Taking your dog to France could soon be a lot simpler and cheaper. The UK and EU have drafted a 200-page sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement that includes the return of pet passports for British animals travelling to the EU — the first time they'll be available to UK owners since Brexit. The text was presented to EU ambassadors in Brussels, with ratification expected at the EU-UK summit on 20 November.
Here's why that matters. Before Brexit, a pet passport was a one-time purchase: vets issued it for around £100 after confirming rabies vaccination and a microchip, and it stayed valid for the animal's life. Since 2021, British owners have instead needed an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every single trip — issued within 10 days of travel and costing roughly £200 each time. For anyone who takes a couple of European holidays a year with the dog in the back seat, the difference adds up fast.
The new passports would cover dogs, cats and ferrets. Tapeworm rules stay in place: treatment is still required one to five days before travel for dogs heading to Ireland, Malta, Norway and Finland, and for any dog returning to the UK.
The deal also closes a loophole that Brussels had already tightened. Some British owners — especially those with second homes in France, Spain or Italy — had managed to get EU pet passports from local vets. In April, the EU ruled that these documents can only be issued to owners whose main residence is inside the Union, ending the workaround for anyone living permanently in Great Britain. The new UK-EU agreement restores a proper route for everyone else.
One caveat: this is still a draft. The text needs to be ratified, so keep using the AHC system until the change is formally confirmed. But for the millions of UK pet owners who drive to the continent or fly with their animals, this is the most promising news since the old passports were scrapped — fewer vet appointments, lower costs per trip, and paperwork that doesn't expire.
Practical takeaway: if the deal is signed as expected, ask your vet about getting a passport before your next trip rather than booking another AHC. Standard requirements (microchip plus rabies vaccination) are unlikely to change, and a passport should cover repeat trips for life — though it's worth confirming the exact rules once the final agreement is published.
