How To Get A European Pet Passport For Your Dog

Travelling Europe with your dog is an unforgettable experience, but before you set off on a road trip across borders, there’s one essential thing your pup needs: a dog passport for Europe.

We’ve done this process ourselves (and made a few mistakes along the way), so in this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to get a pet passport, what the requirements are, and how to avoid common pitfalls – so you don’t end up stranded at border control with your confused pup in the backseat!

In this guide, I use ‘dog passport’ and ‘pet passport’ interchangeably. They are the same thing and follow the same requirements.

How To Get A Dog Passport For Travel

Getting a dog passport for Europe is a straightforward process – but there are a few important details you need to get right to avoid travel headaches. Here’s what you need to do:

Have An EU Address (In Some Cases)

Depending on where you are applying, you will need to have an EU address and potentially be a resident in order to get a European dog passport.

In Portugal, we had to provide proof of our address and residency status however, I have heard a lot of people say there are vets in France & Belgium that don’t require that.

If you live in the UK you will need to travel to an EU country to get the passport – a UK issued pre-Brexit pet passport is no longer valid. This could be getting the Eurotunnel to France, or the ferry across to Northern Ireland.

Your dog will also have to have a new rabies vaccine done in the EU because UK vaccine records (or the Animal Health Certificate) are rarely accepted as proof of vaccine when it comes to getting the passport.

Make Sure Your Dog Is Vaccinated Against Rabies

To travel around Europe, and back into the UK, your dog must be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel.

If your pup is already vaccinated, this makes the process much easier and you can go ahead and ask your vet for the passport straight away.

If you’ve let the vaccine lapse, you’ll need to make an appointment to have another one done, then wait 21 days before you can travel – not including the day they had the vaccine.

Eg. if they have the vaccine on the 1st, you won’t be able to cross any borders until the 23rd, 

Make Sure Your Dog Is Microchipped (And Registered Correctly)

In many places it’s a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped. This means that in order to get your dog passport for travel, they’ll need to be microchipped if they aren’t already.

🛑 The vaccine needs to be done before, or at the same time appointment, as the microchip. Otherwise the vaccine is invalid and it will need to be done again.

When your vet is writing down the dates inside the pet passport, make sure they write that the microchip was scanned or inserted BEFORE the rabies vaccine was administered.

Our vet wrote them the wrong way around, and if it wasn’t for some very understanding staff at a late night Eurotunnel check in, we could have been turned away!!

It is a legal requirement that the microchip is done first. If not, it invalidates the vaccine. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. 

Request Your Passport

Once you have those two things in order, you can go ahead and request your passport.

You will need to do this with an authorised vet. This means it might not be your regular vet who issues it but that’s ok!

At the appointment you’ll need proof of address and proof or vaccination. The vet will then scan your dog for their microchip and fill in all of their details in the passport;

• details of ownership – you must sign section I if your pet passport was issued on or after 29 December 2014
• description of your dog
• marking or identification of your dog
• vaccination against rabies
• details of the vet issuing the passport (for passports issued from 29 December 2014)
• your dog’s tapeworm treatment (if needed)

Only vets in EU countries can enter rabies vaccination details into an EU pet passport.

Then you’re ready to go!

How Long Does A Pet Passport Last?

The EU Pet Passport is valid as long as the rabies vaccine is valid.

If you let it run out, don’t panic though! You won’t need to get a new passport, you just won’t be able to travel on it.

Once the new one is noted inside – all done by an EU vet –  you’ll be ok to travel again

Can Anyone Update A Dog Passport?

No. Only an EU vet can update the information in a dog passport.

This means if you’re a UK resident, and get the passport while you’re in Europe you will need to return to the EU in time for them to have their booster done. A UK vet cannot update the vaccines in the European dog passport. If they do, it immediately invalidates it.

You can get more information about the rules surrounding travelling with a dog in Europe on the official Europa website.

Can You Apply For A Pet Passport Online?

No. This needs to be done in person with an authorised vet so they can scan the dog for a chip, and check their identification.

Do You Need A Dog Passport For Travelling From The UK to Europe?

If you do not already have a valid dog passport for Europe (pre-brexit UK issued ones are no longer valid), then you will need to apply for an Animal Health Certificate.

The process for this is very similar to that of applying for a pet passport, but it must be issued within 10 days of travel, only lasts for 4 months and can cost over 100 each time!!

If your dog already has an EU-issued pet passport, then yes, you can use that to get into Europe.

Will A Dog Passport Be Valid For UK Entry?

Yes, your pet passport will get you back into the UK, however, you will also need to make sure your pup has had the right worming medication, administered by a registered vet.

This tablet should cover tapeworm Echinococcus Multilocularis, and be given to your dog no later than 24 hours before crossing the border, and no earlier than 5 days.

Eg. If you have a crossing booked at 12pm on the 6th of the month, you can give the worming tablet from 1pm on the 1st to 12pm on the 5th. They do check the times on this so be careful.

Final Thoughts: Stress Free Travel With Your Dog

Getting a dog passport for Europe might seem lie a hassle at first, but once you have it sorted, travelling with your pup becomes so much easier! With the right paperwork, up to date vaccines, and a little planning, you’ll be free to explore Europe together without worrying about border issues.

Now that your pup is ready to go, it’s time to plan the rest of your trip! If you’ll be staying in hotels along the way, check our guide on how to find dog friendly accommodation, and what to expect when staying in a hotel with your dog to make the experience smooth for both of you.

🚐 Ready to hit the road? If you’ll be travelling via the Eurotunnel, don’t miss this guide on taking your dog on the Eurotunnel to France for everything you need to know before boarding!