Travel and borders
What is the difference between a pet passport and a health certificate?
A pet passport is a booklet that records your dog's vaccination history, microchip number and health status, issued by a vet and valid across the EU for travel between member states. For UK dogs travelling to the EU post-Brexit, the UK-issued pet passport no longer works. The Animal Health Certificate replaced it: a single-journey document issued by an Official Veterinarian, valid for one trip, re-issued each time.
What a pet passport is
A pet passport is an official document issued by a government-authorised veterinarian that records a pet's identity, microchip number, vaccination history, and health status. Within the European Union, it serves as a travel document that allows dogs to move between member states without additional certification, provided vaccinations are current. EU-issued pet passports are still valid within the EU. UK-issued pet passports are still valid for travel within the UK and to countries outside the EU that accept them.
Why UK pet passports no longer work for EU travel
After Brexit, the UK became a third country from the EU's perspective. The EU pet travel rules distinguish between member states, listed third countries with equivalent standards, and unlisted third countries. The UK has been classified as a listed third country, which means UK dogs can enter the EU, but not using the old UK-format pet passport. Instead, they need a third-country official veterinary certificate, which is the Animal Health Certificate in UK terminology.
What an Animal Health Certificate is
The Animal Health Certificate is a standardised EU document issued by an Official Veterinarian, who must be authorised by the APHA in the UK. It covers one outbound journey and the return. It is valid for travel within the EU for four months from issue but must be issued within ten days of the first departure. It cannot be held and reused for a later trip. Each trip to the EU from the UK requires a new certificate, which is the significant practical and financial difference from the old pet passport system.
Which document do you need?
If you are travelling from the UK to France, Spain, Italy, Greece, or any other EU country, you need an Animal Health Certificate. If you are travelling between EU countries and you live in an EU member state, your EU pet passport works as before. If you are a UK resident returning from an EU country to the UK, the AHC issued for the outbound journey covers the return. If you are a US resident travelling to the EU, you need a USDA-endorsed health certificate, not an AHC.