Pet Travel to France: Key Changes from January 1, 2021

First published: 18th December 2020 by Zoë Smith 21

News

Pet Travel to France: Key Changes from January 1, 2021

By Zoë Smith

Following a EU policy decision, the UK government has announced details of NEW documentation required by British people travelling to France with a pet dog, cat or ferret from January 1, 2021.

From this date onwards – the end of the Transition Period – Great Britain will become a ‘third country’ with respect to the EU Pet Travel Scheme.

This means that while a pet passport issued in a EU member state remains valid, a current EU pet passport issued in Great Britain will NOT be valid for travel to France.

Instead, here are the new rules and procedures to follow:

You will need a dual language Animal Health Certificate (AHC), which you can get from your vet (an “Official Veterinarian”) no more than 10 days before travelling. UK vets have been ordered to have the AHCs ready to issue from December 22.

In order to get an AHC, you will need to take proof of your pet’s micro-chipping date and vaccination history.

It is important to note that this new ruling will affect any travellers with pets arriving in an EU Member State after 23:00 GMT on December 31, 2020.

A dog, cat or ferret must be micro-chipped, and vaccinated against rabies and you must wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel.

Your pet’s AHC will be valid for:

10 days after the date of issue for entry into France
Onward travel within the EU or Northern Ireland for 4 months after date of issue
Re-entry to Great Britain for 4 months after the date of issue

Your pet will need a new AHC for each trip to France.

On arrival in France, pet owners travelling with pets will need to enter through a designated travellers’ point of entry (TPE).

If you are a UK national living in France and plan to travel with your pet using a UK-issued pet passport, you should speak to your vet. They will help ensure you are compliant with EU Pet Travel Regulations.

There is good news for anyone who has a pet passport issued by an EU member state, however – you can use it to bring your pet to Great Britain.

See our article on travelling to France with your pet after Brexit.

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By Zoë Smith

FrenchEntrée's Digital Editor, Zoë is also a freelance journalist who has written for the Telegraph, HuffPost, and CNN, and a guidebook updater for the Rough Guide to France and Rough Guide to Dordogne & Lot. She lives in the French countryside just outside of Nantes.

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Comments

2022-07-12 11:40:54

Lisa

Hi. My partner & I are buying property in France. We will live there permanently.we have 11 cats & dogs. If they all have the correct passports & immunisations can we take them all? We are willing to do a few journeys with the animals. Thanks

REPLY
- 2022-09-06 08:29:06
  
  Elaine Davies
  
  Hi . . . My son wishes to relocate his cat to France having now established a home there. Is it necessary, now in 2022, to arrange a Rabies Titer test as there was some mention that it could be required after Brexit? It would obviously mean a huge delay if it is now needed. It has been difficult to find out this information online. Thank you.
  
  REPLY
  - 2022-09-12 15:17:25
    
    Zoë Smith
    
    Hi Elaine, Rabies Titer tests are only required if you are bringing a pet to France from an unlisted country - this article has more on the subject: Bringing Your Pet to France this Summer? 10 Quick Answers to Your FAQs
    
    REPLY
- 2022-07-12 16:39:49
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Lisa, There's no reason why you can't take your pets with you with France (although, you are correct in thinking you may have to take multiple trips) - read our to Moving With Your Pets To France for more on the procedure. Best of luck for your move to France! Zoe
  
  REPLY
2022-06-28 11:16:01

M de Sousa

I have a friend stuck in a hotel in Calais for a third day because the health certificate issued by a Paris vet (Certificat Sanitaire International pour le transit des animaux de compagnie 45 euros) for travel to the UK has not been accepted. She is now being told she needs another form which must then be stamped in Arras - a journey of two hours - before she can proceed. She doesn't speak any French and had booked a shared car to cross on the ferry but has missed this now. Was the vet wrong to issue this certificate, is it of any use and what can she best do now to travel forward? thanks

REPLY
- 2022-06-30 09:35:39
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi M, Typically such a certificate is not required for pets registered in the EU or UK to enter the UK. I imagine there must be some other reason why entry has been refused. Is the pet registered outside of the EU/UK? Has the pet followed the correct vaccine protocol (most significantly, rabies)? What kind of pet is your friend importing (rules may be very different for exotic pets, as apposed to say, a dog or cat)? I would need to know the answers to these questions before advising on the official guidelines. Best regards, Zoe.
  
