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South America and South Atlantic Islands
St Helena (British Overseas Territory) |
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| Still current at: 08 November 2009
Updated: 04 September 2009 |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Summary (A (H1N1) - Swine Flu) the Health section and the Political Situation section. The overall level of the advice has not changed.
(see travel advice legal disclaimer)
Travel advice for this country
Travel Summary
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Medical screening for the Swine Flu virus (H1N1) has been introduced by local authorities for travellers arriving in St Helena. On arrival in St Helena passengers will be asked to complete a health questionnaire and surveillance check. No-one may disembark any vessel until clearance has been approved by a St Helena Government Medical Officer. Travellers on the RMS St Helena will also need to complete a health questionnaire and surveillance check, prior to them boarding at their point of embarkation. Anyone suspected of having swine influenza will not be allowed to board the RMS St Helena. Containment measures may be introduced or changed with little or no notice. You may be required to undergo further tests if you show flu-like symptoms.
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All passengers travelling to St Helena from RAF Brize Norton via Ascension Island will have their temperature tested as a preventative measure for Swine Flu. See the Health section of this advice for further details.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information.
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St Helena is a British Overseas Territory and the local people are affectionately known as “Saints” who are British nationals. There is no formal British diplomatic or consular representation in St Helena and the local authorities deal with all requests for consular assistance. See the General (Consular Assistance) section of this advice for more details.
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St Helena does not have an air link. All journeys are by sea, via Cape Town (South Africa), Ascension Island or Walvis Bay (Namibia). You should therefore consult the travel advice relating to the country through which you intend to travel.
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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.
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A good standard of medical care is available on St Helena but it is not free. Costs can be high and medical evacuations depend on the schedule of the RMS St Helena.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. 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.
Safety and security
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. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.
Due to limited harbour facilities the RMS has to anchor offshore and passengers are ferried by smaller local boats to the landing steps. In heavy swells or bad weather, this transfer can be hazardous. For more general information see River and Sea Safety.
Local laws and customs
Consuming alcohol in public in the Jamestown area is not allowed.
It is an offence to wear in public T - shirts or clothing with indecent or offensive slogans, which may offend ordinary members of the public or which corrupt public morals having special regard to the morals of children and young persons.
For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.
Entry requirements
If you visit the Island, you will be allowed to stay up to 90 days, with evidence that you are in possession of a return ticket, or funds for a return ticket valid medical insurance, adequate accommodation, and be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for your stay.
There is an entry fee charge of £12 for up to four days, £14 up to ten days, £16 up to 21 days, £20 up to 60 days, and £25 up to 90 days. Should you wish to stay longer than 90 days you would need to apply to the St Helena Immigration Control Board for a Residents Permit, which can be granted for up to 2 years.
If you require a UK or South African visa it is essential that it is obtained before your visit and that it is valid for the date of your planned return journey. There are no facilities to issue UK, South African or any other visas on the Island.
Passport validity
Visitors to St. Helena must have at least six months validity left on their passport. The Immigration Service in St. Helena only deals with issuing and renewing of British Overseas Territory Citizen (BOTC) passports and Emergency passports.
Any request for a British passport is processed through the UK Home Office. Given the time required for mail to travel to and from the Island, this can mean that the issuing and renewal can normally take a minimum of two months.
Travelling with children
If you intend to send an unaccompanied minor to St Helena you should seek advice from Andrew Weir Shipping which is currently responsible for running the shipping service.
Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.
Health
A good standard of medical care is available on St Helena, but visitors are charged a fee for medical treatment. As a British Resident you are required to pay for emergency medical and dental treatment.. Prescription fees are currently £5.95 an item. As a guide, a major surgical operation in St Helena would cost between £393 and £590. Hospital ward charges are £47 per a day.
Fees for non-British Residents are much higher, with prescription fees costing £20 per item. A major surgical operation would cost between £2,000 and £3,500 with hospital ward charges being £150 per a day.
You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.
You should seek medical advice before travelling to St Helena 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.
For more general health information see Travel Health.
RAF Brize Norton - Testing for Swine Flu
In order to protect MOD operational capability, it has become mandatory for all passengers arriving at RAF Brize Norton Passenger Terminal for check-in to automatically have their temperature tested as a preventative measure for Swine Flu, this includes all civilian passengers travelling southbound to Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands. Although this testing is quick and easy, please be aware that it will inevitably cause a slight disruption and delay to the check-in process. If your temperature is found to be of a high enough degree to cause concern you will be given 30 minutes 'cool-down' to allow for re-testing and temperature verification. This could cause some passengers to miss their flight check-in if they arrive too close to the 'Latest Arrival Time' to allow for the completion of this procedure. Therefore, it is recommended that all passengers programme extra time into their travel plans to allow for any possible false negative tests and cool down period.
If any passenger fails the 2nd temperature test after 30 minutes, they will be shut off the flight and unable to travel again for a further 7 days. Consequently, it is suggested that all passengers keep their transport available until after the testing is completed and civilian passengers are strongly advised to ensure they take out adequate travel insurance to cover such an eventuality.
MOD have advised that they will keep the screening programme under constant review by balancing medical and operational advice accordingly. Anyone who is due to depart from RAF Brize Norton should direct any questions to the Passenger Flight Information Line on 01993 896050.
General
If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.
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. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.
The principal points of contact are Overseas Territories Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Governor's Office, Jamestown, St Helena.
UK Representative for St Helena
Mrs Kedell M Worboys
Suite G4
7 Portland Place
London
W1P 1PP
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7031 0314
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7031 0315
e-mail: shgukrep@sthelenagov.com
Commercial Representative for St Helena
Mr Adam Kossowski
PO Box 2115
Clareinch
7740
Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: + 27 (0)21 6837430
Fax: + 27 (0)21 6837430
email: sacr@sthelenaonline.com
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