UK expats in Spain report confusion over traveling with pets

Expats from the UK who are living in Spain are reporting that they are unsure of which pet passport they need to use when traveling between the two countries, reports Euro Weekly News.

The confusion comes after the British Embassy in Madrid published a video on Facebook with advice on traveling with UK and EU pet passports.

In the video, it states: “From 1 January pet passports issued in Spain or another EU member state continue to be valid for travel to Great Britain and the EU. If you have a UK pet passport you will need to update your documentation.”

However, there are British expats in Spain who are confused about the rules with many expressing uncertainty about the status of UK pet passports in Spain.

In an earlier post, the Embassy stated: “If you’re living in Spain and plan to travel with your pet using a UK-issued pet passport, you should speak to your vet. They’ll help to ensure you’re compliant with EU Pet Travel Regulations.”

From 1 January 2021, under new rules, if your dog has an EU pet passport that was issued in Great Britain (a UK pet passport), it will no longer be valid for travel to the EU or even Northern Ireland (NI) from 1 January 2021, per government guidance.

Instead of using the old EU/GB pet passport to travel to the EU, pets will now need an animal health certificate issued by a veterinarian in the UK in order to travel to the EU. However, those with a Northern Ireland-issued pet passport will still be able to use theirs.

If you’re living in Spain and plan to travel with your pet using a UK pet passport, speak to your vet.(image: Lachlan Ross from Pexels)

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