Pet Passports
Taking your pet on holiday
Pets are part of our families, and we love to take them on holiday with us! Travelling overseas with pets is becoming increasingly easier thanks to the Pet Passport, which means that your cat, dog or ferret can travel to and from the UK without the need to go into quarantine.
A Pet Passport is a small blue booklet similar to your own passport, and contains pages where the details of microchip number, rabies vaccinations, blood tests and tick and worm treatments can be recorded. Not all the pages have to be completed for the passport to be valid.
To obtain a passport, a pet must be:
- At least three months of age
- Permanently identified by implantation of a microchip (to the approved ISO Standard) under the skin
- Vaccinated against rabies.
How long does it take to get a Pet Passport?
How long is the Passport Valid for
A Pet Passport can be issued following the rabies vaccination, however the UK requires a further three week qualification period before the passport is valid for travel from or entry into the UK.
Are there any Additional Requirements for a Pet Passport?
Dogs need to be treated between 24 – 120 hours before their entry to the UK with a specific tapeworm treatment. A registered Vet (within that country) must do this and certify that the treatment has been given within the Pet Passport. Whilst a specific tick treatment is no longer a legal requirement for a Pet Passport, it is strongly recommended that dogs be protected against ticks as a routine.
To keep the passport valid regular rabies boosters are required. The time between boosters depends on the specific vaccine used. Some European countries request annual rabies vaccination for pets resident in their country. It is advised that you check this if you intend to stay in a country for more than three months at a time.
The pet must come back into the UK through an approved route. This means for example that the pet cannot come back to the UK on a private boat or plane.
If your question isn’t answered below, more information on travelling with your pet can be found on the Government Pet Travel website.
Travelling with your pet after Brexit? Click here to read our latest guidance on travel with your pet.
How long does it take to get a Pet Passport?
A Pet Passport can be issued following the rabies vaccination, however the UK requires a further three week qualification period before the passport is valid for travel from or entry into the UK.
Are there any Additional Requirements for a Pet Passport?
Dogs need to be treated between 24 – 120 hours before their entry to the UK with a specific tapeworm treatment. A registered Vet (within that country) must do this and certify that the treatment has been given within the Pet Passport. Whilst a specific tick treatment is no longer a legal requirement for a Pet Passport, it is strongly recommended that dogs be protected against ticks as a routine.
How long is the Passport Valid for
To keep the passport valid regular rabies boosters are required. The time between boosters depends on the specific vaccine used. Some European countries request annual rabies vaccination for pets resident in their country. It is advised that you check this if you intend to stay in a country for more than three months at a time.
The pet must come back into the UK through an approved route. This means for example that the pet cannot come back to the UK on a private boat or plane.
If your question isn’t answered below, more information on travelling with your pet can be found on the Government Pet Travel website.
Travelling with your pet after Brexit? Click here to read our latest guidance on travel with your pet.
General Practice – Find out more
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