Travel Safety

Buy travel insurance before your trip (read the terms and conditions carefully as sometimes you have to have been living in the UK for a certain amount of time before you will be insured). This should cover you for replacement valuables and money, as well as for health care if you become ill while you are away.

Don’t carry large amounts of money or display expensive items like your camera/phone or other valuables in public places. Before you travel, think about whether or not you need to bring valuables with you or if they could be left at home. 

It is a good idea to split your money and cards, and keep them in different places. This way, if something is stolen, you won’t have lost everything. Be aware that you may still need money for: 

•   Food and drink

•   Replacement passport/visa 

•   Unexpected travel costs

•   Extra clothes

•   Extra nights’ stay in hotel or hostel (if you are low on funds, you may be able to stay at a Red Cross or religious centre)

•   Credit for mobile phone

Check with your Embassy in the UK whether you can inform them of where you will be travelling to before you leave the UK. Write down the address, opening times and contact details for the Embassy of your home country and the UK Embassy in the country that you will be travelling to.  You may be able to ask your parents to transfer money for you to the Embassy. Don’t forget that Embassies are usually closed during weekends, public holidays, and may have early closing times or irregular opening hours. Keep a copy of this information with you during your travels and email it to yourself as well.

Keep your friends and family informed of where you are travelling to, where you will be staying, your itinerary and flight information.

Make copies of your passport and visa. Keep photocopies with you when you travel as you may need to show this as evidence of identification to police. Additionally email scans to yourself and a trusted friend or family member so that you can easily access this information.

Try not to look like a tourist! Be aware of your surroundings and think about the best time to bring out a map or guide book. Don’t leave your bags and belongings unattended, and do not store important documents or valuables in a backpack or pocket if you can avoid doing so. Make sure you keep your suitcases and bags locked.

Use your hotel safe to store important documents such as passports and visas. Carry the photocopies with you – if you are asked by police to provide ID, you should be able to show the photocopies and the official will then give you 24 hours to report to a police station with the original document. If there is no hotel safe, keep documents on your person in a special travel pouch which can be worn around the body. Don’t leave important documents in your suitcase.

If your passport/visa is lost or stolen:

•   Go to the local police station as soon as possible to obtain a police report. You will need to this to apply for replacements.

•   Contact your own embassy to replace your passport

•   Contact the UK Embassy to get a new visa (if your visa was a sticker in your passport) or a single entry visa (if your visa was a BRP). Visit the TLS website to find the closest Visa Application Centre to where you are staying.

Consult our webpage on how to replace lost passports or BRP cards for information about what you need to do to replace your visa.