North and Central America and Caribbean

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

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There have been human cases of the A (H1N1) virus (swine flu) in Canada, including confirmed deaths.  You should check for updates on the number of cases and their location through the Public Health Agency of Canada .  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website has further details. In addition, you should monitor  local media reports for any developments.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance about pandemic flu is available through the UK Department of Health .  
  
  
• There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.  See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Around 650,000 British nationals visit Canada each year (Source: Statistics Canada). Most visits are trouble free. 239 British nationals required consular assistance in Canada in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (62 cases); hospitalisations (13 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (120 cases) including for the smuggling of Khat, which is illegal in Canada. During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (495 cases).
  
  
• Canada can experience severe weather at different times of the year. You should monitor local news and weather reports. For more information and advice on current weateplease visit Environment Canada. Please also see the Local Travel and Natural Disasters sections of this advice for more details.
  
  
• If you intend to travel on to the United States you should check the entry requirements of the US authorities.  See the advice for the United States Travel Advice.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
  
  
• Register with our LOCATE service to tell us where you’re travelling to so our crisis staff at the British High Commission and Consulates-General can provide better assistance in an emergency such as a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. The online form can be found at: https://www.locate.fco.gov.uk/locateportal/