Whether you are moving abroad or taking a pet on holiday, the requirements depend on where you are going. Start early: some steps cannot be rushed, and airlines have their own rules on top of the official ones.
Microchip first
A microchip identifies your pet on every document that follows. Within the EU, the rabies vaccination is only valid if it is given on or after the day the microchip is implanted, so the chip has to come first.
Rabies vaccination and waiting periods
After the first rabies vaccination there is a waiting period before the animal can travel. Your vet can tell you the date your pet becomes eligible, and when boosters fall due.
The EU pet passport
For travel within the EU, a vet issues a pet passport that records the microchip, vaccinations and any required treatments. Travel outside the EU usually needs an animal health certificate instead, sometimes with blood tests done months in advance.
Check the destination and the airline
Some countries require tapeworm treatment within a set window before arrival, and some have extra rules for certain breeds. Check the destination’s official guidance and your airline’s pet policy before you book.
- Microchip implanted and number recorded
- Rabies vaccination given after the chip
- Passport or health certificate issued
- Any destination-specific treatments done in time
- Airline-approved travel crate
