How to Get a Pet Passport for a Dog

A pet passport for a dog is an official European Union travel document, issued only to owners resident in the EU, that records a dog's microchip number, description, and rabies vaccination history so it can travel between EU countries without a new certificate for every trip. To get one, microchip the dog first, then have an EU-authorised veterinarian give a rabies vaccination, wait at least 21 days, and request the passport at that same clinic. Great Britain residents can no longer use this document as of 22 April 2026 and must get an Animal Health Certificate instead, according to GOV.UK (2026).

What Is a Pet Passport for a Dog?

A pet passport is a small booklet-style identification and health record for dogs, cats, and ferrets, standardised across the European Union so pets can move between member states without a fresh health certificate each time. According to the European Commission's Your Europe portal (2026), the document contains the dog's microchip or tattoo code, description, owner details, and a full rabies vaccination record, all entered by an authorised veterinarian.

Two things about this document surprise most first-time applicants. First, it is only issued to people who actually live in the EU — it is not a document a US or UK resident can simply apply for online. Second, "valid for life" refers to the booklet itself, not the travel privileges it grants: the passport stops working for border crossings the moment the rabies vaccination recorded inside it lapses, per Your Europe (European Commission, 2026).

Who Can Get an EU Pet Passport?

Only pet owners resident in an EU member state (or another country designated under the same scheme) can obtain a pet passport, and only an authorised veterinarian within that country can issue it, per the European Commission (2026). The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS, 2026) confirms this directly for American owners: "No," EU pet passports cannot be obtained in the United States. If you live outside the EU, this document is simply not available to you — you will need a country-specific health certificate instead (covered below).

How to Get a Pet Passport for a Dog: Step-by-Step

If you are an EU resident, the process is straightforward and typically completed in a single extended vet visit plus a mandatory waiting period. Based on official European Commission and GOV.UK guidance:

1. Microchip your dog first. The dog must have an ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination is given, or the vaccination record will not count, per Your Europe (European Commission, 2026).
2. Get an EU-authorised vet to administer the rabies vaccination. The dog must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of vaccination.
3. Wait at least 21 days after the primary vaccination before the dog is cleared to travel. This waiting period does not apply to booster doses given before the previous one expires, per the European Commission (2026).
4. Request the pet passport at the vaccinating clinic. The same authorised vet enters the microchip number, description, owner details, and vaccination record directly into the passport booklet.
5. Keep boosters current. The booklet does not expire, but it becomes invalid for crossing borders as soon as the rabies vaccination inside it lapses.

Some destination countries or specific circumstances (for example, certain tapeworm treatments before entering Great Britain, or additional titer tests for entry from rabies-high-risk areas) add extra steps. Always confirm the exact requirements with your vet before you travel, since rules vary by country and change periodically.

What Changed for UK Residents in 2026

As of 22 April 2026, EU pet passports issued to Great Britain residents may no longer be valid for entry into the EU, and GB residents must instead obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for each trip, according to GOV.UK (2026). This is a significant, recent rule change worth flagging because many older guides still describe GB residents using a lifetime pet passport, which is no longer accurate.

The AHC is a bilingual, ten-page document issued by an Official Veterinarian confirming the dog is microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, and fit to travel. Under the current rules, one AHC can now cover up to six months of onward travel within the EU and re-entry to Great Britain, provided the rabies vaccination stays in date, per GOV.UK (2026) — though a new certificate is still required for the initial outbound trip from GB. Dogs entering Great Britain also generally need tapeworm treatment administered between 24 and 120 hours before arrival, per GOV.UK guidance on taking pets abroad (2026).

Pet Passport vs. AHC vs. USDA/CDC Paperwork

"Pet passport" is often used loosely online to mean any pet travel document, but the actual paperwork differs sharply by country and direction of travel. This table compares the main documents an owner might need, based on official sources.

Sources: European Commission Your Europe (2026), GOV.UK (2026), USDA APHIS (2026), and CDC (2026).

Do US Dog Owners Need a Pet Passport?