  REPLY
2022-06-17 07:13:27

Peter

Hi Zoe, I'm hoping you can give me a conclusive answer to my question as I have read and heard so much conflicting information.I wish to travel to France later in the year with my rottweiler cross breed as I have done before pre brexit, I understand I need the AHC and rabies jabs ect but I'm not sure if she is allowed because of her breed, when I have taken her before I took her right down to Portugal with no problems but I was unaware of the restrictions on certain breeds I am really considering not going as I can't get a definitive answer on whether she is allowed or if so what I have to do to comply Thanks

REPLY
- 2022-06-24 07:20:03
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Peter, Under French rules, a Rottweiler is classed as a category 2 Guard and defence dog (you can read more about that here: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/id/LEGISCTA000006167705/) and strict rules apply for ownership of such a dog in France. Most notably, as the owner, you must have an “Attestation d’aptitude” showing that you have received training to own a guard/defence dog, proof that your dog has undergone a behavioural assessment, and take out a third-party insurance for your dog. Your dog must be kept on a lead and muzzled at all times in public areas. (Here's another link that may be of use: https://www.anivetvoyage.com/vivre-en-france/227-votre-chien-est-classe-en-2eme-categorie.html). All of these things do make it quite complicated to bring a Rottweiler into France and if you wish to do so, I would suggest first contacting your vet - they will be able to tell you exactly what documents you need in order to have an AHC issued (without which your dog would not be able to travel to France). It's also important to note that these rules have not changed since Brexit, but prior to Brexit, travelling with an EU pet passport would have likely been sufficient to gain entry to France. I hope this helps, and please do let us know how you get on. Best, Zoe
  
  REPLY
2022-05-30 02:17:46

Jan kanci

Hi Zoe... I will travel with my little dog to france from uk by the car on 29 june 2022...my dog come to uk from slovakia 19.maj 2022...he have all vaccine before travel plus rabies vaccine 21 days before travel.. So question is... Before travel to france will need my dog another rabies vaccine and need wait 21 days????

REPLY
- 2022-06-01 16:28:43
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Jan,
  
  The 21 day wait is only required after the first rabies protocol is carried out (i.e. your dog's very first vaccine). From then on, your dog will require regular boosters (every year or few years depending on your country's vaccine protocol - ask your vet) to keep his vaccines up to date. However, there is no need to wait 21 days after each booster jab.
  
  Safe travels! Zoe
  
  REPLY
2022-04-07 06:13:24

Manki Cheng

Hi Zoe, I’m going to travel with my cat in May 13th, from Edinburgh to Vancouver and there is a one hour transfer in Paris. I was wondering if I need to have the animal health certificate. Because I saw enter France with pet need to have The animal health certificate, but I will not enter France or go through border, it’s just a transfer stop in Paris. I will be appreciate if you can help me with this question. Thank you

REPLY
- 2022-04-11 21:19:13
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Manki, Generally the rules for connecting flights (where you do not pass through French immigration) are that you (and therefore your cat) must follow the entry requirements for your final destination only (i.e. Vancouver). However, you should always check this with your transport provider (i.e. the airline) prior to travel - they will be able to advisor on the requirements depending on your particular itinerary. Hope this helps and best of luck for your trip!
  Zoe
  
  REPLY
2022-03-21 12:06:39

Andrew

Hi Zoe We are going to France at Easter with our dog and we have all the necessary documentation and jabs. The one area that I need clarification on is how the dog needs to travel. Currently we have a dog “hammock” which is secured on four head rests (front seats and back seats). He cannot get through to the front seats as there is netting that prevents this. In this is his bed and whilst in the car he wears a harness which is then attached to an RAC approved dog seatbelt which is locked into the seat belt clip itself so he can move a little bit so he can get comfortable. Is this an acceptable way for him to travel in the car in France?

