How to prepare for travel with your pet to any EU country and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021.

This guidance applies to people travelling to the EU and Northern Ireland (NI) with their pet cats, ferrets or dogs, including assistance dogs.

Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, will become a Part 2 listed third country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme from 1 January 2021.

Pet Travel from GB to the EU or NI

Before your dog, cat or ferret can travel to the EU or NI for the first time after 1 January 2021, you’ll need to take the following steps. These steps are similar to the current process for taking your pet to the EU, but you’ll need an animal health certificate (AHC) instead of a pet passport.

1. You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped.

2. Vaccinate your dog, cat or ferret against rabies – your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated.

3. Wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel.

4. Visit your vet to get an AHC for your pet, no more than 10 days before travel to the EU.

As long as you keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations up to date, you will not need to get repeat vaccinations for repeat trips to the EU or NI.

Getting an animal health certificate (AHC)

You must also take your pet to your vet no more than 10 days before travel to get an AHC. The AHC needs to be signed by an official vet. Check with your vet that they can issue AHCs for pets.

You must take proof of:

• your pet’s microchipping date
• your pet’s vaccination history

Your pet’s AHC will be valid for:

• 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the EU or NI
• onward travel within the EU or NI for 4 months after the date of issue
• re-entry to GB for 4 months after the date of issue

Pet Travel from EU to GB

• There will be no change to the current health preparations for pets entering GB from 1 January 2021.

  Your pet must have one of the following documents when returning to GB from the EU:

  • an EU pet passport (issued in the EU, or in GB before 1 January 2021), or a pet passport from a Part 1 listed third country
  • the AHC issued in GB used to travel to the EU – which you can use up to 4 months after it was issued
  • a GB pet health certificate (for travel into GB only)

Return Travel from GB to EU

A valid EU-issued Pet Passport will still be sufficient for a pet to return from GB to its home in the EU, as long as the rabies vaccinations are kept up-to-date.