Planning a trip and taking the dog or cat? In the Netherlands that means paperwork, in a specific order, that the EU takes seriously because of rabies. Get it wrong and you can be turned back at the border. Here is the dierenpaspoort jargon and the rules, decoded, so your pet travels legally.
The three essentials (within the EU)
For travel from one EU country to another, as the Dutch food-and-product safety authority NVWA sets out, you need exactly three things:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Europees dierenpaspoort | EU pet passport |
| chip | microchip |
| rabiësvaccinatie | rabies vaccination |
Your dierenarts (vet) issues the passport and gives the shots, the reason the vet vocabulary is your starting point.
Order matters
Here is the rule that catches people out: the chip must come first. As the NVWA guidance stresses, your pet must already have a microchip when it gets the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination is not valid (the chip can be fitted the same day, just before). Other timing rules:
- The animal must be at least 12 weeks old for its first rabies shot.
- A first rabies vaccination is valid for travel only after 21 days.
- A booster (renewal) is valid immediately.
So this is not a last-minute job, build in at least three weeks for a first vaccination.
Outside the EU: much stricter
If you are bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU (third) country, the rules tighten sharply. As the government and EU rules explain, high-risk countries require a rabies bloedtest (titertest), and you may need to start preparing months before departure. And note: from April 2026, a mandatory pre-travel vet health check applies (it is no longer a formality), per the updated EU pet-travel rules. Always check the current requirements for your exact route, well ahead.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| dierenpaspoort | pet passport |
| chippen | to microchip |
| rabiës / hondsdolheid | rabies |
| vaccinatie / inenting | vaccination |
| titertest / bloedtest | rabies blood test |
| gezondheidscheck | health check |
Where it connects
The pet passport is the travel-admin corner of pet ownership, the third piece of our pet cluster with talking to the dierenarts and the dog-walking rules. It is also, in spirit, the animal version of your own cross-border admin, like converting documents as a kennismigrant: get the paperwork right, in order, in advance.
The bottom line
Travelling within the EU with your pet needs a valid Europees dierenpaspoort, a chip fitted before the rabiësvaccinatie, and that shot must be at least 21 days old (for a first vaccination). Travel from outside the EU is far stricter, sometimes a blood test and months of prep, and from April 2026 a pre-travel vet health check is mandatory. Learn dierenpaspoort, chip, and rabiësvaccinatie, start early with your vet, and your pet crosses the border as smoothly as you do.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the pet-travel and vet Dutch you need, dierenpaspoort, chip, rabiësvaccinatie, dierenarts by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can arrange the paperwork with your vet correctly instead of being turned back at the border.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to travel within the EU with my pet?
Three things: a valid Europees dierenpaspoort (EU pet passport), a microchip (chip) fitted before the rabies vaccination, and a valid rabiësvaccinatie (rabies shot). Order matters, the chip must be in place before the vaccination, or the vaccination doesn’t count. A first rabies vaccination becomes valid after 21 days; a booster is valid immediately. Your dierenarts (vet) arranges the passport and shots.
How does the rabies vaccination and chip work for pet travel?
Your pet must have a microchip before getting the rabies vaccination, otherwise the vaccination is not valid (the chip can be placed the same day, just first). The animal must be at least 12 weeks old for the first rabies shot. After a first vaccination there is a 21-day wait before it is valid for travel; a renewal (booster) is valid right away. Keep it all recorded in the dierenpaspoort.
Is travelling with a pet from outside the EU harder?
Much. Because of rabies controls, bringing a dog or cat into the EU from a non-EU (third) country is far stricter, and from high-risk countries a rabies blood test (titertest) is required, sometimes needing months of preparation before departure. From April 2026, a mandatory pre-travel vet health check applies. Always check the current rules for your specific route well in advance.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for travelling with a pet?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the pet-travel and vet Dutch you need, dierenpaspoort, chip, rabiësvaccinatie, dierenarts, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can arrange the paperwork with your vet correctly instead of being turned back at the border.
