Getting ready
Your flight requirements
If you have any special requirements for your flight, such as unusual baggage requirements, travelling with children or dietary needs,
please don't hesitate to contact your Travel Guru, who will be very happy to take care of everything.
Travel documents
Your passport
Remember that you need a full passport which is valid for at least 6 months from your return date of travel. It's also advisable to
check with the relevant embassy for current requirements as these are subject to change.
Getting a UK passport
If you need to renew your passport, we'd recommend applying a minimum of 8 weeks before your departure date
If you're applying for your first passport, you will need to attend an interview with the Passport Office as part of the application process.
This will add to the time it takes for your application to be processed. And the Passport Office advises that it's best not to book travel until
after you have received your new passport.
For questions about your UK passport, please contact the British Passport Office on 0870 521 0410 or go to
www.ukpa.gov.uk
Childrens' passports
All children, including newborn babies, must have their own valid passport.
Please note that some destinations will require a letter of authority for children travelling without both legal guardians.
Visas
Visas are required by British citizens for a number of our destinations, and a charge may be applicable - or for up-to-date information check
with the relevant embassy. This information is correct at the time of going to press (8 September 2008). It is your responsibility to ensure that
you have the correct travel documentation. All other passport holders should check with the relevant embassy or consulate.
If your passport shows you are a BRITISH or IRISH citizen, you do not usually need a US visa* but can use the VISA WAIVER SCHEME (form currently
supplied at airport or on flight**).*Under certain circumstances (eg, if you have a criminal record) you may require a visa and you could be refused
entry into the USA.
PLEASE NOTE: The US immigration authorities have announced their intentions to replace the VISA WAIVER SCHEME with a new process
known as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). With effect from 12 January 2009 anyone travelling to the USA will need to obtain an ESTA
at least 72 hours prior to travel, by completing an online process at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
At the time of producing this brochure, we are not aware of the final details of the new process and you should check the most up to date
requirements before travelling at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
If your passport shows you are a BRITISH SUBJECT, you WILL need a VISA. This particularly applies if you are Irish but have a British Subject passport.
In both these cases, you must check with the US Embassy or nearest consulate. All other passport holders in doubt should checkwith a US Embassy or
consulate. All British passport holders will now only be permitted to enter the States if they hold a machine-readable passport. All passports issued
within the UK since November 1991 are machine-readable. This is not the case for all UK passports issued overseas, so please contact the British Passport
Office if this applies to you or if you are not sure.
Passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 must also include an integrated circuit chip capable of storing the biographic information from the
data page, a digitised photograph and other biometric information. If your passport was issued on or after this date and does not have this information,
you WILL require a visa.
All children, including newborn babies, must now have their own individual passport.
Please Note: Some destinations require a letter of authority if children are not accompanied by both legal guardians. Please check
with us for further information if this applies to you. If you haven't yet got a valid passport, we recommend that you should apply for one at least
8 weeks before your holiday departure date. The Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and everybody aged 16
years or over applying for their first passport will need to have an interview as part of the application process. Please note that this new process
will increase the time it takes for your application to be processed. In all cases, the Passport Office advises you not to book any travel arrangements
until you have received your new passport.
For full details on passport requirements for your chosen holiday destination, please contact the British Passport Office on 0870 521 0410
or www.ukpa.gov.uk or the US Embassy on 0207 499 9000 or www.usembassy.org.uk
You should check the most up-to-date requirements before travelling. Further information is available from our website www.vhiphotels.com
The name on each person's ticket MUST match the name as stated in their passport. When making your booking, please ensure the information given to
us is correct. Failure to do so may result in significant charges being incurred, as some airlines treat an amendment as a name change and will charge
accordingly.
If you turn up for your flight with an invalid passport or no visa when you need one, YOU CANNOT BOARD THE FLIGHT.
Foreign Office travel advice
Any seasoned traveller knows that it's always worth checking with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for advice on your destination before you
travel. After all, not everything that's going on in the world makes the evening news and the FCO are the experts, with all the latest advice to hand.
You can find out what they have to say by:
Alternatively, you can contact the ABTA Information Department on 0901 201 5050 (calls are charged at 50p per minute).
Insurance
Travel insurance is always a useful safety net - it puts your mind at rest even if you don't use it. Even the most minor medical visit can be very
expensive in some countries if you're not covered. We do offer our own travel insurance and your Travel Guru will be happy to talk you through the
policy if you're interested.