Passports and Visas
Make sure that you hold a valid Passport at the time of travelling and that it is valid for 6 months after returning to the UK.
Check if you require a visa for the country that you are visiting.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid Passport & Visa.
Remember there are different types of British Passports and if you have anything other than a British Citizens Passport you may require a Visa for the country you are visiting.
Always check with the Passport Office and with the embassy of the country, you are planning to visit, to ensure you have the correct Visa or authority to travel.
Remember children now require their own Passport.
It is too late when you get to the airport!
Holiday brochures and travel tickets place the emphasis on you!
If in doubt, contact your nearest Post Office or the Post Office central information line - Tel: 08457223344
All non British Passport holders should check with their own embassy and the embassy of the country you intend to visit, as to any Visa requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel documents are valid.
Here is The Holiday TravelWatch Checklist of points to remember when dealing with issues concerning your Passport or Visa:
Make sure your Passport is valid for a minimum of six months at return date. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid passport.
Take a photocopy of your Passport with you and leave a copy at home.
Write the full details of your next of kin in your Passport.
Make sure you have valid Visas. Take another form of ID with you (preferably with a photograph).
Remember there are different types of British Passports and if you have anything other than a British Citizens passport you may require a Visa for the country you intend to visit, for example, you should check USA requirements before you go! Other countries may have similar Visa protocols.
Remember children now require their own passport now.
Remember - it’s too late when you get to the airport!
Holiday brochures and travel tickets place the emphasis on you! If in doubt, contact your nearest Post Office or the Post Office central information line - Tel: 08457223344
Non UK Citizens should check with their own embassies and the embassy of the country they intend to travel to – it is your responsibility.
Biometric British Passports
Since the events of 11 September 2001, many countries are now looking at methods by which they can improve their ability to check the identity of its own citizens and those who are visiting their country. The United Kingdom is no exception. The United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) is planning to introduce Passports that provide a facial recognition image biometric from late 2005/early 2006. It is understood that the biometric data will be derived from a passport photograph and will be in accordance with international standards.
It is stated by the UKPS that the facial image biometric will help to counter identity fraud (e.g. duplicate issues), and will verify the identity of the holder. All passports for British Citizens will be renewed or issued to the proposed ID card standard.
The UKPS states, “The UKPS has been working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to develop international standards for biometric deployment. ICAO nominated facial recognition as the primary biometric for travel documents with iris pattern and fingerprint as secondary but not mandatory.
In line with ICAO recommendations, the UKPS will deploy contactless integrated circuit media (i.e. a computer chip) of sufficient capacity to facilitate storage of the facial image and at least one additional biometric identifier. A contactless chip includes an aerial to allow close proximity readings, i.e. without being swiped through a reader. Modern contactless chips are paper-thin and therefore particularly suited to being incorporated in passport books or passport identity cards”.
HolidayTravelWatch will provide further updates as and when they are available, and strongly recommend that you obtain further information as to requirements are obtained from the UKPS before you travel!
These links will direct you to Government advices on all of these topics:
HTW has noted that amongst the submissions to the Committee on Toxicity (COT) it has been suggested that the symptoms highlighted by crew and passengers were akin to the condition of hyperventilation.
HTW has for many years received reports from concerned holiday makers or independent travellers as to the safety of their aircraft, ship or boat, train or road transport.
