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Big changes to pet travel rules between the UK and Spain come into force this April
From April 22, UK residents will no longer be able to rely on EU-issued passports when travelling to Europe with their pets
If you regularly travel between the UK and Spain with your dog, cat or ferret, there’s an important update coming into force this week that you need to be aware of. From April 22, 2026, checks on EU pet passports are expected to become stricter and for UK residents, that effectively means those passports will no longer be accepted for travel into the EU, regardless of when or where they were issued.
This has caused a fair bit of confusion among pet owners, so here’s what’s actually changing.
Why is this happening?
The change stems from the EU’s Animal Health Law, first introduced in 2016, which set out clear rules on pet travel within the EU. Under those rules, EU pet passports are intended for animals that are habitually resident within the European Union.
In practice, this means pets owned by people living in EU countries.
Since Brexit, pets travelling from Great Britain have been classed as coming from a non-EU country and in theory, EU pet passports should no longer have been used by UK residents for entry into the EU.
However, in reality, many pet owners continued to obtain EU-issued passports through vets in EU countries and used them to travel more easily between the UK and Europe.
From Wednesday April 22, enforcement of the existing rules is expected to tighten, closing that loophole.
So what do you need instead?
For most UK residents travelling to the EU with a pet, an Animal Health Certificate, or AHC, is required. This must be issued by an Official Veterinarian before each trip.
There are a few key points to keep in mind:
- The certificate must be issued within 10 days of travel
- It is valid for a single journey into the EU
- A new certificate is required for every trip
In practical terms, that means a vet appointment before each journey, even if you travel frequently. Costs typically start at around £90 per pet, although this can vary.
It’s also worth noting that these rules apply specifically to travel from Great Britain to the EU. The requirements for bringing a pet back into the UK remain unchanged.
What does this mean in practice?
For anyone regularly travelling between the UK and Spain with a pet, whether for holidays, visiting family or staying at a second home, the process is now more time-consuming and expensive than it once was.
For most UK residents, there’s no longer a workaround using EU-issued pet passports, so planning ahead is essential. That means allowing enough time to arrange a vet appointment before each trip and factoring the additional cost into travel plans.
Before travelling, it’s always a good idea to check the latest guidance for your destination, as entry requirements can vary slightly between countries. The Animal and Plant Health Agency remains the official source for up-to-date information on pet travel from the UK.
Image: European Commission
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