Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
Entering the Region
No visas are required if you arrive in Wales from within the UK. If you arrive directly from any other country,
British regulations apply.
At present, citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA are given 'leave to enter'
the UK at their point of arrival for up to six months, but are prohibited from working. If you're a citizen of the
EU, you don't need a visa to enter the country and may live and work freely. However, visa regulations are al-
ways subject to change, so check with your local British embassy, high commission or consulate before leaving
home. For more information, visit
www.ukvisas.gov.uk
.
To extend your stay in the UK, contact the
Home Office, Immigration & Nationality Directorate
( 0870
606 7766;
www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
; 40 Wellesley Rd, Lunar House, Croydon, London, CR9 2BY) before
your existing permit expires. You'll need to send your passport with your application.
Money
The currency in Wales is the pound sterling (£) and Wales has the same major banks as the rest of the UK. There
are 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins and £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.
Most banks and larger post offices can change foreign currency; US dollars and euros are the easiest currencies
to change.
Nearly all banks in Wales have ATMs linked to international systems such as Cirrus, Maestro or Plus.
However, an increasing number of ATMs, especially the ones you find in small shops and at service stations, will
make a charge for withdrawal (at least £1.50). It's best to avoid these and simply seek out a regular ATM that of-
fers free withdrawals.
Various cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express (Amex) and Diners Club, are widely accepted in
Wales, although some smaller businesses and B&Bs may prefer payment in cash. If your credit card is lost or
stolen, contact the relevant provider.
Amex
(
01273-696933)
Diners Club
(
0870 190 0011)
MasterCard
(
0800 964767)
Visa
(
0800 891725)
Telephone
The UK uses the GSM 900/1800 mobile phone network, which covers the rest of Europe, Australia and New Zea-
land, but isn't compatible with the North American GSM 1900 network (though some North Americans have
GSM 1900/900 phones that work in the UK). If you have a GSM phone, check with your service provider about
using it in the UK, and beware of calls being routed internationally (very expensive for a 'local' call).
You can also rent a mobile phone - ask at a local tourist office for details - or buy a 'pay-as-you-go' UK SIM
card for as little as £10.
To dial a UK number from overseas, dial your country's international access code, then 44 (the country code
for the UK), then the local number
without
the initial 0.
Time
All of the UK is on GMT/UTC in winter and GMT/UTC plus one hour during summer. Clocks are set forward by
an hour on the last Sunday in March and set back on the last Sunday in October.
