Europe

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There are confirmed human cases of the H1N1 virus - Swine Flu in Iceland (source: Chief Epidemiologist in Iceland). You can check for updates on the number of cases at the Directorate of Health website . The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should monitor media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.
• There is a low threat from terrorism.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
• Around 70,000 British tourists visit Iceland every year (Source: Statistics Iceland). Most visits to Iceland are trouble-free.  5 British nationals required consular assistance in Iceland in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (2 cases); hospitalisations (2 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (0 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (5 cases).  Petty crime does occur, you should take normal, common sense precautions to avoid becoming a victim of crime, do not leave valuables unattended.
• Our Embassy has advised that there has been no change to the exchange regulations for foreign travellers. Icelandic krona are available through banks and cash machines in Iceland.
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling and, if appropriate, that this includes cover for adventure activities.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel insurance for more details.