Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights.
\n\nYour travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. Before you travel:
\n\nNo travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
\n\nIf you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
\n\nThe Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
\n\nSign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
\n\nFollow FCDO:
\n\nThis information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Kiribati’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
\n\nThe authorities in Kiribati set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Fiji High Commission in the UK.
\n\nTo enter Kiribati, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.
\n\nCheck with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
\n\nYou will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
\n\nWhen returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.
\n\nYou can visit Kiribati without a visa for up to one month.
\n\nYou must hold a ticket for return or onward travel and enough funds for your stay.
\n\nThe authorities will normally grant you a one-month stay on arrival. You can apply for one-month extensions, up to a maximum of 3 extra months, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in Bairiki. Your passport must remain valid to extend your stay.
\n\nYou must pay a 20 Australian dollar departure tax at the airport.
\n\nThere are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kiribati. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
\n\nThere is a strict quarantine regime for importing food, plant and animal (including fish) products to Kiribati. For further information, contact:
\n\n\nBiosecurity Services
SPC-Plant Protection Service
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands\n
Phone: (679) 3370 733
\nFax: (679) 3370 021
\nEmail: pps@spc.int
Strict Australian or New Zealand import regulations may apply to some Kiribati handicrafts, including straw products and shells. Check Australia travel advice and New Zealand travel advice for details. You can get a phyto-sanitary certificate in Kiribati, but the customs authorities may still confiscate items.
\n\n","slug":"entry-requirements","title":"Entry requirements"},{"body":"There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
\n\nUK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
\n\nAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Kiribati, attacks cannot be ruled out.
\n\nYou must always be able to show an official form of ID such as your passport. The police will usually accept a printed copy.
\n\nPossession or trafficking of drugs is a serious offence in Kiribati, and prison sentences may be heavy.
\n\nYou should respect local customs about dress, including swimming costumes. Local laws ban public nudity and revealing swimming costumes.
\n\nSame-sex sexual acts are illegal. If found guilty, the penalty could be up to 14 years imprisonment.
\n\nRead more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
\n\nInternet and mobile phone services are available in some parts of Kiribati. Not all of the outer islands are connected. Services can be unreliable and expensive because of the country’s remote location.
\n\nStray dogs have bitten visitors. Be cautious, particularly on the beach. If a dog approaches you, do not run. Reaching down as if to pick up something off the ground can be enough to scare dogs away. If a dog bites you, seek medical attention immediately.
\n\nVery few places accept credit cards in Kiribati. There are ATMs at branches of the Bank of Kiribati and ANZ in Betio, Bairiki and Bikenibeu on Tarawa atoll.
\n\nDo not swim in the lagoon in south Tarawa, as it is highly polluted.
\n\nTake great care when swimming in the sea around Kiribati. There are very strong rip tides along coast and reef areas.
\n\nAlways wear safety equipment during boating trips. Squalls can happen at very short notice.
\n\nSee water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society.
\n\nIf you are planning to drive in Kiribati, see information on driving abroad.
\n\nYou can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Kiribati. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence or get the correct version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well.
\n\nRoad conditions are poor on Tarawa, but driving standards are reasonable. Minibuses can be dangerously overloaded.
\n\nFind out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.
\n\nDuring the wet season, which normally runs from November to April, there can be strong winds and sea swells. Flooding and coastal inundation can cause disruption to essential services and infrastructure.
\n\nMonitor regional and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organization, the Fiji Meteorological Service and local newspapers.
\n\nThere can be severe droughts in Kiribati. The authorities may put water restrictions in place.
\n\n","slug":"safety-and-security","title":"Safety and security"},{"body":"Before you travel check that:
\n\nThis is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
\n\nCall 994 and ask for an ambulance.
\n\nContact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
\n\nAt least 8 weeks before your trip:
\n\nSee what health risks you’ll face in Kiribati, including Dengue.
\n\nDrink and use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Do not eat local shellfish or lagoon fish on Tarawa.
\n\nThe legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
\n\nRead best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
\n\nMedical facilities at the general hospital in Tarawa are modest. Elsewhere, nurse practitioners generally staff clinics.
\n\nPharmaceuticals – both prescription and non-prescription medicines – are generally not available. Bring any medicines you need with you.
\n\nIf you need any non-basic medical treatment, you will usually need medical evacuation from Kiribati. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover evacuation by air ambulance plus the cost of medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
\n\nRead FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
\n\n","slug":"health","title":"Health"},{"body":"The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
\n\nTelephone 999 (ambulance, fire, police) or local numbers:
\n\nAmbulance: 994
\n\nFire: 993
\n\nPolice: 992
\n\nContact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
\n\nFor refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.
\n\nFind out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:
\n\nFCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:
\n\nSee how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.
\n\nYou can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.
\n\nTelephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
\n\n\n\nSign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
\n\nFollow FCDO:
\n\n