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Passports, Tourist Cards, Visas and Driving Licences
Clients are responsible for the provision of all necessary valid documents. We cannot accept responsibility if you are refused passage on any transport or entry into any country due to the failure on your part to carry the correct documentation. If failure to do so results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalties being imposed on Holmes, you will be responsible for reimbursing Holmes accordingly.
For up-to-date document requirements including permitted duration of stay, travel information and advice please visit website for Foreign Office Travel Advice at www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.
For general visa, passport and health information visit website www.ukpa.gov.uk.
At time of publication the following documents are required for British
citizens:
Travel to Anguilla - A full British passport is required with at least six months validity. A visa is not necessary for British Nationals.
Travel to Antigua - British Passport holders do not require visas to visit Antigua. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months. On entry, you are granted a stay of one month. If you wish to stay longer, you must apply for an extension of stay through the Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department.
Travel to Barbados - UK passport holders do not need visas to enter Barbados for visits up to 6 months. But you are normally only granted 28 days entry on arrival. You should note that overstaying without permission from the authorities is an offence. Visa extensions must be applied for at the Immigration Department, Careenage House, The Wharf, Bridgetown. As long as your passport is within its stated validity you should be able to enter and leave Barbados without a problem.
Travel to Ecuador - British nationals do not need a visa in order to visit Ecuador. On arrival, you will be issued with an entry stamp, which is valid for up to 90 days. Visit extensions of a further 90 days can be obtained through the local immigration authorities. You must ensure that your passport has a minimum validity of six months.
Travel to Gibraltar - A full valid British passport is required for all British nationals visiting Gibraltar. As Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, no prior entry visa is required for British nationals. An EHIC should be obtained. Please visit page European Health Care - EHIC.
Travel to India - You must obtain a visa before travelling to India. If you arrive without a visa, you will be refused entry. Foreign nationals arriving in India on long term multiple entry visas are required to register with the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Officer within 14 days of arrival. Overstayers will be fined and may be prosecuted or detained and later deported. They may also need to appear in person at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi. The High Commission/Deputy High Commission may not be able to intervene in these cases. Always keep a copy of your passport and your Indian visa separate from your passport, in case of loss. For further information on entry requirements, visitors are advised to check with the Indian representation in the UK. Passports are required to be valid for a minimum of 6 months.
Travel to Morocco - British nationals do not require entry visas to Morocco for the purpose of tourism. You should be aware that the border between Algeria and Morocco is closed, and no attempt should be made to cross it at any point. Your passport will need to be valid for at least six months after your entry into Morocco. When entering the country, particularly during the busy summer months, you should ensure that your passports are stamped. You will then be able to stay in Morocco for up to three months. Some tourists have experienced difficulties leaving the country because their passports bear no entry stamp. Advance passenger travel information is required, please visit page Advance Passenger Information Form.
Travel to Peru - Upon arrival visitors are normally given permission to stay for up to a maximum of 90 days. Extensions for a further 60 days can be obtained. Overstaying without the proper authority is a serious matter and fines are imposed. It is therefore recommended that you double check the period of time you have been granted, as you will be refused permission to leave and can be held in detention until the fine for overstay is paid. If in doubt, you are advised to check entry clearance requirements with Peruvian Representation in the UK. You should keep the immigration paper given to you on arrival in a safe place as you will need to show this upon departure. We recommend that your passport should have a remaining validity of at least six months. Some British Nationals have experienced difficulties when dealing with Peruvian immigration and customs. You should familiarise yourself with Peruvian immigration and customs procedures before you enter the country as the Foreign Office cannot intervene if you are refused entry or have problems importing or exporting personal items. Business visitors entering Peru on a business visa are required to complete on departure a form from SUNAT, the Peruvian tax authority. The form can be acquired from the Peruvian Embassy in London before travelling or at Lima airport on arrival.
Travel to Portugal - A valid British Passport is required. As an EU national, you may remain in Portugal as a tourist for a period not exceeding three months. A minor under the age of 18 travelling to Portugal must either be accompanied by a parent or guardian, be met at the airport or point of entry by a parent or guardian, or carry a letter of authorisation to travel from a parent or guardian. The letter should name the adult responsible for the minor during his/her stay. Please visit page European Health Care - EHIC.
