—you generally cannot use an EU pet passport to enter the bloc. Instead, the European Commission requires an Animal Health Certificate completed by an official veterinarian or an authorised veterinarian subsequently endorsed by the competent authority, per the Commission's non-EU entry rules.

Key requirements for non-EU entry as of August 2026:

• The certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue until documentary and identity checks at a designated travellers' point of entry.
• After entry, the certificate remains valid for further movement within the EU for six months or until the anti-rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first, according to the European Commission.
• Pets from most non-EU countries must undergo a rabies antibody titration test at least 30 days after primary vaccination and at least 90 days before certificate issue, unless the country of origin is listed in Annex I or Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636.
• You must attach a written declaration confirming the movement is non-commercial (not a sale or transfer of ownership).
• Maximum five pets per vehicle for non-commercial movement, the European Commission states.

Exceptions exist for pets returning to the EU after a short holiday abroad if the EU pet passport documents compliance before departure—the European Commission FAQs describe this scenario for EU residents travelling temporarily outside the bloc.

Pet Passport vs Animal Health Certificate vs US Health Certificate

Airline and Carrier Requirements Beyond the Passport

Obtaining the correct government document is necessary but not always sufficient. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes the Live Animals Regulations (LAR), which commercial airlines follow for pet transport. IATA states that it is the role of governments to set and enforce rules concerning live animal transportation, while IATA members adhere to LAR standards for humane handling and container requirements.

As of January 1, 2026, the current IATA LAR edition governs in-cabin and cargo pet transport. Airlines verify health certificates, container compliance, and species eligibility at check-in. IATA recommends consulting your carrier directly because individual airlines may impose additional or more stringent policies than government minimums, per IATA's Live Animals programme page.

A valid passport or certificate does not guarantee boarding if carrier crate rules, breed restrictions, or seasonal embargoes differ from government minimums.

How Animal Passport Differs from a Government Pet Passport

Search results for "how to get a pet passport" sometimes surface Animal Passport, a digital animal identity platform published by Animal Passport at animalpassport.co. This product is fundamentally different from the EU pet passport or any government travel document.

Animal Passport creates a digital record using muzzle biometrics—each animal's nose print is unique, comparable to a human fingerprint. Capture happens on a phone. The record binds owner identity, breed, estimated age (from a dental photograph with a confidence score), body condition score from 1 to 5 (from a side-profile photo), and vaccination history. In August 2025, the system was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim animals when paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport does not replace an EU pet passport, UK Animal Health Certificate, or USDA export health certificate. It is not a government-issued travel document, does not constitute veterinary diagnosis or legal advice, and cannot substitute for border-control paperwork. Think of it as a durable biometric ownership and health record that complements—not replaces—official import documents. For background on digital animal identity, see the Animal Passport blog.

Common Mistakes When Applying for Pet Travel Documents

• Vaccinating before microchipping. Rabies vaccination dates must not precede microchip implantation; border officials can reject the document, per European Commission within-EU rules.
• Missing the 21-day waiting period. Travel before 21 full days after primary rabies vaccination invalidates EU entry, according to Your Europe.
• Using an EU pet passport as a non-EU resident. The European Commission confirms that owners resident in non-EU countries—including those with holiday homes in the EU—must use an Animal Health Certificate for each entry.
• Assuming one document covers every country. USDA APHIS warns that each destination sets its own requirements; a certificate valid for France may not meet Japan's rules.
• Forgetting tapeworm treatment for dogs. Dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, or Norway need Echinococcus treatment recorded 24 to 120 hours before entry, the European Commission states.
• Confusing Animal Passport with official paperwork. A biometric muzzle-ID record helps identify and recover animals but does not satisfy border import requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a pet passport in the UK?

England, Scotland, and Wales residents cannot currently obtain a new EU pet passport for EU travel. GOV.UK instructs them to get an Animal Health Certificate from an official veterinarian within 10 days of departure, after microchipping and rabies vaccination. Northern Ireland residents may still obtain pet passports aligned with EU rules.

How much does a pet passport cost?

Governments do not set a universal fee. Costs depend on your veterinarian's charges for microchipping, rabies vaccination, examination, and document completion. UK Animal Health Certificates typically cost more than a one-time EU pet passport because a new AHC is required for each trip, according to GOV.UK's single-trip requirement.

How long does it take to get a pet passport?

Plan at least four months if a rabies antibody titration test is required for non-EU entry—the European Commission requires the test at least 30 days after primary vaccination and at least 90 days before certificate issue for most third countries. For EU residents needing only microchip and primary rabies vaccination, the minimum timeline is roughly three weeks plus one vet appointment.

Can I get a pet passport online?

No government issues a pet passport through an online-only process. An authorised or official veterinarian must examine your pet and complete the physical passport or certificate. USDA APHIS allows electronic submission of health certificates through VEHCS, but a USDA-accredited veterinarian must still examine the animal.

Do cats need a pet passport?

Cats follow the same rules as dogs and ferrets under EU pet travel law. EU residents obtain an EU pet passport for cats from an authorised veterinarian; non-EU residents use an Animal Health Certificate, per the European Commission.

Does the US have a pet passport?

No. USDA APHIS does not issue pet passports. Americans travelling abroad need destination-specific export health certificates from USDA-accredited veterinarians, with USDA endorsement when the destination requires it.

Is Animal Passport the same as an EU pet passport?

No. Animal Passport is a phone-based digital identity system using muzzle biometrics for livestock and pet record-keeping. It is not issued by any government and does not replace EU, UK, or US pet import documents.

What do I need if I already have an old EU pet passport?

If you are an EU resident and your passport was issued under a valid model with current rabies vaccinations, it generally remains usable for within-EU travel, per the European Commission. Great Britain residents cannot use EU pet passports for travel from Great Britain to the EU regardless of when the passport was issued, according to the European Commission's Great Britain-specific guidance.

By Animal Passport. Last updated August 2026.