If you’re planning to travel abroad with your pet, whether for a holiday, a move or something else, you must ensure that you have the correct documents. 

In this post, we’ll explain the requirements for UK pet passports, Animal Health Certificates (AHCs), and Pet Export Documents.

 

What is a Pet Passport, and Do You Still Need One?

A pet passport is a document confirming your pet is healthy and current  with required vaccinations. It lists in detail all treatments your pet has had, and will uniquely describe  the pet, including their microchip number, date of birth and owner information.

Before Brexit, UK residents could take animals, including cats and dogs, to the EU and some non-EU countries with an EU Pet Passport. If you had this passport, and the pet was up to date with any vaccinations or treatments required, you didn’t need any other documents.

After Brexit, the rules for pet travel changed. Pet passports issued in Great Britain (England, Wales or Scotland) are no longer valid for entry into EU countries or Northern Ireland and have been replaced by animal health certificates. Pet passports are no longer issued in Great Britain for travel to an EU country or Northern Ireland.

Unfortunately, a pet passport is no longer an option for most Brits wanting to travel with their furry friends. Instead, you’ll need one of two documents:

  • If you’re travelling to the EU or Northern Ireland: an Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
  • If you’re travelling outside of the EU: a Pet Export Document

 

When Do You Need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC)?

Pets travelling from Great Britain to EU countries and Northern Ireland now require an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). An AHC is valid for:

  • 10 days from the date of issue for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland.
  • Four months of onward travel within the EU after the date of entry.
  • Return to the UK within four months of issuance.

Here are the requirements your pet must meet to be eligible for an AHC:

  • Microchipping: Your pet must be microchipped before or at the same time as receiving the rabies vaccination.
  • Rabies vaccination: The rabies vaccine must be administered at least 21 days before travel.
  • Tapeworm treatment: If travelling to certain countries like Finland, Malta, Ireland, or Norway, your dog will require treatment for tapeworm.

The AHC can only be issued by an official veterinarian (OV) in Great Britain, who holds the appropriate Companion Animal (CA) or Small Animal (SX) Official Controls Qualification (Veterinarian) (OCQ(V)) and is duly authorised by APHA. The process can be slow, so we recommend allowing plenty of time.

AHCs are prepared as dual language certificates written in both English and the official language of each EU Member State. It is essential that you obtain an AHC which is written in an official language of the EU Member State you are planning to travel to with your pet.

Most importantly, an AHC is required for guide dogs as well as they are not categorised differently to a normal pet dog.

 

When Do You Need a Pet Export Document?

If you’re travelling outside the EU you usually need a Pet Export Health Certificate rather than an AHC. This includes travel to the United States, Canada, and Australia. You should check the requirements of the specific country before meeting with the vet, but typically you’ll need to arrange the following:

  • Microchipping and vaccinations: These are mandatory for most international destinations.
  • Health inspections: Your pet may need to undergo a health inspection, which a UK registered veterinarian must certify.
  • Quarantine rules: Certain countries have strict quarantine requirements upon arrival, which you may need to factor into your travel plans.

Pet export health certificates are issued by the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) but must also be signed by a registered veterinarian. You may need supporting documentation depending on where you’re travelling.

 

When Do You Need Notarisation or an Apostille?

Summary of Requirements by Region

 

Region

 

Required Document

 

Notarisation  

 

Apostille  

 

EU (Including NI)

 

Animal Health Certificate (AHC)

 

No

 

Sometimes

 

Non-EU Countries

 

Pet Export Certificate + other country-specific docs

 

Sometimes

 

Depends on the country

 

Countries with Strict Entry Rules

 

Pet Export Certificate, Rabies, Quarantine docs

 

Often

 

Often

 

When taking a pet to certain countries, the authorities request that your pet’s health documents be officially verified. As a Pet Export Document is issued by the government and typically contains a wet ink signature, it usually doesn’t need to be notarised. However, you will likely need it to be apostilled by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

For EU countries an apostille is likely to be all you need. For certain countries outside of the EU you may need Consular Legalisation, also known as attestation. Legalising your health certificate can seem complicated, but a notary can help you through the whole certification process.

 

 

Notarisation:

  • Notarisation involves a notary public authenticating the signatures or validity of your documents.
  • Most countries don’t require notarisation of government-issued documents like pet export documents, but it’s possible you’ll need a notarial certificate for an Animal Health Certificate, rabies vaccination records or health inspection reports.

Legalisation:

  • Countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention will require documents to carry an apostille. This is a certification issued by a government authority that verifies the authenticity of a document for international use.
  • These countries will request an apostille for your Pet Export Health Certificate and other documents.
  • Other countries, including Egypt, Thailand and the UAE, don’t recognise the apostille, and so you will require Consular Legalisation. Ironically, to get a stamp from their embassies, you will need to first obtain an apostille from the FCDO.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Notary London (@notary.co.uk)

 

Reach out to a notary company like ours for fast and easy notarisation services. We can also arrange legalisation via the FCDO and/or the appropriate consular embassy.

As Pet Export documents are often urgent, they can be expedited on the FCDO’s Restricted Urgent Service. You will need to notify us a day before you intend for the apostille to be completed so that we can lodge a request with the FCDO. If you don’t need it on the same day, we also have a Next-day Service and Standard Service (5 working days).

 

Conclusion

You probably already knew that taking a pet abroad is more complicated than just holding them in a travel carrier. But you now know that with some careful planning ahead – and a little help from your friends at Notary.co.uk – it’s entirely possible!

Here are the key takeaways:

  1. Pet passports are no longer valid for travel to the EU.
  2. You can use an Animal Health Certificate (issued by a vet) to enter most EU countries and Northern Ireland.
  3. You’ll need a Pet Export Certificate (issued by DEFRA) to enter most non-EU countries.
  4. Some countries require legalisation of your Pet Export Certificate or other documents.
  5. You should always check the specific requirements of the destination country.

 

Arrange Legalisation of Your Documents

Our team can arrange the legalisation of your DEFRA certificate, AHC and Pet Export document. We’ll obtain the apostille and, if needed, consular legalisation to let you focus on planning your trip.