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Pet Passports - European Union
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European Union (EU) Pet passports are issued for dogs, cats and ferrets only.
Please check the country requirements for all other pets, such as birds, ornamental
aquatic animals, reptiles, rodents or rabbits.
What is an EU Pet Passport?
An EU Pet Passport is a document issued by an official veterinarian in a EU
Member State (country within the EU) or other designated country that contains
official health information related to a specific pet.
An EU Pet Passport cannot be obtained in the U.S.
Pet Passports issued to residents of the United Kingdom (other than Northern
Ireland) are no longer valid for entry into the EU.
The purpose of the EU Pet Passport is to simplify travel between EU Member
States, but the EU has also allowed it to be used for pets returning to the EU
from other countries as long as it is a non-commercial movement (i.e., no more
than 5 animals, the animals are not changing ownership or intended for resale,
and the animals are moving within 5 days before or after the owner or
designated person*).
If this is a commercial movement (i.e., more than 5 pets, the pet is being
transferred to a new owner or sold, and/or the pet is moving more than 5 days
before or after the owner or designated person*), the pet cannot return to the
EU with the EU Pet Passport. Instead, you will need to obtain an EU Health
Certificate issued (completed and signed) by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian
and endorsed (counter-signed and embossed/stamped) by APHIS before the pet
leaves the U.S.
Find your destination country in the menu at the bottom of this page to
see the requirements and obtain the correct health certificate. You must
follow the steps for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets thatdo nothave an EU Pet
Passport.
Who can enter information in an EU Pet Passport?
There are multiple sections of an EU Pet Passport. The EU Pet Passport
identifies who can enter information into the various sections by type of
veterinarian.
An “Authorized Veterinarian” specifically refers to an EU veterinarian.
A “Veterinarian” is any licensed veterinarian, including a U.S. veterinarian.
It is important that a U.S. veterinarian does not enter information in any
section designated Authorized Veterinarian, as this could lead to invalidation of
the EU Pet Passport and/or the pet being denied entry into the EU.
If a pet has an EU Pet Passport, what documents
are needed to return to the EU?
If this is a commercial movement (i.e., more than 5 pets, the pet is being
transferred to a new owner or sold, and/or the pet is moving more than 5 days
before or after the owner or designated person*), the pet cannot return with the
EU Pet Passport. Instead, you will need to obtain an EU Health Certificate
issued (completed and signed) by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian and
endorsed (counter-signed and embossed/stamped) by APHIS before the pet
leaves the U.S. To view these requirements and obtain the correct health
certificate.You will need to follow the steps for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets that do
not have an EU Pet Passport.
If this is a non-commercial movement (i.e., no more than 5 pets, the pet is not
being transferred to a new owner or sold, and the pet is moving within 5 days
before or after the owner or designated person*) and the rabies vaccination
recorded in the EU Pet Passport is still valid and was recorded by an EU
veterinarian, the pet will only need the EU Pet Passport to travel back to the EU.
If the rabies vaccination recorded in the EU Pet Passport has expired and
the pet requires revaccination in the U.S. or was already revaccinated
while in the U.S., you will need to obtain an EU Health Certificate issued
(completed and signed) by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian and endorsed
(counter-signed and stamped) before the pet leaves the U.S.
If the pet’s EU Pet Passport is still valid:
Does the pet require a clinical examination in the U.S. before
returning to the EU?
Pets returning to the EU with a valid EU Pet PassportDO NOT need a clinical
examination.
Does the pet require any treatments in the U.S. before
returning to the EU?
Cats and ferrets do not require any treatments in the U.S. before returning to
the EU.
Dogs traveling to the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales),
Ireland, Malta, Finland, and Norway need to be treated for tapeworm (
Echinococcus multilocularis) 24 – 120 hours (1 – 5 days) prior to entry into
those Member States/countries. This can be recorded in the dog’s EU Pet
Passport by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian.
Learn more about tapeworm treatment requirementsfor the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Finland, and Norway.
* Designated person: a family member, friend, or other person authorized by the
owner to travel with the pet.
NOTE: Always check with the airlines to determine what
additional requirements they may have for your pet to travel.
Countries Participating in the European Union
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
*
Norway
**
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
**
*
Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (UK), but will continue to follow European
Union (EU) requirements even though the UK is no longer part of the EU.
**
Norway and Switzerland are not part of the EU but have adopted EU legislation for import of
most species of live animals.
Important Travel Considerations
Considerations for airline travel and cruises:
Airlines and shipping lines have their own policies and requirements for transporting
pets. Check with your airline or shipping representative to determine what
requirements they may have.
Learn how you can improve the safety of dogs and cats during air travel.
View additional information for pet owners, airlines, and others about APHIS
endorsement of international health certificates (239.52 KB).
If pets or support animals accompany you on a cruise, you must comply with entry
rules for every country or port where your pet or support animal exits the ship.
Will you be returning to the United States with your pet?
View APHIS Requirements
ALERT: If you're traveling with a dog, be aware that the CDC has additional
requirements for bringing a dog into the United States. You must follow CDC's
requirements, or your dog will not be allowed to enter the United States.
If you are transiting (passing through) the European Union:
If your pet is traveling through (transiting) a country in the European Union (EU) on
the way to a third, non-EU country, you will also need a transit health certificate for
your pet for the EU. The transit health certificate will be the same as if your pet’s
final destination was the EU country. Use the information and steps above under
“Travel Requirements Based on Pet Type” to determine which health certificate
should be used. View a list of EU countries.
See More See Less
Need Help?
Guidance for Pet Owners
Read an overview of the process for taking your pet to another country and related
resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
View frequently asked questions about traveling with your pet.
Still Have Questions?
USDA-Accredited Veterinarians
Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian for questions about your destination
country's entry requirements for pets (including any needed vaccinations, tests, or
treatments) and for issuance of health certificates.
Find a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian
USDA Endorsement Offices
Contact your nearest APHIS Veterinary Export Trade Services Endorsement Office for
questions about endorsing a health certificate for pets.
- Select a State -
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All Contacts
Looking for Another Country?
Find your destination country requirements by using the dropdown menu below. If
your country is not listed in the menu, visit Pet Travel: Unknown Requirements.