Travel to South Africa - British nationals visiting South Africa on holiday for less than 90 days do not require visas. After entry, extensions of stay may be sought from the Department of Home Affairs. If you have overstayed without authority you may be required to pay a fine, either on exit or at the nearest South African mission on your return to the UK (or elsewhere). Re-entry to South Africa will not be permitted until the fine has been paid in full. However, serious overstayers may be arrested on departure and detained before appearing in court. In such cases you may face a very substantial fine and then be deported at your own expense. Despite not needing a visa you should note that your passport must have one clear blank page for the South African entry stamp. There have been reports that some South African Officials are insisting on 2 blank pages. It is recommended that you have 2 blank pages. If you do not have a free blank page in your passport you will be denied entry. Your passport must also be valid for no less than 30 days after the end of your intended visit.
Travel to Spain - A valid British passport must be held for entry to and exit from Spain. Please check well before travelling that your passport has not expired by the date of travel. If you are a British citizen or British subject with Right of Abode in the UK you do not require a visa to enter Spain. Other British Nationals should confirm the current entry requirements with the nearest Spanish Diplomatic Mission. An EHIC should be obtained. Please visit page European Health Care - EHIC.
Advance passenger travel information is required for Spain, please visit page Advance Passenger Information Form.
Travel to St. Lucia - British Passport holders do not need visas to enter St. Lucia for visits up to 42 days. It is an offence to stay beyond 42 days without permission from the local immigration authorities.
Travel to Swaziland - British passport holders and most Commonwealth citizens do not require visas for Swaziland. Visitors will normally be given entry permission for up to fourteen days. This can be extended at the Swaziland Immigration Department in Mbabane. All Swaziland border posts open daily throughout the year but hours of operation are variable. Before you set off, you should ensure that your passport retains sufficient validity for your stay (minimum 6 months) and has several unused pages remaining. Applications for new passports are accepted by the Consular Section at the British High Commission in Pretoria in person or by courier (if a courier is used, the cost is borne by the applicant).
Travel to Tanzania - British Passport Holders should have a valid passport and visa when visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar and you should obtain your
visa prior to travelling from your nearest Tansanian Diplomatic Mission. In order to apply for a visa your passport must have validity of not less than 6 months. It is possible to obtain a tourist visa for a single entry at the main ports of entry to Tanzania but this is subject to the fulfilment of all immigration requirements. If you will require a multiple entry visa you will need to arrange this through a Tanzanian diplomatic mission before your arrival in Tanzania. Otherwise you will have to buy a single entry visa each time you enter the country. If you overstay the validity of your visa, or work without an appropriate permit, you will be liable to arrest, detention and a fine before being deported.
Travel to United Arab Emirates - Passports should be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your intended stay. British citizens do not require a visa before their arrival in the UAE. You will receive a 60-day visit visa on arrival at the airport, seaport or land border. You may extend this 60-day stay for a maximum of a further 30 days, after which you will be required to leave the country. If you do require this extension from 60 to 90 days, you should contact the Immigration Office of the Emirate in which you arrived, in good time before the expiry of the 60-day deadline. In Abu Dhabi, if you are over 40 and, intend to apply for the 60 to 90-day extension, you will be required to have local health insurance for the extra month before the visa extension will be granted. All other British passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling to the UAE. Contact the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in London.
Travel to Zambia - Your passport should be valid for a minimum of six months and have at least two blank pages. Zambia does not recognise dual nationality. So it is important to be able to produce a passport bearing the exit stamp from the country from which you have travelled. British passport holders require a visa to enter Zambia. It is best to obtain visas prior to travel in order to avoid any potential problems with the airlines or with the Zambian Immigration Authorities. Single entry visit and multiple entry visit visas are also available at all ports of entry. The Zambian Immigration website reports that, for British passport holders, a single entry visit visa now costs £75, and a multiple entry visit visa costs £240.00. You can also pay in US Dollars. Current rates are available on the Zambian Immigration website: http://www.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm. It is important to carry the exact amount with you, as change may not be available. For further information on Zambian visa requirements, you should contact Zambian Immigration or visit: http://www.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm, rather than relying solely on advice from sponsoring organisations and local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). On leaving Zambia, non-residents pay a departure tax of US$25. This is now normally included in the cost of an air ticket but you will be asked to pay this separately in US Dollars if it is not. Volunteer workers should obtain business visas from the Zambian High Commission in London prior to departure. Any non-Zambian national overstaying their visa, not renewing their residence permit or working without a permit, including volunteer workers, risk arrest, imprisonment and deportation. Agents claiming to be able to obtain residence and work permits from the Immigration Department for foreign nationals may be bogus and the documents they provide may be forged.
