Tips, documentation and requirements to travel to London

One of the essential steps prior to our departure to London is to check that we meet all the requirements to travel to London. The necessary documentation varies according to the origin of the tourist, depending on whether it comes from the European Union (EU) or from outside it.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

British embassy

When in doubt, it is best contact the British Embassy in your country of origin, in order to ensure that you are not missing any important documents when entering the UK.

Clicking on this link, you will be able to find an alphabetized list showing the contact details of the British Embassy around the world.

It is also advisable to visit the website of the UK Borders Directorate (formerly called UK Border Agency, has now been renamed UK Visas and Immigration), which you can access by clicking this link.

Requirements to travel to London

Here we show you what is needed and what is the documentation to travel to London:

• EU citizens, Monaco, Andorra, Switzerland y Liechtenstein: They only need the National Identity Document (DNI) or passport to travel to the United Kingdom.
• Minimum age restriction: in case those who are going to travel are minors, if they do not have a passport they will need a parental authorization accompanied by the DNI.
• Visitors from outside the EU: They must carry their passport and, in addition, it is very important to ensure that it is valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in the UK.
• United Kingdom: they form a common area; For this reason, if you have already entered any of these territories through immigration control, it will not be necessary to pass more controls on the following occasions.
• Holidays or indefinite work: If you come from the European Economic Community (EEC), the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland you do not need a visa to enter the United Kingdom.

Driving license

It is legal to drive in London with a valid non-UK driving license for the first twelve months of your arrival in the country. However, you will have to make sure that you have the following documentation with you:

• National driving license
• Circulation permit
• Green card (in English International Motor Insurance Card System)
• "E" at the rear of the vehicle
• You will need to obtain a copy of the highway code (highway code in English), which details the rules of the wheel and traffic signals. You can read it by clicking this link (In English).

In addition, it is recommended to check well that the vehicle is properly secured and that technical conditions They are good.

Visas

• European Economic Area (EEA): exemption from the need for a visa, whether for tourism, work or study reasons.
• Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States: You do not need a visa if you are only going to London on vacation for stays of less than six months. From then on, a visa will be required. Yes, it is necessary to work or study in the UK.
• Rest of nationalities: a visa will be required in any of the cases mentioned above.
• Tourist visas: they can only be extended when there is a clear emergency, such as an accident or death of a family member.
• Visa extension: You can contact the Visa & Passport Information Line by phone by calling 0870 606 7766 or by going in person at 40 Wellesley Rd, Home Office's Immigration & Nationality Directorate, Lunar House, Croydon, CR9 2BY. You will need to contact them before your current visa expires. In addition, this process can take several days.

Health card

EU citizens will have to remove the European sanitary card (European Health Insurance Card) (formerly called form E111), with which they will have the right to be treated in health centers and hospitals and to free medical treatment.

If there is any cost, it will be lower, through the National Health Service (NHS). Spanish citizens can obtain information on how to apply by clicking on this link.

Other countries outside the EU maintain reciprocal health agreements with the United Kingdom, which are listed below in alphabetical order:

• Eel
• Australia
• Barbados
• Bulgaria
• Channel Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Islas Turcas y Caicos
• BVI
• Montserrat
• New Zealand
• Romania
• Russia
• Sta. Helena

Still, it is always advised to have health insurance. In the case of USA and Canada, countries that do not have any agreement with Great Britain, the visitor must have contracted a full travel medical insurance.