What is the process for obtaining a French pet passport for animal from UK?
Pets moving to France must be registered on pet database within one week of arrival
Pets travelling across international borders also need a passport
eva_blanco/Shutterstock
Reader Question: I have recently bought a home in France and I am bringing my dog from the UK with me when I move. Do I need to obtain a pet passport for him, and if so, how?
The UK no longer has ‘pet passports’ as such, post-Brexit, but there are nonetheless certain paperwork requirements.
As for obtaining a French EU pet passport for your dog after you move, that depends on whether or not you plan to travel abroad with him.
Note that before trying to bring a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, it must be microchipped (or have a visible pet tattoo, if prior to July 3, 2011), as well as having a rabies vaccination.
Dogs cannot receive their rabies vaccination until they are at least 12 weeks / three months old.
There must also be a waiting period of at least 21 days between the vaccine being administered and the date of travel, so make sure you leave enough space before travelling.
The microchip/tattoo and rabies vaccination are prerequisites for the animal health certificate that is required for pets without an EU pet passport to enter the bloc – since Brexit, UK pet owners are also subject to this rule.
There is no set price for these certificates, which can cost between £100 - £200 (sometimes more) and are valid for around four months after being obtained for entry (and re-entry back into the UK where someone is only visiting France).
Read more: Can I take my dog on a cross-channel UK-France ferry?
Registering your pet
Once you have arrived in France, you need to sign up with a local vet, as well as register your dog on the national French pet database (I-CAD). All domesticated cats, dogs, and ferrets in France must be registered.
Registration of your pet on the database must be done within seven days of arriving in France (this is only the case when moving permanently to France, and not if travelling to the country).
Therefore, it may be best to book the appointment in advance before arriving in France.
Read more: What is I-CAD? France’s pet database explained
Your vet will do the paperwork for you, but as your animal is from outside the EU, you must pay to register it (it is free for animals from within the EU).
As of December 2024, the price listed on the French government’s service-public website is €11.
Additional vet fees apply for the appointment itself.
If you plan to travel abroad in future with your dog, you must again ask your vet for a pet passport – after the animal is registered on the I-Cad database – and the vet is responsible for organising the document.
Official pet passports can only be issued through a licenced vet, and cost around €15.
You may need to provide documents such as proof of address in France (you can ask which documents your vet requires during the initial appointment). In addition, you may again need to show proof your pet has had the necessary rabies vaccinations, etc. to receive the passport.
A valid EU pet passport can be used for a pet travelling back into the UK, even though a UK pet passport is not valid for entry into the EU.
Read more: Letters: Travelling to France with pets is not that difficult
