Will the UK Pet Passport Return in 2027?
A factual look at the planned return of multi-use pet passports and what UK pet owners should use for EU travel now.
Many UK pet owners still ask whether the UK pet passport will return in 2027. The UK and EU have agreed to work towards arrangements that would make pet travel easier, including a multi-use pet passport for travel to the EU, but the scheme has not yet replaced the current AHC rules.
As of 23 July 2026, the practical answer is simple: if you live in Great Britain and want to take a dog, cat or ferret to an EU country, plan around the current GOV.UK rules rather than relying on a future scheme.
An active UK Parliament petition is also asking the Government to seek agreement for UK residents to use valid EU pet passports again. Read our separate guide to the 2026 pet passport petition, what it requests and what it does not change.
What changed after Brexit?
Before Brexit, UK pet owners commonly used pet passports for EU travel. Since 1 January 2021, Great Britain has not been part of the EU pet passport scheme in the same way.
GOV.UK guidance says pet owners travelling from Great Britain to an EU country generally need an animal health certificate unless they have another valid travel document accepted under the rules.
What about EU pet passports?
GOV.UK published updated guidance in 2026 explaining that Great Britain residents should get an animal health certificate when travelling from Great Britain to an EU country. It also warned that EU pet passports are for people whose main home is in the EU and should not be used by people who only have holiday homes in the EU or visit seasonally.
That matters for owners who previously used an EU-issued pet passport to avoid getting a new AHC for each trip.
Are multi-use pet passports agreed?
In written parliamentary answers, the government has said the UK and EU agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area after the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025. The government also said this would mean pet owners will be able to get a multi-use pet passport valid for travel to the EU instead of getting an AHC for each trip.
That is different from saying the new passport is already available. Until GOV.UK publishes the new process, eligibility and start date, GB residents should continue to use the current animal health certificate route for EU travel.
What should pet owners do now?
Until official rules change, the safest planning steps are:
- Check GOV.UK before booking travel.
- Ask your vet whether they can issue animal health certificates.
- Make sure your pet is microchipped before the rabies vaccination used for travel.
- Leave enough time for rabies vaccination waiting periods and AHC appointments.
- Check the return rules for bringing your pet back to Great Britain.
Could the rules change by 2027?
Pet travel rules can change, but travel plans should be based on rules that are currently in force. The UK-EU direction of travel is towards a cheaper, easier, multi-use document, but implementation and timing remain unresolved.
The best source remains GOV.UK. If a UK pet passport return is announced, GOV.UK should publish updated instructions explaining who can use it, where it is valid and what vets need to issue.
Source
This guide is based on GOV.UK guidance: Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad, New EU rules for pet travel for GB residents, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain and the parliamentary answer on Pet Travel Scheme: UK Relations with EU.