French ministry clarifies Passport rules for habitual residents only
France has clarified that a pet passport is for people who live habitually in the country, not for second-home owners whose main home is elsewhere. The French agriculture ministry said on April 22 that people living in Great Britain should use another document when travelling with pets to the EU.
The ministry said the regulations that came into force on April 22 restated who can be given an EU pet passport. It also said people visiting a vet must show they reside habitually and have their main residence in the EU member state in question.
April 22 French rule
The French agriculture ministry said the passport was historically intended to help private transport of dogs, cats and ferrets between member states. It said the document was understood to be only for animals owned in the member state where their owner lived habitually and had their main home.
People with a second home in an EU country but a main home elsewhere, such as the UK, are not supposed to ask for EU pet passports and should not be given them. The ministry also said registration with the I-CAD pet database should be done in all cases where a pet is staying more than three months, but that registration does not create an automatic right to a passport.
European Commission position
The European Commission said it makes no difference when a passport was issued. It said that since January 1, 2021, pets travelling with owners living in Great Britain should have had Animal Health Certificates issued by a UK vet when coming to the EU.
The Commission said the rules apply both to previously issued pet passports held by residents of the UK and to new pet passports. It also said there are no transitional arrangements for this issue.
Checks at borders
Enforcement will be handled by EU member state authorities, the Commission said, with veterinary and customs services organising checks on compliance with pet travel regulations. Official UK websites now tell people in England, Scotland and Wales not to use a pet passport, even if it was issued in the EU, and warn that using one may lead to refusal of entry into the EU.
For travellers, the practical effect is simple: the old passport is no longer the safe document to rely on if they live in Great Britain. Pets linked to a main home in the UK fall under the Animal Health Certificate route, while EU pet passports remain tied to habitual residence in the member state that issued them.
