UK Pet Passport Blog

Pet Passport Petition 2026: Could UK Residents Use EU Pet Passports Again?

Pet Passport Updates Published

Dog and cat beside a blank petition clipboard and pet travel documents with a map of Europe in the background.

A UK Parliament petition wants EU pet passports accepted for GB residents again. See what it asks for, its progress and the rules today.

A UK Parliament petition is asking the Government to seek an agreement with the EU so that UK residents can use valid EU pet passports again. The petition is open, but it has not changed the rules and it does not confirm that a new UK pet passport is available.

As of 29 August 2026, Great Britain residents planning to take a dog, cat or ferret to the EU should still follow the current official guidance. GOV.UK says they should get an Animal Health Certificate for the journey from Great Britain to an EU country.

The live petition, titled “Seek agreement with the EU to accept pet passports for UK-EU travel”, closes on 27 November 2026. It had 2,902 signatures when we checked it on 29 August 2026.

Read and sign petition 767906 on the official UK Parliament website

Signing is a personal choice. Read the petition in full before deciding whether to support it.

What is pet passport petition 767906 asking for?

The petition asks the Government to negotiate an agreement with the EU that would allow UK residents who already hold valid EU pet passports to use them for UK-to-EU pet travel without obtaining an Animal Health Certificate for every trip.

Its creator argues that repeated AHC appointments create cost, administration and difficulty for frequent travellers, including dual nationals and people whose pets previously travelled on an EU-issued passport.

This is narrower than introducing an entirely new UK-issued pet passport. The petition specifically focuses on recognition of valid EU pet passports held by UK residents.

That distinction matters because several different proposals are often described online as “bringing pet passports back”:

These routes might produce a similar practical benefit for some owners, but they are not the same policy.

What happens if the petition reaches 10,000 signatures?

The UK Parliament petitions service explains that:

Reaching either threshold would not automatically change the law or the EU entry rules. A government response could accept, reject or qualify the request. Consideration for a debate is also not a guarantee that a debate will take place or that the requested agreement will follow.

The signature total changes as people sign. Check the official petition page for its current progress rather than relying on a figure copied elsewhere.

Why has this petition appeared now?

New EU pet-travel rules took effect on 22 April 2026. DEFRA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency said that Great Britain residents should no longer use EU pet passports to travel into the EU.

The official announcement says EU pet passports may now only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU. It also says they should not be used by people who merely have a holiday home in the EU or visit seasonally.

That has affected owners who previously obtained an EU pet passport and used it for repeat journeys from Great Britain. Having EU citizenship is not necessarily the same as having your main home in the EU; the official announcement frames the rule around residence.

GOV.UK advises owners resident in Great Britain to get an Animal Health Certificate when travelling from England, Scotland or Wales to an EU country. Read our plain-English explanation of whether normal vets can issue Animal Health Certificates before arranging the appointment.

Can UK residents use EU pet passports again now?

Not merely because this petition is open. A petition records support for a proposed action; it is not itself a change to the travel rules.

The April 2026 GOV.UK announcement says Great Britain residents should no longer use EU pet passports to enter the EU and should obtain an AHC to guarantee smooth travel. It adds that an EU pet passport may still be used for the return journey to Great Britain.

That difference between entering the EU and returning to Great Britain is easy to miss. A document that can be accepted for one direction of the journey is not automatically sufficient for the other.

Individual EU member states can also have their own requirements. Check the official rules for the first EU country you enter and for the final destination, particularly if your journey includes a flight connection or crosses several borders.

Has the return of a UK pet passport already been agreed?

The UK and EU have said they intend to work towards arrangements that would make pet travel easier, including a multi-use pet passport. However, that does not mean a new passport can currently be obtained, and an exact launch date and final operating rules have not been published.

Our regularly reviewed guide, Will the UK Pet Passport Return in 2027?, separates what has been announced from what remains unresolved.

Be cautious with headlines saying UK pet passports “are back” or giving a definite launch date. Before relying on any announcement, look for current GOV.UK instructions explaining:

Until those details are published, plan a real journey using the rules in force on the travel date.

What does an Animal Health Certificate allow under the 2026 rules?

An AHC is still a single-trip document for leaving Great Britain for the EU, but its onward validity changed in April 2026.

Current GOV.UK guidance says an AHC is valid for:

The pet’s rabies vaccination must remain valid. A new AHC is needed for a later trip from Great Britain to the EU.

For appointment timing, evidence and document checks, see our complete Animal Health Certificate guide. If France is on the itinerary, our UK-to-France dog travel guide brings the outbound and return steps together.

What should pet owners do while the petition is open?

If you support the proposal, use the official Parliament link rather than an unofficial copy:

  1. Read petition 767906 in full.
  2. Decide whether you agree with what it specifically asks the Government to do.
  3. Complete the official verification process if you choose to sign.
  4. Share the official petition accurately, without claiming that it has already changed the rules.
  5. Continue using current official travel guidance for any journey you are planning.

For travel in the meantime, check the pet’s microchip and rabies records early, confirm the document needed for every country on the route and plan the return requirements as carefully as the outbound journey. Dog owners should also read the 24-to-120-hour tapeworm-treatment rule.

Use our free UK-to-Europe pet travel checklist to organise those steps while you wait for any official passport announcement.

How we will follow the petition

We will review this page when the petition reaches a formal threshold, receives a government response, closes or is affected by new UK or EU guidance. We will distinguish clearly between campaign developments, political commitments and rules that pet owners can actually use.

If you are waiting for simpler UK–EU pet travel, join the UK Pet Passport Bulletin using the form below. You will receive the free pre-travel checklist for use under the current system, and we will email when there is a meaningful official update.

Official sources

This article was reviewed against the following official sources on 29 August 2026:

This article provides general information, not personalised veterinary or legal advice. Pet-travel rules and campaign details can change. Check GOV.UK, the official petition page and the destination country’s competent authority before relying on the information for a journey.