The European Pet Passport

This passport is more resistant to fraud and may only be issued by veterinarians.
The issuing body keeps a record of which passport numbers are supplied to which vet, meaning breeders can no longer obtain blank passports to fill in themselves — a practice that used to happen from time to time.

What if my pet already has a passport issued before December 2014?

If your pet already has an EU pet passport and its identification details were entered before 29-12-2014, the passport remains valid for travel abroad.
If your pet received a passport after 29-12-2014 and you wish to travel, it must be the new EU pet passport.

Is an old passport valid if issued after December 2014?

Old-style passports issued after 29-12-2014 can only be used as vaccination records and no longer as valid travel documents. This must be clearly stated inside the passport, and the front cover should be marked — for example with a sticker — to avoid confusion with the new EU passport.

What must be completed and/or laminated in the new EU pet passport issued by the vet?

When a vet issues a new EU pet passport, the following sections must be filled in:

• Section I. Owner details, including signature – mandatory, but lamination is not required.

• Section II. Description of the animal – mandatory. Name and birthdate must be entered exactly as given by the owner. Lamination not required.

• Section III. Identification of the animal – mandatory and must be laminated.

• Section IV. Passport issuance – mandatory, no lamination required. Must include the name of the vet, date, clinic stamp and full signature of the vet (initials alone are not sufficient). Incomplete passports may lead to travel refusal at border checks.

What else must be filled in and/or laminated to travel with my pet?

In addition to the above, the following must be completed for travel:

• Section V. Rabies vaccination – must be fully completed after vaccination. This includes the vaccine sticker or manual entry of the manufacturer, product name and batch number, vaccination date, ‘valid from’ and ‘valid until’ dates, vet’s full name and signature, and clinic contact details. The vaccine sticker must be laminated, and ideally the entire section.

• Any tick, worm or other treatments listed in the front part of the EU passport that are required for international travel and recorded with a sticker must be laminated.

• Vaccinations and treatments listed in the national (back) section do not require lamination and are not always mandatory for travel — check the requirements of your destination beforehand.

Travelling with puppies and kittens

As of December 2014, every dog, cat, or ferret entering the Netherlands must have a valid rabies vaccination. This can only be given from 12 weeks of age and is valid 21 days after administration. Therefore, no pet younger than 15 weeks may be imported. Belgium has also tightened these rules. In most EU countries, this was already required.

Is an EU pet passport mandatory?

An EU pet passport is not yet mandatory for all dogs or other animals. However, a proposal is underway to make it mandatory for all dogs. The timeline for this is still unclear, though the media previously reported it might apply from 2020.

Until then, an EU pet passport is only mandatory if your pet is travelling abroad. It is an official identification document and can only be issued by an authorised veterinarian. Additionally, each country has its own import requirements. These can be found on the website of the Dutch National Information Centre for Companion Animals (LICG).

In summary…

• Make sure your dog — and cat, if travelling — has a valid EU pet passport with all required fields properly completed.

• Always check the entry requirements for your destination country and make sure the passport is correctly filled in to avoid issues at the border.

• Looking for a puppy? Check the passport is correctly completed. If not, ask why and don’t take the puppy until everything is in order — or consider another breeder. An improperly completed passport may indicate a breeder who doesn’t follow the rules.
  Check the Puppy Checklist on the LICG website for more tips on what to look out for before buying a puppy.