South America and South Atlantic Islands

No restrictions in this travel advice

Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

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

• Health
• General
 

• The Falkland Islands is a British Overseas Territory. There is no formal British diplomatic or consular representation in the Falkland Islands and the local authorities normally deal with most requests for consular assistance. See General - Consular Representation.
  
  
• Most visits to the Falkland Islands are trouble-free and there is little crime or disorder.
  
  
• 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 places, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Falkland Islands Government regulations state that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism

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 places, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See our Terrorism Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime

There is little crime or disorder on the Falkland Islands and incidents affecting visitors are almost unheard of.

See our Victims of Crime page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel

To travel throughout the Islands, for example main land West Falklands and outer Islands, flights can be taken by the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) who operate four Britten Norman "Islander" aircraft from Stanley Airport. Flights can be booked either directly through FIGAS or through one of the local tour operators. You should check that your flight has been confirmed the afternoon before you are due to fly and check your check-in time. During periods of inclement weather, it is worth checking that your flight is going ahead before travelling to or from Stanley Airport.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel

Four wheel drive vehicles are most commonly used. Roads in Stanley are surfaced, as is some of the 35-mile Mount Pleasant Airport to Stanley road. In addition, there are around 600 miles of unsurfaced roads on the Islands. Coach and taxi services are available to and from Mount Pleasant Airport for both the RAF and LAN Chile arrivals and departures. Taxi services are available in Stanley and a local bus service operates to and from the airport on flight days which can be booked in advance. Speed limits are 25 miles per hour in the Stanley area and 40 miles per hour on other roads. Because of the condition of most roads, and the strong winds, extreme care must be exercised when driving outside Stanley, especially on the road between Mount Pleasant Airport and Stanley. Deaths have occurred on this road and accidents are commonplace. Self-drive four-by-four vehicles are available for hire and a UK driving licence is sufficient. Laws on the wearing of seat belts and drink driving are strictly enforced.

See our Driving Abroad page.

Safety and Security -  Local Travel - Mines

You should be aware that unexploded ordinance from the 1982 conflict remains on the Falkland Islands and occasionally can be found on any of the major battle fields. All mine fields have been identified, are well mapped and fenced-off. The fences are hung with red warning triangles stating ‘mines’. It is an offence, punishable by imprisonment or considerable fine, to enter these areas, remove, damage or obscure the signs or cut or remove any part of the fence. Detailed maps of minefield locations are available locally on request.

Customs officers are on duty at all inward international flights. Travellers are warned that drug trafficking is considered a serious offence and will be dealt with severely, normally with a custodial sentence.

Mount Pleasant Airport is a military site and photography is not permitted.

See our Your trip page.

Entry Requirements - Residents and Other Permit Holders

On arrival in the Falkland Islands you must have a valid passport.

Entry Requirements - Visitors

On arrival in the Falkland Islands you must have:

• a valid passport with a current visa if required. Your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service.
• a return air ticket (or other evidence of pre‑paid onward travel)
• evidence of accommodation with family/friends/hotel/business  
• sufficient funds to cover your stay in the Islands
  

Travellers who intend to visit or stay on the Falkland Islands should also check if an entry visa for the UK or Chile is required for the journey (see Air Services below). A Direct Airside Transit Visa cannot be used for travelling to the Islands via the UK.

If a UK or Chilean visa is required it is essential that it is also valid for the date of the planned return journey. There are facilities to issue UK visas on the Islands, but these can take up to three months to process (as they are facilitated by our office in New York) and there are no facilities to issue Chilean visas on the Islands. It should be noted that the current processing time for a UK visa stands at three months.

Passengers travelling on the RAF service to the Falklands may also require an entry permit for Ascension Island if they wish to land there for a short stay. Permission to visit Ascension Island must be obtained in advance from the Administrator by the submission of an Entry Permit Application which can be downloaded from the website: Ascension Island Government or by e-mail to: enquiries@ascension.gov.ac. Completed forms should be returned either by e-mail or by fax to +247 6152.

Visitors are prohibited from obtaining paid employment without first obtaining a work permit.

For further information on entry requirements and RAF ticket services, you are advised to check with the Falkland Islands Government Office, Falkland House, 14 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H OBH; Tel: 020 7222 2542; Fax:  020 7222 2375; e-mail: mailto: travel@falklands.gov.fk.

The general standard of healthcare in the Falkland Islands is good. A reciprocal health agreement exists between the Falkland Islands and the UK NHS which offers some, but not all, services free of charge to UK Citizens. The only hospital is located in Stanley and offers very modern facilities with a full complement of medical, dental and nursing staff. There is no resident qualified optician. More complex treatments might require medical evacuation. You should ensure that your travel insurance is sufficient to cover this as the reciprocal agreement does not cover aero-medical transfer to the UK or South America.

Health - HIV and AIDs

You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. See our HIV and AIDS page.

Health - General

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Falkland Islands and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel Health page.

General -  Insurance

Falkland Islands Government regulations state that you must obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check for any exclusions and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.
 

General - Consular representation

The Falkland Islands is a British Overseas Territory and as such there is no formal British Consular representation. Only, in an emergency, Government House in Stanley will assist British nationals, with the help of the local authorities.

General - Air services

LAN Airlines of Chile currently operate a once weekly service to Mount Pleasant Airport from Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Onward air connections from Punta Arenas are available to Puerto Montt and Santiago de Chile, and onward from Santiago to other international destinations. Once a month this service stops in Rio Gallegos, on the southern coast of Argentina. The service will pick up passengers in Rio Gallegos on one week (usually the second Saturday of the month), and drop off passengers in Rio Gallegos the following week. You should check with LAN in advance for up to date information on Chile/Falkland Islands air services.

The RAF operates a fare-paying service from RAF Brize Norton (via Ascension Island) to Mount Pleasant Airport twice weekly. This service can be subject to delays due to poor weather conditions, especially during the Southern Hemisphere winter. The total journey time is approximately 20 hours. For further information and how to book this service visit the Falkland Islands website or contact Falkland Islands Government Office (see below for contact details). You are advised to carry some currency in US$ in case the flight is diverted to South America or North Africa.

General - Weather

Beware of weather changes. The weather can change rapidly and it is often possible to experience several seasons in a single day. The sun can be very strong. Wearing of good sunglasses, hats and a high-factor sunscreen is recommended.

General - Departure tax

There is a £22 departure tax on leaving the Islands that is not included on LAN flight tickets.

General - London office

The Falkland Islands Government maintains an office in London that can provide further information for people wishing to visit the islands.  Their contact details are:

Falkland Islands Government Office
Falkland House
14 Broadway
Westminster
LONDON
SW1H OBH

Tel:  020 7222 2542
Fax:  020 7222 2375
E-mail:  representative@falklands.gov.fk 

General - Money

The Falkland Island pound is fixed at a rate of one pound Sterling. Bank of England coins and notes are fully accepted in the Islands at full value. However, some travellers have experienced difficulties in exchanging Falkland Islands’ notes at their bank on return to the UK. You should therefore limit the amount of Falkland Islands currency you carry on departure. In Stanley, many of the main shops, hotels and restaurants will accept MasterCard or Visa. A small number of establishments accept Switch or Visa Delta. However, credit cards are not widely acceptable in Camp (the countryside). You should check when making bookings. There are no ATM cash machines on the Islands although a cash advance facility is available at the bank using Visa and Mastercard.