Short Travel Tourist & Business Visas

• Travel insurance, including maximum health care coverage, is highly recommended. Although by world standards the UK is a relatively safe country with some first-class medical services on offer, low-cost health care through the National Health Service (NHS) is only offered to UK citizens, residents and those few travelers who belong to countries with reciprocal health agreements with the UK.

The followings are the countries with which the UK has bilateral healthcare agreements and the categories of people covered.

European Economic Area Countries (EEA):

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (Southern), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland by special arrangement.

Nationals of, and UK nationals in, the following countries:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Croatia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Yugoslavia i.e. Serbia & Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Macedonia, Moldova, New Zealand, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

Residents irrespective of nationality of the following countries:

Anguilla, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Channel Islands, Falkland Islands, Iceland, Isle of Man, Montserrat, St. Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands.

• There should be no problem withdrawing money from ATM’s around the UK – most accept Visa, Diners, American Express and so on.

• Visitors to the UK can claim back the Value Added Tax (VAT) on all purchases made during their trip to the UK. The VAT is a 17.5% tax charged on most goods bought in shops. Visitors can save a lot through the ‘Retail Export Scheme’ operating in particular tax-free shops – which are all over the United Kingdom.