Brexit: should I change UK pet passport to a French version?
Every other day, we share a reader question from our Brexit and Britons in France Help Guide. Get your copy of the guide via the link at the end of this article.
I live in France and my dog has a UK pet passport as we got it before moving across. Should I change this to a French version due to Brexit and if so how?
On moving to France with a UK pet passport there is currently no obligation to change it for a French version, as it is still a recognised EU document due to the Brexit transition period, however you are entitled to change if you so wish and this is likely to be a useful precaution to avoid complications after the transition period if you regularly travel with your dog.
After the transition period (unless there is a specific agreement on this) a UK EU pet passport will not be considered valid by EU countries. Britain would still recognise it for entry to the UK but it would cause complications on return to France.
A veterinary nurse at FamilyVets in Paris said: “At the moment a British pet passport is considered to be a European pet passport but this is going to change. If a British person living in France wants to change for a French pet passport they need to present the pet’s papers including vaccinations – it’s obligatory for the pet to have been vaccinated against rabies and to be chipped. We can log all this information in a French passport with no problem. It would just cost the price of a consultation plus €19 for the passport.”
Is it legal for neighbour to keep 16 dogs in French garden?
Get our Brexit and Britons in France 2020 Help Guide
In our comprehensive help guide, you'll find information on what Brexit means for British residents, second homeowners and visitors in France - now and after December 31, 2020. Recently updated following on from the delay of the new residence card website for Britons (now set to launch in October), this 64-page handbook outlines what you need to do as Britain leaves the EU. We answer your questions on whether second homeowners can spend more than 90 days in France after Brexit, would you be better covered for healthcare by becoming French, future guidance on pet vaccinations and more. Buy the guide here.
More questions from the Brexit helpguide:
Can I still move freely in Schengen Zone?
Will French blue badges still be valid in UK?
Will inheritance law be affected?
Will the Erasmus study scheme continue for Britons?
Will I need a new passport?
Will Britons need visas to visit France?
