Are new UK pet passports being introduced? Will they be accepted in France?

Reader Question: Earlier this year The Connexion covered something about easing restrictions for pets travelling into France from the UK. Has this come into effect yet, and if so what do I need to do?

Closer alignment on plant and animal regulations was a major goal for the UK during talks held with the EU in May 2025 as part of the UK’s hopes for a ‘reset’ of its relationship with the EU. 

As part of agreements that came out of this, the EU and UK said they would work more closely together in aligning food, plant, and animal health and safety policies, aiming to limit post-Brexit restrictions on the flow of these goods. 

Specifically, they said they would aim to establish a common ‘sanitary and phytosanitary area’ involving a ‘dynamic alignment’ of the UK with EU rules. 

If this is set up, it will lay the groundwork for the UK to be permitted to also issue pet passports recognised by the EU as pet travel for dogs, cats, and ferrets, the three animals eligible for such passports prior to Brexit. 

Since May’s summit, however, there has been no official announcement with regard to this, although more information is expected to come out of a new round of talks likely to take place in spring 2026.

Currently, EU pet passports are accepted for EU-based pets travelling into the UK, but UK vets cannot issue an EU-approved pet passport.

Any form of an EU-accepted UK pet passport would not affect the animal’s ability to travel to other countries outside of the bloc.

UK pet passports should be accepted by EU

Only EU countries may issue actual ‘EU pet passports’, however a limited number of countries listed on ‘part 1’ of a 2013 EU regulation (updated in 2024) may issue their own national pet passports recognised by the EU. 

In the run-up to Brexit, the UK asked to be placed on this list, arguing that it had high animal health standards, however the EU said it equated to a kind of ‘Schengen area for pets’ and it required dynamic alignment of animal health rules. 

It was thus placed on ‘part 2’, which involves the current Animal Health Certificate requirements in place for UK pets entering the EU.

It logically follows that if the plans announced at the summit go ahead, the UK could ask to join countries such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland on part 1.

Unofficial pet websites estimate that new UK pet passports could be introduced in 2026/2027 although there is no official confirmation of this.

New UK pet passports will likely follow similar rules as those available before 2021. 

This would see them last for the animal’s lifetime, and contain information about a pet’s health and vaccinations, including rabies vaccinations and microchipping, as well as owner details.

To be valid, the necessary vaccinations would have to be given within a certain period, usually within the last three years for rabies vaccines – note however, some rabies vaccinations have significantly shorter validity periods, sometimes of just one year.

If vaccines are out of date, they will need to be given to pets again by an approved vet and included on the passport for future travel.

The passports would be shown at EU border crossings that accept pets. 

Questions remain

The scheme would almost certainly replace the current animal health certificates. 

It is unclear how the rules would impact Britons opting to move to France permanently, and whether they would need to apply for an EU pet passport or could keep their UK-issued one. 

Pet owners would still need to register animals on France’s I-Cad ‘pet database’ after moving, however. 

Costs remain unknown for the time being. 

An EU pet passport currently costs around €15, but real costs can be closer to €200 once necessary appointments, vaccinations, and microchipping are accounted for.