Travel to Zimbabwe - Your passport should have at least six months validity and three blank pages left in it to enable you to enter Zimbabwe and exit via one of the neighbouring countries, if leaving at short notice becomes necessary. You will need a visa to visit Zimbabwe. This can be obtained from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London or on arrival in Zimbabwe. The current charge for a single entry visa issued on arrival in Zimbabwe is £35.00 or 55$, although this could change. If you have not obtained a visa before travelling, you should bring enough cash with you to pay for your visa on arrival. Visitors are currently being given entry permission for anything up to 90 days although the standard period of validity has been shorter since prior to the elections. You are strongly advised to check that the number of days given at the port of entry covers your intended period of stay, although you can apply to have this period renewed and extended if required. It is illegal to work in Zimbabwe without the correct visa or work permit. We recommend that before you travel you should first check current entry requirements with the Zimbabwean Embassy. Anyone intending to carry out journalistic activity needs to arrange prior accreditation through the Zimbabwean Embassy in London. We strongly advise against travel by journalists intending to carry out any reporting or official photography without the proper accreditation as there is a risk of arrest, detention in difficult conditions, and a possible fine, plus a period of further detention or deportation. A number of journalists have been picked up and detained in recent weeks.
*Please see below for single parents or other adults travelling alone with children.
Other Overseas Travel
A standard 10 year passport will be needed for overseas travel. Please check visa requirements.
Passports - An application form for a standard 10 year passport can be obtained from the Post Office and forwarded to your local Passport Office.
Children must have their own passport.
From 04 May 2004 applicants for a first UK passport (including babies) have to provide a full or 'long' birth certificate.
From 01 May 2007 adults applying for their first passport may be required to attend a short interview to confirm their identity. If interview attendance is required this will be advised once passport application has been received by the Passport Office.
Please ensure that the name given for ticketing matches your name as it appears on your passport.
* Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.
Tourist cards are obtained and completed on all international flights. Please retain each card for your departure from the country. It is not necessary to purchase tourist cards prior to departure.
Non British citizens are strongly advised to check with the relevant consulate whether a visa is required and with British Immigration for re-entry into the United Kingdom.
High Commission for Antigua and
Barbuda -
Tel: 020 7258 0070
Barbados High Commission -
Tel: 020 7631 4975
Embassy of Ecuador -
Tel: 020 7584 1367
Gibraltar Information Bureau -
Tel: 020 7836 0777
Indian High Commission -
Tel: 020 7836 8484
Embassy of the Kingdom of
Morocco -
Tel: 020 7724 0719
Embassy of Peru -
Tel: 020 7838 9223
Portuguese Embassy -
Tel: 020 7291 3770
High Commission for the Republic of South Africa -
Tel: 020 7451 7299
Spanish Embassy -
Tel: 020 7589 8989
High Commission for Saint Lucia -
Tel: 020 7370 7123
Kingdom of Swaziland High Commission -
Tel: 020 7630 6611
High Commission for the United Republic of Tanzania
Tel: 0207 569 1470
Embassy of the United Arab
Emirates -
Tel: 020 7581 1281
High Commission for the Republic of Zambia -
Tel: 020 7589 6655
Embassy of the Republic of
Zimbabwe -
Tel: 020 7836 7755
British Immigration Office -
Tel: 020 8686 0688
Health requirements
Clients are responsible for obtaining the necessary vaccinations and clearance to travel.
Please visit websites www.dh.gov.uk - Health Advice for Travellers and www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk for useful health advice for travellers.
