ENTRY.PET · CHECKLIST
Japan → United Kingdom
cat
Requirements
| Done | REQUIREMENT | WHEN | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| To do | 01 Port of entry Travel on an APHA-approved route and carrier — see the entry points (commercial airlines fly pets into London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Newcastle as of 2026-09-22). Link to the live list. | — | APHA / Defra (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 02 Transport rules By plane the pet must travel as cargo (not in the cabin), except on chartered private planes or for assistance dogs. By private boat only from Ireland or Northern Ireland. | — | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 03 Microchip Microchip before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination (otherwise revaccinate). ISO 11784/11785 chips are read on arrival; with a non-ISO chip you may have to bring your own reader. An unreadable chip means refusal or quarantine. | on or before the rabies vaccination | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 04 Rabies vaccination Inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine at ≥12 weeks of age. Travel no earlier than 21 full days after the first vaccination (or the last dose of the primary course); day 1 is the day after vaccination. No wait after a booster if there was no gap in cover. | 21+ days before arrival | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 05 Animal health certificate Great Britain pet health certificate (GOV.UK form), signed, stamped and dated by an official veterinarian authorised by the origin government. A pet passport or a GB AHC cannot be used from a Part 2 country. | within 10 days before arrival | APHA (GOV.UK); Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 06 Owner's declaration Fill in the pet travel declaration that the pet will not be sold or its ownership transferred. | — | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 07 Non-commercial limits Max 5 pets unless attending/training for a competition, show or sporting event (all over 6 months old, with written evidence). More than 5 pets, pet arriving more than 5 days before/after the owner, or sale/rehoming → commercial "Balai" rules instead. | — | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
| To do | 08 Customs declaration Arriving from outside the EU, the pet is released only after customs clearance (usually done by an agent, the airline or travel company). | — | Defra / APHA (GOV.UK) |
Papers to carry
- To get: Microchip number (in the pet passport or the vaccination record)
- To get: Rabies vaccination record
- To get: Animal health certificate
- To get: Owner's declaration
- To get: Customs declaration
Official fees
The rules name no official fee.