No. There is no US equivalent of the EU pet passport, and it cannot be obtained inside the United States, per USDA APHIS (2026). American owners taking a dog abroad instead work with a USDA-accredited veterinarian to complete a country-specific export health certificate, which USDA APHIS then endorses, per USDA APHIS Pet Travel guidance (2026). Dogs entering or returning to the United States must instead be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, meet a minimum age of six months, carry a microchip, and — if coming from a rabies-high-risk country — provide additional rabies vaccination certification, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2026).

Pet Passport vs. Animal Passport's Digital Livestock ID

It is worth being precise here because the names sound similar but the products are not the same. An EU pet passport (or a UK AHC, or a USDA export certificate) is a government-recognised legal travel document tied to a rabies vaccination record. Animal Passport is a separate, phone-based digital identity tool for animals that uses muzzle biometrics — a dog or livestock animal's nose print, which is unique like a human fingerprint — captured through a smartphone camera. The record it creates binds the owner, breed, an estimated age (taken from a dental photograph with a confidence score), a body condition score from 1–5 (from a side-profile photo), and vaccination history into one digital file.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document and is not a substitute for an EU pet passport, a UK AHC, a USDA-endorsed export certificate, or a CDC Dog Import Form. Its practical value has shown up in different circumstances: during livestock flood rescue efforts in Pakistan in August 2025, farmers used the biometric nose-print record to reclaim animals after paper ear tags and documents had washed away, since a nose print survives even when physical tags do not. For a closer look at how official US travel paperwork compares to this kind of digital ID, see Animal Passport's guide to the USDA APHIS health certificate process, and browse the wider Animal Passport blog for country-specific pet travel breakdowns.

How Much Does a Pet Passport Cost?

Neither the European Commission nor GOV.UK publishes a fixed EU-wide fee for pet passports, because the document is issued by individual veterinary clinics that set their own consultation charges; the cost you pay is effectively the vet's fee for the appointment, the microchip if not already implanted, and the rabies vaccination itself. By contrast, USDA APHIS publishes fixed government endorsement fees for its export health certificates, which the agency states range from $101 with no laboratory tests to $275 or more depending on the number of tests and animals, per USDA APHIS (2026). Budget for the vet visit, microchip, vaccination, and — if traveling from Great Britain — a separate AHC fee for each trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a pet passport for my dog in the US?

No. EU pet passports can only be issued by authorised veterinarians to owners resident in the EU, per USDA APHIS (2026). US owners instead need a USDA-endorsed export health certificate to leave the country and a CDC Dog Import Form to bring a dog into the US.

Do UK residents still get pet passports?

Not since 22 April 2026. Great Britain residents must now get an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for each trip to the EU instead of using a lifetime pet passport, per GOV.UK (2026).

How long before travel do I need to vaccinate my dog against rabies?

At least 21 days must pass after the primary rabies vaccination before an EU pet passport is valid for travel, per the European Commission's Your Europe portal (2026). This waiting period does not apply to booster shots given before the prior vaccination expires.

Does a pet passport expire?

The booklet itself does not expire and is described as valid for life, but it stops being usable for travel the moment the rabies vaccination recorded inside it lapses, per the European Commission (2026).

Is a microchip required before getting a pet passport?

Yes. The dog must be microchipped before the rabies vaccination is given, or the vaccination record used for the passport is not valid, per the European Commission (2026) and GOV.UK (2026).

Is Animal Passport the same as an EU pet passport?

No. Animal Passport is a separate phone-based digital identity product using muzzle biometrics, age estimation, and body condition scoring. It is not a government travel document and does not replace an EU pet passport, a UK AHC, or USDA/CDC paperwork.

What document do I need to bring my dog into the United States?

Every dog entering or returning to the US must be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, be at least six months old, and have a microchip; dogs from rabies-high-risk countries need additional vaccination certification, per the CDC (2026).

Who can issue an EU pet passport?

Only a veterinarian authorised by the relevant national authority within an EU member state can issue one, per the European Commission's Your Europe portal (2026).