At time of publication:
Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia - Courses or boosters usually advised: tetanus, hepatitus A.
Vaccines sometimes advised: diphtheria, hepatitis B (Anguilla - also poliomyelitis).
Yellow Fever Certificate required from those over 1 year old when entering from an infected area.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Courses or boosters usually advised: tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A.
Vaccines sometimes advised: diphtheria, hepatitis B.
No vaccine certificate required.
Ecuador, Galapagos - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever.
Vaccines sometimes advised: rabies, hepatitis B, tuberculosis.
Yellow fever certificate required if over 1 year old and entering from an infected area.
Malaria is widespread throughout the year below 1500m, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas in the north and east of the country. Serious malaria occurs to the east of the Andes in the Napo and Pastaza river valleys and also to the west of the Andes in the river plains of Esmeraldas and neighbouring Manabi provinces. There is very low to no risk in Guayaquil, Quito or Galapagos Islands. Malaria precautions are essential. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Gibraltar, Monaco - No vaccine certificate required.
India - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, typhoid.
Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis, Japanese B encephalitis, cholera.
Yellow fever certificate required if over 6 months old and entering from, or being in transit through, an infected area within the previous 6 days.
Malaria precautions are essential in all areas below 2000m, all year round. There is very low to no risk in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir and Sikkim, which are at high altitude. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Morocco - Courses or boosters usually advised: tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A.
Vaccines sometimes advised: typhoid, diphtheria, hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis.
No vaccine certificate required.
There is a very small risk of exclusively benign malaria from May to October in eastern parts of the country in rural valleys, west of the Atlas mountains (Chefchaouen Province). Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Antimalarial tablets are not normally recommended
Peru - Courses or boosters usually advised: tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever (for those visiting areas below 2300m East of the Andes).
Vaccines sometimes advised: diphtheria, tuberculosis, rabies, hepatitis B, cholera.
No vaccine certificate required.
The malaria risk is high in the north and east of the country, in some states along the Amazon river tributaries. There is variable risk in other low-lying areas below 2000m. The risk along the Pacific coast to the west of the Andes is very small except in the plains in the far north of the country. There is virtually no risk at high altitude in the Andes - this includes the Inca trail routes taken by trekkers to Cuzco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Malaria precautions are essential in some areas. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Portugal - Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis A.
Yellow fever certificate mandatory if over 1 year old and entering from an area with risk of yellow fever transmission and travelling to the Azores and Madeira.
South Africa - Courses/boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A.
Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis, hepatitis B, rabies, cholera, typhoid.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.
The risk is high in the low altitude areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces which border Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Includes Kruger National Park. Risk also in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal as far south as Jozini. There is low to no risk in all other parts of the country including the tourist centre of Sun City and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. Malaria precautions are essential. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Spain - Courses or boosters sometimes advised: hepatitus A (not normally for package tourists).
No vaccine certificate required.
Swaziland - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, typhoid.
Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis, rabies, hepatitis B, cholera.
Yellow fever vaccination certificate required from travellers coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Malaria precautions are essential in low lying areas (mainly Big Bend, Mhuome, Simunye and Tshaneni) all year round. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Tanzania - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever.
Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis, meningococcal meningitis, hepatitis B, rabies, cholera.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Malaria precautions are essential in all areas below 1800m, all year round. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Zambia - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelits, hepatitis A, typhoid.
Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis, hepatitis B, rabies, meningococcal meningitis, cholera, yellow fever.
Vaccination certificates not normally required.
Malaria precautions are essential in all areas, all year round. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Zimbabwe - Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, typhoid.
Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis, hepatitis B, rabies, cholera.
Yellow fever vaccination certificate required from travellers coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Malaria precautions are essential in the Zambezi Valley (including the Victoria Falls) throughout the year, and in all other areas below 1200m from November to June. Risk is negligible in Harare and Bulawayo. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Other Overseas Travel
Clients should check with their doctor well before travel date medical advice and which inoculations are advisable or necessary.
EHIC Clients travelling in most European countries will require an EHIC European Health Insurance Card. Please visit page European Health Care - EHIC.
Documents and Health Inoculations publication date April 2008.
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