The dog and the cat come too.
Moving to the Costa del Sol shouldn’t mean leaving family behind on four legs. Microchip, rabies vaccination and the right travel document — an EU pet passport, or an Animal Health Certificate if you’re coming from outside the EU. We coordinate the paperwork and the timeline so your pet lands with you, not weeks later.
The one member of the household who won’t understand why the move went wrong is also the one who’ll forgive you fastest. Best not to test either.
Getting a pet to Spain, in plain English
A handful of moving parts, and they have to happen in the right order. Here are the ones that catch people out.
Microchip & rabies vaccination
Cats and dogs generally need an ISO-standard microchip fitted first, then an up-to-date rabies vaccination given after the chip. The order matters — a vaccine recorded before the chip usually won’t count, so we check the sequence before you book travel.
The right travel document
Moving within the EU, your pet travels on an EU pet passport. Coming from outside the EU — the UK since Brexit, for example — you’ll typically need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet shortly before you travel, valid for a limited window.
Rabies titre test (if required)
From some countries a blood test proving rabies antibodies (a titre test) is required, taken a set time after vaccination and with a waiting period before travel. Where it applies this can add months, so it’s the first thing we flag if it’s relevant to you.
Tapeworm, airline & route rules
Dogs may need a tapeworm treatment in certain cases, recorded within a set window before arrival. On top of that, each airline and route has its own rules on carriers, cabin vs hold and booking limits — we help line the paperwork up with the way you’re actually travelling.
Pet-import requirements are set by the authorities and do change. The details above are a general guide — your exact list is confirmed with the vet, for your country of departure, before travel.
Delivered with trusted vets and pet-travel partners
The clinical work — microchipping, vaccinations, the Animal Health Certificate and any titre test — is handled by pet-travel vets and specialists we work alongside. Our part is to coordinate the paperwork and the timeline so it fits your wider move, and to make sure the long-lead steps get started early enough to actually work.
The questions we get first
What do I need to bring my dog or cat to Spain?
As a general guide: an ISO-standard microchip, an up-to-date rabies vaccination given after the chip, and the correct travel document — an EU pet passport if you’re moving within the EU, or an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) if you’re coming from outside it. Some routes also need a rabies antibody (titre) test and, for dogs, a tapeworm treatment. Exact requirements depend on where you’re travelling from and can change, so we confirm your list with the vet before anyone books a flight.
How far ahead do I need to plan?
Further than most people expect. Where a rabies titre test is required it has to be done a set time after vaccination, followed by a waiting period before travel — which can mean planning several months ahead. Even without a titre test, microchip and vaccination timing has to line up. The single biggest cause of last-minute stress is starting late, so the honest advice is to talk to a vet early.
I’m moving my pet from the UK after Brexit — is it different?
Yes. Since Brexit the UK is treated as a country outside the EU for pet travel, so the old UK pet passports issued in Great Britain no longer work for entry. Instead you generally need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet close to your travel date. The precise rules are set by the authorities and do change, so we coordinate with a pet-travel vet rather than rely on old information.
Do you handle the vet appointments and the flight yourself?
This is a partner service. The clinical steps — microchipping, vaccinations, the AHC, any titre test — are carried out by trusted vets and pet-travel specialists we work alongside. What we do is coordinate the paperwork and the timeline so it slots into your wider move, and make sure nothing is left until it’s too late to fix.
Reviewed by a lawyer
Reviewed by Alberto García López
Immigration lawyer · ICA Málaga, reg. no. 11.441
We check every page against current Spanish law. This is general information, not advice on your individual case.
Globalium is an independent law firm, not a government agency, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any public administration. Visas, permits and identification numbers are granted solely by the Spanish authorities, and you are free to apply to them directly yourself. Our fees pay for legal advice and representation, and are separate from any official fee or tax.
Tell us the pet. We’ll sort the timeline.
A quick, honest chat on what your dog or cat needs, how long it takes and where the deadlines really are — before you book anything.
+34 667 77 02 19 · infoglobalextranjeria@gmail.com
P.S. — start the titre test late and the flight waits for the paperwork, not the other way round. Early is the whole trick.