Travel Advice from the FCO

We’re supporting the FCO’s ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign

As part of our commitment to helping our customers make the most of their travel, we’re working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on their wide-reaching ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign.

The campaign has been created to reduce the number of preventable problems faced by British travellers abroad. It aims to raise awareness of potential hazards and change travel behaviour.

Every year British nationals risk getting caught out by local laws and customs when travelling overseas. According to new research issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, while 70% of people believe that researching local laws and customs would make their travel more enjoyable, less than half would actually make this part of their preparations when visiting somewhere new.

 

Top Travel tips from the FCO

  • Make sure you have valid travel insurance, even if you’re only planning a short trip. And make sure it will cover you for wherever you’re going and whatever activities you plan to take part in while you’re there.
  • Check what vaccinations you need by visiting www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk, your travel health clinic or GP at least 6 weeks before you travel
  • Read up on your destination, including local laws and customs. A good travel guide should give you this information, and it’s also worth talking to your travel agent or tour operator about possible risks.
  • Make photocopies of your passport, visas, insurance details and any other important travel documents. Take one copy with you (packed separately from your real documents) and leave another copy with a relative or friend at home. Alternatively store them online using a secure data storage site.
Download the Travel Tips Checklist

Information about how the FCO can help British nationals abroad:

The FCO can:

✔ Issue you with an emergency travel document

✔ Provide information about transferring money

✔ Provide help if you have suffered rape or serious sexual or physical assault, are a victim of crime, are ill or in hospital

✔ Give you a list of local lawyers, interpreters, doctors or funeral directors

✔ Contact you if you are detained abroad

✔ Contact friends and family back home for you if you wish

✔ Provide help in cases of forced marriage

✔ Assist people affected by parental child abduction

The FCO cannot:

✖ Help you enter a country if you do not have a valid passport or necessary visas

✖ Give you legal advice or translate documents

✖ Investigate crimes or get you out of prison

✖ Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people, but we will raise concerns if treatment falls below internationally recognised standards

✖ Pay any bills or give you money

✖ Make travel arrangements for you