The EU Pet Passport Loophole Is Closed: What GB Residents Need to Know

If you live in Great Britain and you've been travelling to the EU on a pet passport, that route is now closed. New EU rules mean an EU-issued pet passport is no longer valid for a GB resident — even if the passport was issued before the change.

The short version: leaving from Great Britain, your dog needs an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), every trip. The passport doesn't change that, regardless of where it was issued or whose name is on it.

What the loophole was

Since Brexit, pet passports issued in Great Britain haven't been valid for entering the EU — GB became a "third country" on 1 January 2021, and GB vets lost the ability to issue EU pet passports.

But a gap remained. Some GB residents still held or obtained pet passports issued inside an EU country, and used those to travel. On paper it looked valid. In practice, it was a loophole — and it's the reason so many owners ended up with conflicting advice about whether their passport still "worked."

What changed

The EU has now confirmed that an EU pet passport can only be issued to, and used by, an owner whose main residence is within the European Union. The change is set out in APHA Briefing Note 14/26, issued on 17 April 2026 and active from 22 April 2026.

In plain terms:

• An EU pet passport held by a GB-resident owner is no longer valid for pet travel from GB to the EU.
• This applies to passports issued in any EU member state or Northern Ireland — including ones issued before 22 April 2026.
• EU pet passports may only be issued to owners whose main residence is in the EU.

So the test isn't nationality, and it isn't where the passport came from. It's residency. Live in England, Scotland or Wales, and the EU passport route is gone.

The rule is route-based

Here's the part that clears up most of the confusion. Two different documents work in two different ways:

• An EU pet passport is tied to where you live — your residency.
• An AHC is tied to where you depart from — your route.

The rule for travel is route-based: departing from Great Britain means you need an AHC. Every trip, no exceptions. It doesn't matter who the dog's passport was issued to, who owns the dog, or where the owner is a citizen. If you set off from GB, the passport is irrelevant and the AHC is what you need.

What you need instead

An AHC is a pet travel document — not a passport, though people often treat it like one. To travel from GB to Spain (or anywhere in the EU) you'll need:

• An AHC issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV) — not every vet is an OV, so check before you book.
• The certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Day 1 is the day it's issued.
• A new AHC for every trip. It isn't a one-off document.

Your dog also needs an up-to-date rabies vaccination (given after the microchip, in that order) before the AHC can be issued. Cost varies — often £80–£250 — and specialist AHC providers are frequently cheaper than a general practice, so it's worth shopping around. For the full sequence in the right order, see our complete guide to taking your dog from the UK to Spain.

The upshot

You may see ferry operators or French sources saying passports issued before 22 April 2026 still work. The European Commission, GOV.UK and Spain's agriculture ministry all say GB residents need an AHC. Don't risk it — get the AHC. (We've set out who says what, and why it's so confusing.)

If you've been relying on an EU passport, don't turn up at the port with it. Book an OV appointment for an AHC in the 10 days before you travel, and carry the printed certificate — Spain doesn't accept digital copies.