An OMAAT reader requested me a easy query about what the very best useful resource is for wanting up passport and visa necessities for journey by nation. There’s a easy reply, although I notice I’ve by no means explicitly written about this, so I determine it’s value a submit…
Use IATA’s Timatic system to lookup nation entry necessities
The Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA) has the Timatic software, which all the time has probably the most up-to-date particulars on entry necessities for varied locations. This is similar system that airline representatives use to confirm your journey eligibility, so that you’re going straight to the supply if you use this.
Again within the day, this wasn’t a software that was out there on to customers by IATA, although these days it’s, and it may be accessed at this hyperlink. It’s tremendous easy to make use of. On the primary web page, you simply enter your origin and vacation spot, and the way lengthy your deliberate keep is.
Then on the subsequent web page, you enter what passport you’ve, your nation of residency, and the aim of your journey.
The subsequent web page will then provide you with an in depth abstract of the entry necessities, together with passport validity necessities, visa necessities, vaccination necessities, and extra.
Don’t depend on AI overviews or ChatGPT for entry necessities
Above is the place you need to search journey necessities, although maybe simply as necessary is mentioning what you shouldn’t depend on. On no account must you depend on Google’s AI overview or ChatGPT for journey necessities.
I’m of not going to let you know that you simply’re not allowed to make use of these sources — there’s nothing mistaken with beginning your search there. However don’t depend on them being 100% correct. We’ve seen a number of tales in current instances of vacationers who had their journeys ruined as a result of they relied on these sources for journey necessities, solely to search out out they weren’t correct.
Backside line
IATA’s Timatic software is the very best useful resource for figuring out journey necessities, on condition that it’s the identical useful resource that airways use for figuring out journey necessities for passengers. There are a few different correct instruments on the market, however I discover there’s no motive to not immediately use IATA as a supply.
It doesn’t matter what you do, don’t depend on random sources on-line, AI overviews, or ChatGPT, to offer you correct info for this.
What’s your go-to supply for figuring out journey necessities?
