Passports and visas

Guidance and advice on requirements for passports and visas.

Passport guidance

All staff must ensure they have a valid passport before booking any travel abroad. Guidance on how to obtain or renew a passport can be found on the Government website, Gov.uk.

Passport requirements

Before you go, please check the following:

• For travel to most countries, a British passport must remain valid for at least six months after your scheduled return to the UK. Please contact the embassy of your destination country for the most up-to-date information.
• If your passport or travel documents are damaged or have been tampered with, you may not be able to travel. If you have any doubts about the condition of your passport, please contact the Passport Adviceline on 0870 521 0410 or visit the Gov.uk website for more information.

Gov.uk website

Advance Passenger Information (API)

Please check with your airline to confirm if you need to supply Advance Passenger Information prior to departure or arrival at the airport.

Visa requirements

Many countries require all visitors to have a visa for entry and some also for exit. Many visas must be obtained prior to arrival whereas other countries will charge at entry a fee for the entry visa. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the valid visa requirements for entry as well as the appropriate fee in the correct currency.

Non-UK passport holders

The visa requirements will also be dependent on which country issued your passport. If you hold a non-UK issued passport, you must ensure you have the authority to leave and re-enter the UK as well as be able to enter the country you are visiting directly from the UK.

Group visits

If visiting as part of a student group, please check your local school policy on whose responsibility it is to organise the visas for the group.

Some common visa systems and their website are;

The United States of America;

ESTA website

Canada;

ETA website

Australia;

Online resources

Other useful websites include the Travel Visa Company website who are a partner of Thomson/First Choice travel company and Project Visa, both of which are searchable by the country you are visiting.

Please note the University does not endorse any of these websites and are used at your own risk. It is best to check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting if in any doubt.