Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Has anyone traveled from the US to Spain with a cat or dog? We did all the required papers to bring our cat, but now we’re in Spain we are not sure if we also have to take her to a vet in Spain to complete any additional health check. We remember reading something about it… but now we can’t find any info about it, so it might not be an official requirement.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Definitely find a Vet and get thier chips registered in Spain. ( different data base then US). They will also help with the passport”
“Yes, find a vet you like and get a pet passport. I honestly don’t know why we don’t have these in the US. It keeps track of all vaccinations etc, along with history and a photo of your pet. Makes it so much easier to travel etc. plus, you don’t need to carry around paperwork, it’s all in the passport. Good luck”
“My husband was who flew with our cat. He did DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)-Madrid direct flight with Iberia (AA doesn’t allow pets in the cabin). It was a bit tough on her (turbulence, being in her carrier so many hours…), but she made it! I believe it’s the least bad option to bring your pet overseas.”
“Passport required. Best to get one from vet and get your Furry Baby chipped etc.”
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Explore Cities →“We adopted a kitty in Spain. A pet passport makes travel back and forth much easier. If our cat has any procedure done in the US we bring a letter from our US vet back to Spain so our Spanish vet can update the document. Only an EU vet can record information. We presented her passport when we returned to the US in March 2021 and upon our return to Spain in July 2021. United accepted the documentation without a problem. When you return to Spain you need to “declare”your pet at customs and they will check the passport.”
“Do you remember how long it took to get your cat’s pet passport here in Spain? About three weeks.”
“Once your pet is in Spain you can decide for yourself if you choose to chip, vaccinate etc.”
“All pets in Europe are supposed to have a pet passport. Legally all pets have be vaccinated against rabies annually. This will be documented in the pet passport”
“Pet passport is only needed to travel within the EU.”
“Vaccines required yes, pet passport is not required unless the pet is traveling”
“You’ll need to get them chipped with a specific kind of chip that works both in the US and in Spain AND you’ll need paperwork from a USDA verified vet, along with valid rabies vax. (Moved 4 cats and a dog last year from US to Spain.)”
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