REPLY
- 2022-03-23 11:55:51
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Andrew, This sounds fine to me - the rules in France are that your dog must be restrained in a way that prevents him/her from distracting the driver, so this seems to fit the bill! Best of luck for your travels!
  
  REPLY
2022-02-09 04:06:53

Grant Williams-Freeman

Hi There. We are going to France from Canada. We have travelled to France with the same dog twice before ..... the last time was 2015. He is microchipped and has an EU Pet Passport. His rabies vaccine has expired. We are familiar with the requirements on the Canadian side .... from the Canadian Food Inspection Service, but are unfamiliar with requirements by France now. Can you please advise?

REPLY
- 2022-02-09 09:35:11
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Grant, With a valid EU pet passport, your dog may enter France without any further requirements - however, being as it doesn't sound like your dog is resident in the EU, I would question the validity of his EU passport. You should consult your vet on this as an Animal Health Certificate may also be required. As an absolute minimum, all vaccines must be up to date to enter France, including Rabies - and in the case of an expired vaccine, you must wait 21 days after your dog receives the vaccine to travel to France. You can see the official rules here: https://www.douane.gouv.fr/fiche/travel-coming-france-your-pet Safe travels! Zoe https://www.douane.gouv.fr/fiche/travel-coming-france-your-pet
  
  REPLY
2022-02-01 11:28:00

Jim Goodwin

My dog has an EU passport and micro chip, I’m returning to France. All vaccines are up to date. Do I need anything to get my dog back into France travelling by ferry?

REPLY
- 2022-02-02 08:40:47
  
  Zoë Smith
  
  Hi Jim, If you're travelling back from the UK to France and your dog has an EU passport you don't need anything other than the passport to travel. (It's only for entrance to the UK from France where you need to have your dog wormed prior to travel). Hope this helps and safe travels!
  
  REPLY
2021-09-27 12:53:47

Stephen Bennett Price

Hi there, Like other people on this site, looking for clarity, because of two or three different versions been given by two vets and the P&O office in Dover. Dog returning to France: Vet 1 says that the health Certificate ( a 9 page document.) is not a health check. Vet 2 says that as well as the Certificate, Rabies & Microchip status we need a separate health check. The P&O office in Dover says that we need a Tape Worm Medication detailed on the documentation. I just need clarity. Why do some vets want £120 for the certificate and others want £280. Thanks Stephen Bennett Price

REPLY
2021-08-13 02:27:58

Susan Day

From this date onwards – the end of the Transition Period – Great Britain will become a ‘third country’ with respect to the EU Pet Travel Scheme. A question please - All three of my dogs have French passports. Due to Covid and not being able to get back to France to get the rabies vaccinations done for two of my three dogs, I got them injected against Rabies here in the UK. So, a British vet clinic entered the new rabies injection into the passport in September 2020; that is, PRIOR to the end of the transition period. So, I have asked for clarity off two vets here and got two different answers, which is a bit worrying. I thought that this would be fine as the new injection was administered and documented PRIOR to the transition. One vet agrees with me and the other says I will need to get AHCs for the two of the three dogs. Can anyone please give me the definitive answer! I know a vet here in the UK CANNOT put an entry into the EU pet passport since 1 January 2021 but surely, as the transition period was just that - transition - then the rabies injections administered in September 2020 should be valid....? Many thanks in advance for clarity on this situation!

REPLY
2021-07-12 06:35:32

Philip george Burchett

Our dog has an euro parrport.He is micro chipped and all vacs are up to date. He also had a blood test last year for anti rabies. Is there anything else he needs to travek from UK to France Thankyou Phil Burchett

REPLY

Pet Travel to France: Key Changes from January 1, 2021

Instead, here are the new rules and procedures to follow:

Your pet’s AHC will be valid for:

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