Holiday Paperwork

Make sure that you have the necessary paperwork for travelling.

Passport and visas
Health Advice and Emergency Medical Cover
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Travel Insurance and Medical Insurance
Foreign Currency and Credit / Debit Cards
Invoices, Contacts and phone numbers

Passport and visas

Check that you have the correct passport documentation and if necessary apply via the UK Government Passport web site. Other sites may charge you an additional fee.
Check that you always use the official site that ends with ... .gov.uk

The UK and the EU

The UK has left the EU and the Transition Period ended on 31 December 2020. You can find information and the new rules from January 2021 here

Health Advice and Emergency Medical Cover

A number of countries have arrangements for providing emergency medical treatment during visits. The "Foreign travel advice" pages of the UK government website details the countries that have agreements with the UK and the level of cover.
It also lists the major diseases in each country and the essential and recommended immunisations (you can also check with your doctor) and gives useful advice for travelling outside the UK.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can find guidance and support on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic here

You can find guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic here.

 

Tick-Borne Diseases

There are several tick borne diseases in various European countries. You should check to see if you need to take precautions:

Tick-Borne Encephalitis TBE

Tick-Borne Encephalitis - in German called Frühsommer-Meningo-Enzephalitis (FSME). This exists in some areas of Europe .

Lyme Disease

This can be found in areas of the UK

Advice and more information on Tick Borne Diseases can be found here:

• Tick Alert
• Patient UK
• Lyme Disease Action
• American Lyme Disease Foundation (in English - covers USA but explains the disease)
• Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK
• MedizInfo - Wald und Wiese (Wood and Meadow - in German but with map of affected areas)
• Europäische Zeckeninformation (German site in German)
• Baxter Zecken (in German but with map of affected areas)

Bird Flu / Avian Influenza

The H5N1 form of Bird Flu has been found in a number of countries. The UK Health Protection Agency advice to travellers to affected areas can be found here.

Remember that any immunisations will need to be done several weeks before you travel.

Travel Health Pro gives advice for travellers on Health risks in your destination country, General health and safety advice, Reports of disease outbreaks.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

A number of European countries use the “European Health Insurance Card” (EHIC) card to provide free or reduced cost medical treatment.

The EHIC is FREE, but there are some websites that will apply for you and charge. Make sure you apply via the official websites.

 See also the section below “UK Global Health Insurance Card”.

The EHIC is valid for temporary visits to European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland:

• The European Union (EU) countries,
• and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.

The EHIC is not travel insurance, may not cover all costs, and does not cover repatriation costs. You should have Travel Insurance in addition to the EHIC.

The EHIC is only valid for a few years and must then be renewed. Check that it is valid before you travel.

There is also a “New UK EHIC”  which covers the EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.

The UK GHIC and the New EHIC do not offer all the same benefits. Check which card you are eligible for and what it covers.

UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC)

In the UK the “UK Global Health Insurance Card” (UK GHIC) can be applied for. The UK GHIC is FREE, but there are some websites that will apply for you and charge. Make sure you apply via the official websites.

See also the section above “European Health Insurance Card”.

You can apply by using the UK GHIC & New EHIC Application Form on the NHS website

https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/cra/start

 You will need to have the following information for everyone you are applying for:

• Surname / Family Name, Forenames and address
• Date of birth
• National Health Service (NHS) or National Insurance (NI) number.

The UK GHIC and the New EHIC do not offer all the same benefits. Check which card you are eligible for and what it covers.

At this time (Jan 2022) the UK GHIC covers the EU and Switzerland. In the future, more countries may be added.

Travel Insurance and Medical Insurance

The EHIC and the UK GHIC may not provide for all costs involved and you may be required to pay for treatment and claim back later. Make sure you keep receipts. You should also ensure that you have valid Travel Insurance covering the countries you plan to visit - check that it also covers countries you be travelling through. Some Travel Insurances require you to have a valid card and, if necessary, use it.

If you book your visit at a Travel Agent you can also buy Travel Insurance but you may find cheaper insurance elsewhere. If you intend to travel several times in a year, an Annual policy may be cheaper than a separate policy for each trip.

If you are planning to walk / hike in the mountains then it is a good idea to have Rescue Insurance. A suitable scheme is offered by the Austrian Alpine Club UK Branch.

Foreign Currency and Credit / Debit Cards

It is a good idea to take some foreign currency with you. You can change pounds at most banks, building societies, post offices and travel agents or have it delivered to your home address. There may be an additional charge if you use a credit charge to buy it. Check the total cost including the transaction charge as well as the conversion rate. Credit / Debit cards may not be as widely used as in the UK, so check that hotels and banks accept them before you go. If banks have ATMs remember that there may be charges from that bank and you own bank as well as a conversion charge.

Some shops may try to charge you in your own currency instead of their own. This may be more expensive as their conversion rate may be more than your credit/debit card conversion rate.

Invoices, Contacts and phone numbers

Take invoices and important contacts details with you - next of kin, hotel, tour operator. Carry them in your hand baggage and not the checked in baggage.

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