Essentials > Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

Everyone visiting Europe needs a valid passport and some European countries may also require visas.

Passports

It is essential that your passport does not expire within six months of entering Europe or you will not be allowed in – even if you’re only planning on staying a few days.

You should allow plenty of time to apply for a new passport, although some passport agencies will rush your application for an additional cost.

Most travellers apply for a passport at the passport agency in their home country, but people living outside their country of citizenship should apply through their nearest embassy or consulate.

AUSTRALIA

You can get passport application forms and apply for a passport at one of 1700 Australia Post passport agencies.

You will need to make an appointment for an interview at a post office and bring along your completed application form and original documents confirming your citizenship and identity. Australian passports cost $150 for a 32-page passport or $226 for a 64-page passport. They are usually issued within 10 days.

Contact the Australian Passport Information Service (tel 13 12 32; website www.passports.gov.au) for further information.

CANADA

To obtain a passport you will need the following: two identical passport photos; at least one document, such as a drivers’ licence, to prove your identity; proof of Canadian citizenship; any previous Canadian passport, certificate of identity or refugee travel document issued to you in the last five years; a completed application form and the application fee. A Canadian passport costs CDN$85-90 and is usually issued within eight working days, although you should allow additional time for your passport to arrive through the mail.

You can either apply at your local passport office or by sending your application forms to the main passport office in Hull, Québec.

The Passport Office, Place du Centre Commercial, Level 2, 200 Promenade du Portage, Hull, Québec J8X 4B7

Tel (819) 994 3500 or 1800 567 6868

Website www.ppt.gc.ca

IRELAND

Passport application forms are available from all Garda stations and from Post Offices that provide the Passport Express service. Completed application forms should be sent to the passport office in Cork (if you live in the counties of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary or Waterford) or Dublin (if you live elsewhere in Ireland, including Northern Ireland). Passports should be issued within 10 working days.

A passport application should include two passport photos (which have been signed and certified) as well as proof of citizenship and the application fee. An Irish passport is valid for 10 years and costs €75 for a 32-page passport and €100 for a 48-page passport.

Passport Office Dublin, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

Tel (01) 671 1633

Website www.irlgov.ie/iveagh/services/passports

Passport Office Cork, 1a South Mall, Cork

Tel (021) 494 4700

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand passport application forms can be downloaded from the passport office website and are also available from most travel agencies. Completed application forms should be sent to the passport office in Wellington along with two passport photos and the NZ$71 application fee. If you were not born in New Zealand you may also need to send proof of citizenship and identity along with your passport application. In most cases passport applications are processed within 10 working days. New Zealand passports are valid for 10 years.

The Department of Internal Affairs, Passport Office, PO Box 10-526, Wellington

Tel 0800 22 50 50

Website www.passports.govt.nz

SOUTH AFRICA

Passport application forms are available at all Department of Home Affairs offices in South Africa and South African consulates and embassies abroad. South African passports are valid for 10 years and cost R 135. Passport applications take around six weeks.

Department of Home Affairs, Civitas Building, 242 Struben Street, Pretoria

Tel (012) 314 8911

Website www.home-affairs.gov.za

UNITED KINGDOM

British citizens can apply for a passport at offices of the UK Passport Agency (tel 0870 521 0410; website www.ukps.gov.uk) in Belfast, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport and Peterborough or at one of over 2,000 High Street partners throughout the UK including post offices and Worldchoice travel agents. British passports cost £42 for a 32-page passport and £54.50 for a 48-page passport; an additional £6 fee applies when lodging your application at a High Street partner. For expedited applications lodged in person at a Passport Office passports cost £70 (32-pages) to £71 (48-pages) for a one-week service or £89 (32-pages) to £95.50 (48-pages) for same day service.

Passport applications lodged at post offices and travel agents are normally issued in around two weeks, while applications lodged at UK Passport Offices are processed in one week. You can apply for a passport online at www.passport-application.gov.uk, however online applications are not recommended if you need your application processed quickly.

British passports are valid for 10 years.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

US citizens can apply for a passport at over 6,000 public places that accept passport applications, which include courthouses, and many post offices. Applications can take longer than eight weeks to be processed but applications lodged at one of 13 passport offices are processed quicker – usually within five weeks. Passports cost US$55 plus a US$30 execution fee.

For more information, contact the US Passport office (tel (202) 647 0518; website http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html).